With this verse compare 2.13.

Her nobles send their servants for water: Her refers to Jerusalem, or possibly to all of Judah. Good News Translation omits this information. Nobles is used elsewhere only in 25.34-36 (Revised Standard Version “lords”) and 30.21 (Revised Standard Version “prince”). Most translations prefer “nobles,” but Luther 1984 has “The great” while Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch have “The rich.” This noun refers to persons of position who are wealthy enough to have servants. Thus some translators have said “masters.” The word servants (so most translations) is more literally “little ones” or “insignificant ones.” Elsewhere in Jeremiah the word is found in 48.4; 49.20; 50.45. In some languages send … for water is more naturally expressed as “send … to fetch water.”

Come is often more naturally “arrive at” or “reach.”

For cisterns see 2.13.

For vessels translators can use whatever container would be normal for carrying water.

In a somewhat different form the verb confounded is rendered “ashamed” in 3.3 and “blush” in 6.15. But in this verse it occurs with another term of similar meaning (which Revised Standard Version renders ashamed here). Translators may either merge these two terms, or retain them as separate terms, as in “ashamed and humiliated” or “disappointed and shamed” (Revised English Bible).

Cover their heads: This is an indication of grief and disappointment (see 2Sam 15.30; Est 6.12). To make this clear, the translation can be “cover their heads in shame” or “… to show they are ashamed.” Or this information could be included in a footnote.

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 .