Baruch read the words of this book in the hearing of Jeconiah …: Baruch not only wrote the book, but he read it aloud to a wide audience. He read it in the hearing of (literally “in the ears of”) the following people: (a) Jeconiah, (b) all the people who came to hear the book (literally “… came to the book”), (c) the mighty men and the princes, (d) the elders, and (e) all the people, small and great. Good News Translation breaks this long series up by placing (a) in one sentence, and placing (b), (c), (d), and (e) in a second sentence. In order for all these people to hear what Baruch was reading, he would have to use a very loud voice. This may need to be indicated in a number of languages; for example, “Baruch read the words of the book with a loud voice to let … hear [or, listen].”
Jeconiah was the king of Judah who was deposed and taken into exile by Nebuchadnezzar at the time of the first capture of Jerusalem. The exiled Jews considered him their legitimate king (see Ezek 1.2). Jeconiah is a variant form of “Jehoiachin,” which is favored by Good News Translation for consistency with its use elsewhere. In Hebrew and Revised Standard Version the form Jeconiah occurs in 1 Chr 3.16-17; Est 2.6; Jer 24.1; 27.20; 28.4; 29.2. The form “Jehoiachin” occurs in 2 Kgs 24.6, 8, 12, 15, 17; 25.27, 29; 2 Chr 36.8-9; Jer 52.31, 33; Ezek 1.2. Translators should be guided by their own practice in these books, particularly Jeremiah. If “Jehoiachin” has been favored for consistency (as in Good News Translation), it should be followed here. But if the two forms have been used in previous work, “Jeconiah” should be used here.
King in a number of languages will be expressed as “high [or, great] chief.” However, in some languages it will be more natural to use a verbal expression; for example, “Jeconiah … who [had] ruled Judah [or, the people of Judah].”
In the hearing of all the people who came to hear may be rendered “to everyone who came to listen” (Contemporary English Version).
Mighty men surely refers to “nobles,” as most recent translations agree. They were probably leaders with high political status, and in some languages this will be translated as “minor chiefs.”
Princes translates “sons of the kings.” The reference is to the males who were descended from David, not just to Jeconiah’s family. New English Bible has it right, saying “princes of the royal blood.” Good News Translation “children of royal families” is an attempt that fails on two points: “sons” are mentioned, not “children,” though the royal daughters might have been involved; and there was really only one royal family, that of King David. So better alternative translation models are “male children descended from King David” and “male children whose great ancestor was King David.” There is nothing wrong with the word “princes,” but for those translating into English it presents a peculiar problem, since the word sounds like “princess,” and Good News Translation may well have avoided it for that reason.
Elders in this context refers to respected elderly males. It is uncertain why Contemporary English Version refers to these as just “religious leaders.” Surely other elderly leaders beside priests were included!
People, small and great refers to people of whatever social status, as Good News Translation makes clear with “all the people, no matter what their status.”
All who dwelt in Babylon by the river Sud: The river Sud is otherwise unknown. It was probably actually an irrigation canal carrying water from the Euphrates River, like the “river Chebar” mentioned in Ezek 1.1.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.