“Arise!
O Jerusalem!
Stand upon the height!
Look toward the east! See your children
Gathered from the west,
Gathered from the east, At the word
Of the Holy One! They are rejoicing
That God has remembered them. They went out from you
On foot.
They were led away
By their enemies.
But God will bring them
Back to you.
They will be carried in glory
As on a royal throne.
God has ordered
That every high mountain
With the everlasting hills
Will be made low.
The valleys will be filled up
To make level ground.
Thus Israel may walk safely
In the glory of God.
The woods
With every fragrant tree
Have shaded Israel
At God’s command.
God will lead Israel with joy,
In the light of his glory,
With the mercy,
With the righteousness
That comes from him.”
This author concludes this book of Baruch with a call to Jerusalem to arise and stand tall. They were to look to the east to see their children, both from the east and west, returning and rejoicing because God had remembered them. They went out on foot, led away by their captive enemies. However, they would return as if carried in glory on a throne. Every high mountain and hill would be leveled, while the valleys would fill up, to make a level ground so that they could walk safely in the glory of God. The fragrant trees of the woods would shade them. God would lead them with the joy and the light of his glory that comes from his mercy and righteousness.