Translators who are following the structure of Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (see the introductory comments on verses 15-27) will put another heading at the beginning of verse 20, possibly “Jerusalem is [like] a Shameless Woman.”

Lift up your eyes occurs in 3.2. Taken together with see, the combination means “look” (Good News Translation). Both Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch identify who the message is given to: “Jerusalem, see what has happened…” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

Those who come from the north: No further identification of the enemy is given. Compare 1.15.

Flock … beautiful flock: Jerusalem is portrayed as a shepherd whose flock has been scattered and lost. Good News Translation does away with the imagery and translates “the people entrusted to your care, your people you were so proud of.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is very effective: “What will become of the cities of Judah? They were entrusted to you as a flock of beautiful sheep, and you were so proud of them!” Note that Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch understand beautiful flock to mean a flock that the shepherd took pride in.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .