Bible Fact · Jeremiah 36:4 — 'Then Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at Jeremiah's dictation.'
The Seal of Baruch
The Fact
In the 1970s, a small clay seal impression (bulla) appeared on the antiquities market and was eventually published by scholar Nahman Avigad in 1978. Measuring just 17mm across, the seal reads: 'Belonging to Berekhyahu son of Neriyahu the scribe.' In Hebrew, Berekhyahu is the long form of Baruch — and Neriyahu is Neriah. This matches perfectly with Baruch son of Neriah, the prophet Jeremiah's personal scribe mentioned 23 times in the book of Jeremiah. Baruch wrote Jeremiah's dictated prophecies, read them publicly in the Temple, and preserved them for future generations (Jeremiah 36). The fingerprint found on the back of the seal may belong to Baruch himself. The title 'the scribe' (ha-sofer) on the seal confirms his professional role exactly as the Bible describes. The bulla is now in a private collection.
Context
Baruch was present during some of the most dramatic moments of Jeremiah's ministry — the Temple scroll-reading, the siege of Jerusalem, and the flight to Egypt.
Significance
The Baruch seal connects a private artifact directly to a named individual in the Bible, confirming that the scribal class described in Jeremiah existed exactly as portrayed.
Reflection
Baruch's role was to faithfully record and preserve the words God gave Jeremiah. Who in your life faithfully supports the work God has called you to?