Revised Standard Version follows the form of the Hebrew by retaining they in the first half of this verse and you … your in the second half of the verse, while Good News Translation uses “you” and “your” throughout.

Humbled themselves: Although there is some uncertainty about the Hebrew text, this is the meaning preferred by most present-day versions. Translators have followed two basic approaches to this expression. Some have an expression such as “show remorse” or “be contrite.” Others retain the term “humble.” However, some languages will require that translators say who the people are humble in relation to, as in “make themselves humble before me.”

Feared: Since this verb describes the people’s attitude towards the LORD, a number of translations use the idea of “honor,” “reverence,” or “respect” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). In many languages feared will require an object, as in “honored the LORD [or, me].”

Walked in my law and my statutes which I set before you and your fathers: See 26.4. Walked refers to a person’s conduct, so that walked in my law and my statutes means to live and behave in accordance with the laws the LORD gave the people. Law first comes in 2.8. Statutes is first used in 5.24 (Revised Standard Version “appointed”), but found also in verse 23 and in 10.3 (Revised Standard Version “customs”); 31.35 (Revised Standard Version “fixed order”); 33.25 (Revised Standard Version “ordinances”). It is impossible to differentiate between the two terms, and in all probability, when they are used together they represent a set phrase. Good News Translation renders “all the laws that I gave you.”

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 .