To him: As the Revised Standard Version note indicates, this follows the Septuagint rather than the Hebrew, which has “to me.” The renderings of Good News Translation and New English Bible/Revised English Bible (“them”) also follow the Septuagint, which interprets “him” collectively as a reference to “Israel” (the one). Traduction œcuménique de la Bible believes “to me” to be the means by which the prophet verifies the validity of his message.

I have loved you with an everlasting love: Elsewhere in Jeremiah the verb rendered loved is used in 2.25; 5.31; 8.2; 14.10; the noun is found elsewhere only in 2.2, 33. It is interesting that the pronoun you is feminine in both of its occurrences in this verse.

Therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you: For faithfulness see 2.2, where Revised Standard Version has “devotion.” In this verse, perhaps the best way to express the meaning is “So I will continue to show how [or, that] I love you” or “So I will show my love to you at all times.”

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 .