In the fifth year, on the seventh day of the month …: It is odd that this does not go on to tell us what month is intended. That information has probably dropped out, but surely the fifth month is meant. See 2 Kgs 25.8, where the date of the destruction of Jerusalem is given as the seventh day of the fifth month. There is little reason for changing the text to include the number of the month, but a footnote such as Good News Translation gives might prove helpful for some careful readers. Contemporary English Version actually provides the name of the month as “Ab,” but translators should not put this in the text. What is pretty clearly meant is that Baruch wrote his book on the fifth anniversary, to the very day, of the Babylonians’ capture and destruction of Jerusalem. Translators may simply want to say this; for example, “ … He was in Babylon when he wrote it, and he did so on the fifth anniversary of the day [or, exactly five years] after the Babylonians captured Jerusalem and set fire to the city.” The gathering of large numbers of Jews together on the occasion noted here in Baruch (see verses 3-4) would suggest an observance of some kind, appropriate to an anniversary.

At the time surely means “the date” (so Moore). It certainly does not mean that Baruch wrote the book at the time the Babylonians were burning the city. Good News Translation “in the fifth year after the Babylonians…” and Contemporary English Version “exactly five years after…” interpret it correctly.

The Chaldeans were originally a separate people from the Babylonians, but lived nearby. By late Old Testament times, however, Chaldeans meant Babylonians. Good News Translation uses “Babylonians” to be consistent with such passages as 2 Kgs 24–25, and translators are urged to follow the example of Good News Translation.

Took Jerusalem and burned it with fire refers to the incidents described in 2 Kgs 25, those of the year 587/586 B.C. The Babylonians had captured Jerusalem for the first time some 11 years earlier, deposing King Jehoiachin and installing Zedekiah as their puppet king. When Zedekiah rebelled, the final siege, capture, and burning of the city took place. In this context took may also be expressed as “took hold of,” “seized,” or “captured” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

In a number of languages like English, it will sound strange to add the words with fire to burned it. Translators need to use an expression that is natural in their language.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.