Shepherds (see 2.8) is here used in the sense of “rulers” (Good News Translation). It is sometimes necessary to express this as “I will place leaders [or, rulers] over you.”

After my own heart is rendered literally by most translations; Good News Translation interprets the meaning to be “who obey me” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “according to my own choice.” Another common rendering is “whose thinking is like mine” or “who will care for you like I do.”

Feed you with wisdom and understanding continues the image of the shepherd who takes his flock to places where they can eat well. Some translators have understood this verse to mean that the rulers will teach the people knowledge and understanding; but others, and this is more common, understand it to mean that these rulers will care for the people wisely and competently. This is the interpretation followed by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Good News Translation “will rule you with wisdom and understanding.”

The noun translated knowledge (Good News Translation “wisdom”) is found only here in the book of Jeremiah; elsewhere in the Old Testament it is found in 1Sam 2.3; Job 36.4; Psa 73.11; Isa 11.9; 28.9.

Understanding actually translates a verbal form, which is used elsewhere in 9.24 and 20.11. In the 9.24 passage it is again used in parallel with “knowledge,” and so also carries the meaning “understanding.” But its usage in 20.11 is different, where it means “be prosperous” or “succeed.” Thus some have rendered it “competently.” Here New American Bible retains the figure of the shepherd and translates “who will shepherd you wisely and prudently.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “who will rule you with insight and understanding.”

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 .