This verse is a continuation of the sentence begun early in verse 2, which was interrupted by “for all this remnant” and the parenthetical statement explaining it, “(for we are left … as your eyes see us).” It would be much simpler for the reader if a new sentence were introduced at the beginning of verse 3. Both Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch do this by reintroducing the verb “Pray” and then following it by the content of the verse.

The way we should go, and the thing that we should do: Most translations are fairly literal in their rendering of this part of the verse. A simpler rendering in English is “where to go and what to do” (similarly New Living Translation).

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 .