Behold: See 1.6.

Like a lion coming up from the jungle of the Jordan: In biblical times the region along the Jordan was heavily wooded, and lions were not an uncommon sight. See 4.7 for this same figure. Note that the expression is like a lion coming. To have “I am like a lion” would be incorrect. Rather, the comparison is “I will come just as a lion comes.” If the lion is an unknown animal, translators can say instead “wild animal” or “hunting animal” (see 2.15, 30). The area was not, of course, thick jungle like that in some other parts of the world, and translators should use a word such as “forest” or “thick woods” (Good News Translation).

A strong sheepfold is ambiguous, since it may mean either a strong group of sheep or a group of sheep fenced in by a strong fence. The expression is literally “field of strength,” which is taken by most to mean “perennial pasture” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), which serves as the basis for Good News Translation “green pasture land.” Some scholars take this to refer to a field that always has water and vegetation, that is, like the oases in the desert of the Jordan rift valley. But the ultimate meaning would be the same as that represented by Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Good News Translation. Most translators, therefore, will say something like “green [or, rich] pasture land.”

I will suddenly make them run away translates two verbs: “I will do [something] quickly. I will chase them away.” As the Revised Standard Version note indicates, them represents the Septuagint; Hebrew has “him.” However, the singular form refers to “Edom,” which may be understood collectively, as in Good News Translation “the Edomites.” Her is a reference to the land of the Edomites; that is, “their country” (Good News Translation).

I will appoint over her whomever I choose means “I will appoint for the nation a leader who I have chosen.”

For who is like me?; that is, “Who can be compared to me?” The answer expected is “No one.” Some translators will render this “No one can be compared to me.”

Who will summon me? is taken by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch to mean “who will call me to account?” and by Good News Translation as “Who would dare challenge me?” New English Bible renders “Who is my equal?” and New Jerusalem Bible has “Who can hale me into court?” Again, instead of a rhetorical question, some translators will use a statement such as “No one is able to challenge me” or “No one can call me to account.”

What shepherd can stand before me?: Shepherd stands for “ruler” or “leader” (see 2.8) and stand before me must be taken in a sense of “oppose me” (Good News Translation) or “stand up to me” (New Jerusalem Bible). This question, too, can be expressed as a statement: “No ruler can stand up to me” or “No ruler is able to oppose me.”

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 .