Feast the souls of … with abundance is translated as “refresh … with rich food” by New Jerusalem Bible and “fill … with the richest food” by Good News Translation. Such translations are legitimate, since abundance is literally “fat,” but it is a term that may be used for the best of food and drink (see Isa 55.2). Other translations, for example Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and Bible en français courant, understand “fat” to refer to the best part of the sacrificial animals, the fatty part. Revised English Bible has “the fat of the land.” In either case, the meaning would be similar to “the richest food” in Good News Translation. Soul translates the same word rendered “life” in verse 12. Thus the soul of the priests is equivalent to “the priests” (see Good News Translation).

My people shall be satisfied with my goodness: It is clear that in the passive expression shall be satisfied it is the LORD who is acting, hence the active “I will … satisfy” of Good News Translation. The text has satisfied with my goodness, which says a bit more than Good News Translation “satisfy all the needs.” Bible en français courant is a good expression of the sense: “I will fill my people with the best of things.”

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 .