Prince is literally “mighty, splendid,” and may be used of a ship (Isa 33.21, Revised Standard Version “stately”), the LORD (Psa 8.1, Revised Standard Version “majestic”), gods (1Sam 4.8), or persons of rank (Jdg 5.13 [Revised Standard Version “noble”], 25 [Revised Standard Version “lordly”]; Jer 14.3 [Revised Standard Version “nobles”]). In 25.34-36 it is used three times of persons in charge of the flocks (Revised Standard Version “lords”). Quite possibly royal titles (for example, “prince” or “king”) are intentionally avoided in the present context because of the negative feelings that such terms provoked at the time of the writing. Quite clearly, in this context the meaning is “leader” or “chief.” Prince and ruler are therefore synonymous. If possible, translators may use two different words for them.

Shall be one of themselves and shall come forth from their midst have the same meaning: “Their ruler will again be from their own midst, one of their own people” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Bible en français courant has “It is one of you who will be your leader; yes, one of your own shall lead you,” thereby retaining the parallelism.

I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me: New Jerusalem Bible expresses this quite clearly with “I shall permit him to approach me freely.” But the language is also that used in formal worship (see Lev 9.5-9; Num 8.19), though it may also be used of an audience before a king (2 Sam 15.5; compare Gen 43.19; 44.18; Ezek 44.16). One commentator suggests that in the context of this passage, the expression may be a reference to worship in the temple when the LORD draws the priest near to the altar. Thus the image would be of the leader of the people leading them in worship of the LORD. Translators who follow this might say something like “I will let him come near me freely to worship” or “I will lead him near to me to worship.” Good News Translation reverses the order of the clauses: “He will approach me when I invite him.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch expresses this part of the verse more concisely: “I shall invite him to come into my presence.”

The Hebrew expression translated in the Revised Standard Version as for who would dare of himself to approach me? can mean “for who would risk his life to approach me?” The Hebrew idiom is “for who is this one who has given assurance to his heart to draw near to me?” Thus “Who otherwise would be willing to risk his life to approach me?” is a possible rendering. As with all rhetorical questions, some languages would make the point more naturally as a statement: “For no one would dare approach me otherwise” or “For no one would be bold enough to risk approaching me otherwise.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch seems to overtranslate here: “ ‘Since who would dare to do this without my invitation?’ says the Lord. ‘He would then take his life into his own hands!’ ”

Says the LORD: See 1.8.

Verse 22 anticipates the promise of 31.1. In Hebrew the pronoun I is emphatic: “I will be the God you worship.” See 7.23.

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 .