Now I: In Hebrew the pronoun I is emphatic.

I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar: These lands (see verse 3) here means “your countries.” As Good News Translation makes clear, giving the lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar means placing all those nations under his power or control. See 12.7.

Not all cultures are familiar with servants, so that my servant may have to be “who is serving me” or “who is doing what I want done.” See 25.9.

The beasts of the field; that is, “the wild animals” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version). In order to emphasize the absolute authority with which Nebuchadnezzar rules, Good News Translation renders “even the wild animals.”

For serve see 2.20.

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 .