His son and his grandson: The Septuagint omits this verse, perhaps because the prophecy was not literally fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded by his son Amel Marduk (“Evilmerodach” of 2Kgs 25.27). Amel Marduk was in turn succeeded by his brother-in-law Neriglissar, not by his son. The prophecy is best understood, not as a detailed interpretation of future events, but rather as an indication that Babylonia would rule for an extended period of time. Nevertheless, translators should retain son and grandson in their translations.

Until the time of his own land comes: The full meaning is “until the time comes for his own nation to fall” (Good News Translation). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch makes the meaning clear by connecting this with the following clause: “until the time comes for his own land to be subject to great nations and powerful kings.”

Most translators do not take the expression make him their slave literally, that is, that he (or his descendants) would become slaves, but rather understand it to mean that his nation would become subject to other more powerful nations. It comes from the same Hebrew verb as “serve” in the previous verse.

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 .