In Hebrew this verse begins, “After the going out of Jeconiah the king….” Most modern translations depart rather radically from the form of the Hebrew, as is required by the demands of their various languages. For example, many have something such as “He wrote [the letter] after King Jehoiachin….”

Jeconiah; that is, “Jehoiachin” (Good News Translation). See 24.1.

Queen mother: See 13.18. The word is probably used as a technical term, referring to the powerful and official position held by the king’s mother. In 1Kgs 11.19 it is the equivalent of “queen” (of Egypt). If it is impossible to keep the title, then translators can use something like Good News Translation “his mother.”

Eunuchs: The word may be used with the meaning “palace officials” (Good News Translation), “court personnel” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), or “high officials” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Other expressions translators can use include “royal officials,” “officials of the king,” or “the king’s main [or, principal] servants.”

Princes may be rendered “leaders” (Good News Translation); see 1.18.

Craftsmen: The word is first used in 10.3; elsewhere it occurs in 10.9; 24.1. See there for comments.

Smiths is elsewhere used only in 24.1; see there for comments.

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 .