Ebed-melech the Ethiopian: See 38.7.

Thus says the LORD: See 2.2.

The LORD of hosts: See 2.19.

Behold: See 1.6.

I will fulfil my words against this city for evil and not for good: I will fulfil my words means “I will do what I have promised to do.” Good News Translation has “Just as I said I would, I am going to.” Against this city for evil and not for good (see 21.10) indicates that the promise was to do something terrible to the city. See, for example, 25.8-11; 37.6-10. Evil … good can be translated “ruin … prosperity” (New Jerusalem Bible). Translators can also have a rendering such as “I am going to do what I promised to do to this city, and it will be terrible, not good.”

They shall be accomplished before you on that day: Good News Translation transforms they shall be accomplished into an active construction, and it makes before you into a clause: “And when this happens, you will be there to see it.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders “It [the city] will fall! You yourself will experience it.”

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 .