Sent: The text does not say who was sent. In some languages translators will say “sent people [or, soldiers].”

The court of the guard: See 32.2; 37.21.

Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan: After Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, he made Gedaliah the governor of Judah (see 40.5). For Ahikam see 26.24. Note that the text could be misunderstood by some readers who might think that Gedaliah was the son of Ahikan and Shaphan. Good News Translation is clear: he is the son of Ahikan and grandson of Shaphan.

Take him home: Good News Translation says “see that I got home safely”; however, New English Bible renders “take him out to the [governor’s] Residence,” assuming the administrative headquarters for the new administration. (But note that Revised English Bible has “take him out to his residence.”) It is possible, however, that this expression is a technical term for letting a prisoner go free, which is the basis for New Jerusalem Bible “for safe conduct home.” The question is: Did Gedaliah take Jeremiah to his (Gedaliah’s) home or to Jeremiah’s own home? The better solution is probably Jeremiah’s home, which Good News Translation expresses unambiguously.

So he dwelt among the people: Some versions retain “the people” (for example, Good News Translation), but New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and New International Version all have “his own people.”

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 .