Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Baruch 6
Baruch 6:8They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.
This verse compares idols to scarecrows in a field, highlighting that they are stationary, silent, and completely incapable of doing anything good or bad.Baruch 6:30And when they have carried them abroad, say to them, ‘Let not the gods whom the Gentiles fear save themselves, who have not the power either to save a man from death or to deliver him from the hand of the oppressor.’
The author points out the irony that these 'gods' cannot even save themselves from being stolen or moved, let alone save a human from death.Baruch 6:71And when they have carried them abroad, say to them, ‘Let not the gods that did not make the heavens and the earth take hold of the earth and water, or the light of the sun; and let not the birds fly in the air.’
Historical & Cultural Context
A Warning to the Exiles
The chapter is framed as a letter sent to the Jewish exiles who were being taken to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. They were entering a world where massive, gold-plated statues were worshipped with great pomp and ceremony. The author wants to prepare them so they aren't intimidated by the wealth and scale of Babylonian religion.
The Crafting of Helplessness
As the letter progresses, it moves from a general warning to a detailed, almost sarcastic description of how these idols are made. It describes the craftsmen using hammers and nails to keep the 'gods' from falling over. This shows the absurdity of worshipping something that needs human maintenance to stay upright.
Exposing the Illusion of Idolatry
In Baruch 6:1-73, the author provides a long list of reasons why the Babylonian gods are frauds. The scene is set in a pagan empire where gold and silver hide the fact that the statues are blocks of wood.
The Scarecrow Comparison (Baruch 6:1-16)
1 When King Nebuchadnezzar heard about it, he became very angry and ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be put to death.
2 And when you have come into the fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not consume you.
3 They are not gods, so do not fear them.
4 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are fastened with hammers and nails so that they do not loosen.
5 Its temples are full of gods of gold and silver, and the ornaments of its priests are covered with gold; it is their custom to pull off silver and gold from their gods and spend it on themselves;
6 They are made by craftsmen and by goldsmiths; they can be nothing but what the priests approve, for they themselves do not possess the means to keep them safe.
7 And when he sees the doorkeepers asleep, one after another, and their lamps extinguished, how will he get inside and uncover their secret?
8 They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.
9 Those who serve them are put to shame because, if one of them falls to the ground, they themselves cannot help him up.
10 How then can one not know that they are not gods?
11 And when the Babylonians came to her, they defiled her; they were satisfied with her dishonor.
12 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are fastened with hammers and nails so that they cannot move.
13 How then can one not know that they are not gods?
14 And when he sees the power of their gods, let him cast them down to the ground, so that they may be broken into pieces, while their temple shall be set on fire, and their gods shall be stripped of their images, and their idols, which are the most precious things, shall be broken in pieces, and their works shall be destroyed.
15 They are not gods, so do not fear them.
16 They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.
Commentary:
Idols are gold-covered wood that can't move or talk, so they shouldn't be feared.
The Decay of False Gods (Baruch 6:17-40)
17 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are fastened with hammers and nails so that they cannot rust.
18 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are fastened with hammers and nails so that they cannot rust.
19 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are fastened with hammers and nails so that they cannot rust and are secure.
20 They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.
21 Their gods of wood and overlaid with gold and silver are like the stones that are hewn out of the mountain: those that worship them shall be confounded.
22 Their gods of wood and overlaid with gold and silver are like the stones that are hewn out of the mountain; and those that worship them shall be confounded.
23 They are not gods, so do not fear them.
24 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
25 They are not gods, so do not fear them.
26 When they are burned, they are not able to deliver themselves from the flame.
27 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are fastened with hammers and nails so that they cannot move.
28 They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.
29 How then can they be thought to be gods, who can neither deliver themselves from war and calamity, nor save themselves from the hands of their enemies?
30 And when they have carried them abroad, say to them, ‘Let not the gods whom the Gentiles fear save themselves, who have not the power either to save a man from death or to deliver him from the hand of the oppressor.’
31 And when they have carried it to Babylon, they will keep it in a temple of their gods until the time that the city takes its punishment and all its idols are brought into it to be destroyed.
32 And when they have carried them abroad, say to them, ‘Let the things that you worship be carried by you!’
33 They are not gods, so do not fear them.
34 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
35 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
36 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of art, the product of skilled hands.
37 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
38 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
39 And when they have been carried to Babylon, they will be there until the day of their redemption.
40 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
Commentary:
False gods rot and get dusty, proving they have no divine power to protect themselves.
The Failure to Act (Baruch 6:41-60)
41 And when they have carried them abroad, they themselves go forth; and will not know where their gods are.
42 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
43 And when he sees the power of their gods, let him cast them down to the ground, so that they may be broken into pieces, while the priests of the temple come and take them and burn them in the temple of their gods.
44 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
45 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
46 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
47 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
48 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
49 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are nothing but a work of men's hands.
50 They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.
51 You will see no trace of them, not a footprint will be found of them.
52 How then can anyone say or think that they are gods?
53 And when he has carried them to Babylon, he will take care of them until the day when they come to take them out and restore them to this place.
54 How then can anyone fail to know that they are not gods?
55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished
56 And when they have carried it on their shoulders, beware, lest it tumble to the ground, for this also is a reproach to the heathen that it should fall.
57 And when the priests of Bel saw that the seals of the temple were unbroken, they rushed to the king and accused Daniel, saying, "Look, the seals are unbroken, and no one has entered the temple."
58 How then can anyone fail to know that they are not gods?
59 "Therefore, it is better to be a king that shows his courage, or a house that has been plundered."
60 How then can it be thought or claimed that they are gods?
Commentary:
Idols are useless in times of trouble and cannot even stand up on their own.
The Final Verdict (Baruch 6:61-73)
61 And when the Babylonians came to her, they defiled her;
62 And the women, girded with cords, sit by the roads, burning bran for incense;
63 And when he has carried them away, he will break them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
64 And when they have carried it to Babylon, they will keep it in a temple of their gods until the time when the land will be sought out and all of it will be gathered together from the flood to the end of time.
65 And when they have carried it to Babylon, they will keep it in a temple of their gods until the time when it will be sought out.
66 And when they have carried them abroad, say to them, ‘Let the things that you worship be carried by you!’
67 And when they have carried them abroad, sayeth he, they will set them in the place where they were before: for the Lord is able to deliver them, and he is a great God.
68 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they are fastened with hammers and nails so that they cannot move.
69 They are made of wood and overlaid with gold; they will not rust or corrode.
70 For as a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.
71 And when they have carried them abroad, say to them, ‘Let not the gods that did not make the heavens and the earth take hold of the earth and water, or the light of the sun; and let not the birds fly in the air.’
72 And when they have carried it to Babylon, they will keep it in a temple of their gods until the time when it will be sought out.
73 And when they have carried it to Babylon, they will keep it in a temple of their gods until the time when it will be sought out.
Commentary:
The true God controls the universe, while idols are temporary human inventions.
Seeing Through the Glitter of False Worship
The Helplessness of Idols
The passage repeatedly emphasizes that idols are passive objects that must be carried, cleaned, and repaired by humans. This highlights the irony of people seeking help from things that are more dependent and fragile than the worshippers themselves.
The Deception of Appearance
By focusing on the gold, silver, and fine clothing of the statues, the author shows how beauty can be used to hide a lack of substance. It warns us not to be fooled by things that look impressive on the outside but are hollow and dead on the inside.
The Sovereignty of the Creator
The text contrasts the silent, stationary idols with the dynamic power of the true God who created the heavens and the earth. It reminds the reader that real power is found in the one who gives life, not in the things humans manufacture.
Applying the Lessons of Baruch 6 Today
As the ancients were tempted by gold-covered statues, we can be tempted to trust money, status, or technology. Baruch 6:8 reminds us that these things are often like 'scarecrows' - they might look important, but they cannot provide the deep, spiritual security that only God offers.
You can apply this by regularly checking where you turn for comfort when things go wrong. If you find yourself relying solely on material things that can 'rust or corrode' as mentioned in Baruch 6:17, it is a signal to shift your focus back to the eternal and unchanging nature of God.
In Baruch 6:15, the command to not fear idols means we shouldn't let the pressures or 'gods' of our culture - like the fear of missing out or the need for approval - control our lives. When we realize these things have no real power over our souls, we are free to live with courage and peace.
Trust the Creator, Not the Created
The author of this letter wants to strip away the mystery and fear surrounding the world's false promises. By showing that idols are man-made objects that decay and fall over, the text points us toward the only source of real power. The message is a timeless call to discernment: do not be dazzled by what is shiny but dead. Instead, find your security in the living God who created the universe and actually has the power to save.
What This Means for Us Today
faith is about choosing substance over shadows. Baruch 6 invites us to stop bowing down to the 'scarecrows' of our age and to recognize that only God is worthy of our ultimate devotion. When we stop fearing things that have no life, we find the freedom to follow the One who is the source of all life.
- What 'scarecrows' have you been worried about lately that actually have no power?
- How can you simplify your life this week to focus more on the living God?
- Where have you been looking for help that is actually a 'work of men's hands'?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter offers a vision of hope and restoration for Jerusalem, contrasting the gloom of exile with God's future glory.
Connections Across Scripture
Contains a very similar and famous mockery of idol-making, showing the absurdity of using half a log for fire and the other half for a god.
A poetic description of idols having mouths but not speaking and eyes but not seeing, much like the descriptions in Baruch.
A foundational text that warns the house of Israel not to learn the ways of the nations or fear their powerless idols.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think the author uses humor and sarcasm to describe the idols instead of getting angry?
- In what ways do we still 'overlay with gold' things in our lives that are actually 'wood'?
- How does the realization that God is the Creator of the sun and stars change the way you view your daily problems?