Behold: See 1.6.

I will bring terror upon you: The noun terror is elsewhere used only in 30.5; 48.43, 44. The related verb is used in 33.9 (Revised Standard Version “fear”); 36.16 (Revised Standard Version “afraid”), 24 (Revised Standard Version “fear”). In translation terror can also be expressed as a verb in this line with the third line, as in “I will make you terrified by things all around you” or “I will do things on all sides of you which will terrify you.”

Says the Lord: See 1.8.

The Lord GOD of hosts: See 2.19.

From all who are round about you is much more economically translated by Good News Translation as “from every side.”

And you shall be driven out, every man straight before him is a very unusual construction. The meaning is best taken to be “Everyone will run wherever they can, without a thought for anyone else.”

With none to gather the fugitives: The fugitives is literally “those fleeing,” a reference to the troops who have broken ranks and fled. This is the basis for Good News Translation “there will be no one to bring your troops together again.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has a different interpretation for the last two lines: “Your people will scatter in all directions, and there will be no one there to bring them together again!”

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 .