See verse 15 for a discussion of beginning this verse as a new paragraph or with the word “But.”

The king is Zedekiah (see 28.1).

Who sits on the throne of David may be rendered “who rules the kingdom that David ruled” (Good News Translation) or “the descendant of David who now rules in Jerusalem” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). See 13.13.

Who did not go out with you into exile: This may sound as if the people either refused or did not volunteer; Good News Translation conveys the meaning more accurately: “who were not taken away as prisoners with you.” The verse identifies this group of people three ways: they dwell in this city, they are the relatives of the people who are in exile, but they did not get taken into exile. Some translators have to restructure this; for example, “… the people of this city. They are your relatives who did not get taken with you into exile.”

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 .