Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks: The verb beat is probably used in a causative sense (“had Jeremiah beaten”), though New Jerusalem Bible renders “Pashhur struck the prophet Jeremiah” (and see the New English Bible note “or struck him”). Translators can follow either of these alternatives. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates the first part of the verse as “He gave the order to have him arrested, beaten, and placed in the stocks.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch also provides a glossary entry on “stocks.” To be put in the stocks was an unusually severe punishment in which the body was bent so that the prisoner’s legs could be placed through holes in the lower part of a wooden frame while his head and arms were placed through holes in the upper part of the frame. Sometimes the holes would be placed far apart in order to intensify the pain and discomfort. If stocks are unknown, translators can say “a wooden frame to hold a person in [so he can’t move]” or “a wooden frame to hold people and punish them.”

The upper Benjamin Gate was probably on the north side of the temple area facing the territory of Benjamin; it may be the same as the “North Gate” (Good News Translation) built by King Jotham (2Kgs 15.35). The Benjamin Gate mentioned in 37.13 and 38.7 was a city gate. Instead of upper, some translators say “the one higher up,” as in “the Benjamin Gate of the temple, the one that is high up on the temple hill.”

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 .