Translation commentary on Jeremiah 23:6

In his days is clear in Good News Translation: “When he is king.”

In place of using Judah and Israel, it may be more natural to say “the people of Judah” and “the people of Israel” (so Good News Translation).

Will be saved is best understood in the sense of “will be safe” (Good News Translation), “will be safe from their enemies” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), or “will be kept safe” (Revised English Bible). However, a number of translations and commentaries take this more literally, understanding that Judah will be rescued or liberated (so Bible en français courant). As for Israel will dwell securely, most agree it means “Israel will live in peace” (Good News Translation) or “Israel will be secure.”

This is the name by which he will be called may have to be expressed by an active sentence, with an agent supplied; for example, “this is what the people will call him” or “the people will give him the name.”

The LORD is our righteousness: There may be an intended contrast between this expression and the name of the king Zedekiah, which means “the LORD is [my] righteousness.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bible en français courant, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible supply a note to this effect. The noun righteousness is translated “integrity” by Jerusalem Bible and “justice” by New American Bible. The expression probably means that the LORD is the one who either vindicates his people (An American Translation “The LORD is our vindicator”) or rescues his people (see Moffatt “The Eternal our champion”). If the expression “The LORD [is] Our Righteousness [or, Justice]” either would not be understood by readers, or could not be expressed easily in the language, then translators can say “The LORD will bring [or, give] us justice” or “The LORD will defend us.”

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 .

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