Single lesson
Baruch Reads to the Exiles
Baruch 1:1–9
This lesson helps children follow what happened when Baruch read the words of the book in Babylon. They will put the account in order, notice the people’s responses, and talk about what this passage shows about people before the Lord.
Before you teach
This passage is from Baruch, one of the Catholic additional books. Baruch wrote in Babylon, at a time linked with Jerusalem being taken and burned. He read the words of the book to many hearers in Babylon. The passage then describes weeping, fasting, prayer, a money collection sent to Jerusalem, mention of vessels from the house of the Lord being returned into the land of Judah, and a reminder that people had been carried from Jerusalem to Babylon.
Students will be able to retell the sequence in Baruch 1:1–9 and name at least two ways the people responded after hearing the book.
Welcome: Listen for who, where, and what happened
4 minIntroduce the lesson by saying that today’s reading is from Baruch, one of the Catholic additional books. Ask children to listen for three things as you read: who is named, where the passage takes place, and what people do after hearing the book. Read all the verses aloud slowly.
Baruch 1:1, Baruch 1:3, Baruch 1:5, Baruch 1:7
Read and explain: Baruch writes and reads in Babylon
8 minExplain the opening order of events. Baruch wrote the words of the book in Babylon. The passage gives a time connected with when the Chaldeans took Jerusalem and burned it. Then Baruch read the book aloud. Many kinds of people heard it, from Jechonias and leading men to all the people, from the least to the greatest.
Baruch 1:1, Baruch 1:2, Baruch 1:3, Baruch 1:4
Discuss: The people respond together
6 minHelp the group notice the listeners’ response. After hearing the book, they wept, fasted, and prayed before the Lord. They also made a collection of money according to every man’s ability and sent it to Jerusalem. The passage shows shared sorrow, prayer, and practical giving, with each person contributing as able.
Baruch 1:5, Baruch 1:6, Baruch 1:7
Make and respond: Put the whole account in order
8 minGive children sequence cards or slips to arrange for the full passage: Baruch wrote in Babylon, Baruch read the book, the people wept and prayed, they made a collection, it was sent to Jerusalem, the passage mentions vessels from the house of the Lord returned into the land of Judah, and the passage remembers people being carried from Jerusalem to Babylon. Check each card against the verses.
Baruch 1:1, Baruch 1:3, Baruch 1:5, Baruch 1:6, Baruch 1:7, Baruch 1:8, Baruch 1:9
Closing: Babylon, Jerusalem, and remembered exile
4 minFinish by reviewing that the people in Babylon listened to the book and responded with weeping, fasting, prayer, and giving. This passage also joins their present response with remembered events involving Jerusalem: a gift sent there, mention of vessels from the house of the Lord being returned into the land of Judah, and the reminder that many people had been carried away to Babylon.
Baruch 1:5, Baruch 1:7, Baruch 1:8, Baruch 1:9
Questions to explore
Who heard Baruch read the book, and what does that tell us about the listeners?
Look at the list in the passage: Jechonias, mighty men, kings’ sons, elders, and all the people from the least to the greatest, showing that many different people listened together.
Baruch 1:3, Baruch 1:4
What did the people do after hearing the book?
Name the actions given in the text: they wept, fasted, prayed before the Lord, and made a collection of money according to ability.
Baruch 1:5, Baruch 1:6
Why are both Jerusalem and Babylon important in this passage?
Babylon is where Baruch wrote and read the book, while Jerusalem is where the collection was sent; the passage also mentions vessels returned into the land of Judah and remembers people being carried from Jerusalem to Babylon.
Baruch 1:1, Baruch 1:3, Baruch 1:7, Baruch 1:8, Baruch 1:9
Make, think or respond
Sequence Cards: The Whole Passage
What you’ll need
- paper or card
- pencils or markers
- scissors
- Bible
Try it together
- Write seven short event cards from the passage: Baruch wrote in Babylon; Baruch read the book; the people wept, fasted, and prayed; they made a collection; the gift was sent to Jerusalem; the passage mentions vessels returned into the land of Judah; the passage remembers people being carried to Babylon.
- Mix the cards and let children work in pairs or small groups to place them in order.
- Read the verses again and check each card carefully against the text.
- Ask children to choose one card that shows response and one card that shows remembered events, then explain their choices from the verses.
This activity helps children trace Baruch 1:1–9 in order, including both the people’s response in Babylon and the remembered links with Jerusalem, exile, and the temple vessels.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, use simple picture prompts and shorter card wording, then repeat the key actions aloud together: heard, wept, prayed, gave, sent.
- For older or confident readers, let them find each event directly in the verses and write the matching verse reference on each card, including the final details from Baruch 1:8 and Baruch 1:9.
An optional closing prayer
Proposed words: Lord, thank you for this passage. Please help us listen carefully, pray honestly, and care for others in ways we are able. Amen.
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Baruch 1
1 These are the words of the book which Baruch the son of Nerias, the son of Maaseas, the son of Sedekias, the son of Asadias, the son of Helkias, wrote in Babylon,
2 in the fifth year, in the seventh day of the month, at the time when the Chaldeans took Jerusalem and burned it with fire.
3 Baruch read the words of this book in the hearing of Jechonias the son of Joakim king of Judah, and in the hearing of all the people who came to hear the book,
4 and in the hearing of the mighty men, and of the kings’ sons, and in the hearing of the elders, and in the hearing of all the people, from the least to the greatest, even of all those who lived at Babylon by the river Sud.
5 Then they wept, fasted, and prayed before the Lord.
6 They also made a collection of money according to every man’s ability;
7 and they sent it to Jerusalem to Joakim the high priest, the son of Helkias, the son of Salom, and to the priests and to all the people who were found with him at Jerusalem,
8 at the same time when he took the vessels of the house of the Lord, that had been carried out of the temple, to return them into the land of Judah, the tenth day of Sivan—silver vessels which Sedekias the son of Josias king of Judah had made,
9 after Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had carried away Jechonias, the princes, the captives, the mighty men, and the people of the land from Jerusalem, and brought them to Babylon.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.