Thus says the LORD: See 2.2.

Behold: See 1.6.

The enemy coming from the north country picks up once again the theme first introduced in 1.13-15 (see also 4.5-8; 5.15-17).

In translation it is important to make it clear that a people and a great nation refer to the same group, and from the north country means the same as from the farthest parts of the earth. Otherwise the reader may interpret this to mean that two different groups are coming from separate parts of the world to attack Jerusalem. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “… a great nation is coming from its land in the far north, it is setting out from the end of the earth.”

Stirring should be understood in the particular sense of “preparing for war” (Good News 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 .