Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch very effectively reverse the order of clauses in this verse, so that “I, the LORD, will treat them all like these figs that are too bad to be eaten” (Good News Translation) comes last in the verse.

The word translated treat, when used with “bad” as here, really conveys the idea of marking people out for bad treatment, that is, making sure that bad happens to them. It contrasts with “regard as good” in verse 5. Most translators simply say “treat” here, since the context certainly indicates that the treatment is bad.

His princes: Good News Translation has “the politicians around him” (see verse 1).

The remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land: As is clear in Good News Translation, the reference is to “the people of Jerusalem who were left in this land.”

Those who dwell in the land of Egypt are not clearly identified. It is not necessary to assume that they are those who fled to Egypt after the murder of Gedaliah (see 42.7–43.7). Quite possibly pro-Egyptian Jews had earlier fled to Egypt when Judah began to become a vassal state of Babylonia or when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah in 598-597 B.C.

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 .