The ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month: As is clear from Good News Translation, this means the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign. In some languages translators have to say “After Zedekiah had been king of Judah for eight years and nine months.” Jerusalem fell in July of 587 or 586 B.C. The months of the year would have been counted from spring (March/April), which means that the siege of Jerusalem began in January of the year before.

Nebuchadrezzar is better rendered “Nebuchadnezzar”; see 21.2.

Came against; that is, “attacked.”

Besieged: His army surrounded it so no one could either go in or out. See 37.5.

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 .