Behold: See 1.6.

I am stirring up and bringing against Babylon … from the north country: If bringing against is taken to mean “causing to attack,” then this part of the verse should be rendered “I am going to stir up a group of strong nations in the north and make them attack Babylonia” (Good News Translation).

They shall array themselves against her: As seen in Good News Translation, the meaning is to line up in battle formations as a group.

From there she shall be taken refers to Babylonia’s fall as a nation. Good News Translation shifts to an active construction: “conquer it.” Some understand from there to mean “from the north.” Alternatively, it could mean “from those positions,” that is from their battle positions. This second possibility seems the most accepted, which means that it is often left to be understood from the text, that is, dropped.

Their arrows are like a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed: Skilled represents the text of a number of Hebrew manuscripts; the standard Hebrew text has “making childless.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers that this be followed with the meaning “their arrows are like a soldier who kills and does not return empty-handed.” In common language this may be rendered as “They are archers who kill what they aim at and never miss the mark.” For archer see 4.29.

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 .