Pharaoh is Hophra (588-569 B.C.), mentioned by name in 44.30. Pharaoh is actually a title for the ruler of Egypt, and translators can say “the Pharaoh” or “the king of Egypt.” The date he brought his army out of Egypt to attack the Babylonians was probably the spring or summer of 588 B.C. The Good News Translation phrase “crossed the Egyptian border” expresses out of Egypt clearly.

The Chaldeans are the Babylonians (see 21.4).

Besieging means to surround a city and attack it (see 32.2).

They withdrew from Jerusalem ties this event to that of verses 11-15, with verses 6-10 providing the LORD’s comment on the event.

Note that Good News Translation has restructured this verse in a way that will be more natural in English, and in many other languages as well.

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 .