Verses 6-7 state the reason for the terrible destruction that is befalling Jerusalem: the LORD is punishing the city because he sees in it nothing but violence and oppression.
For the LORD of hosts, see 2.19. The expression Thus says the LORD was discussed at 2.2.
Her trees, referring to the trees of Jerusalem, represents an alternative form of the Hebrew from that found in the Masoretic Text (simply “trees”), though it does have manuscript support. One commentator has pointed out that Deut 20.19-20 forbids cutting down an enemy city’s fruit trees at the time of siege. Even if fruit trees are not being referred to here, a city with its trees cut down would certainly offer a picture of great desolation. But the following line suggests, although not conclusively, that the reference is not to the trees of the city itself, but to any trees nearby which might be used in the construction of fortifications or equipment for use in the siege. Thus Moffatt renders “the trees of the country,” and Good News Translation has “trees.” Luther 1984 translates the whole command as “Fell trees and set up a siege mound against Jerusalem…,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch as “Fell the trees around the city and build an embankment against it….” For another reference to this type of warfare, see 2Kgs 19.32.
The construction of a siege mound against the wall of a city enabled its attackers to get on a level with the wall itself so that they could shoot into the city with slings and arrows and then enter it. There are different ways translators can handle siege mound. One way would be to say “Build up a large mound beside the wall so you can get over it [into the city].”
This is the city which must be punished translates a problematic text, which is awkward and ungrammatical. Translations that are similar to Revised Standard Version are New International Version, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Luther 1984, and Good News Translation. The Septuagint has “city of falsehood,” which is followed by Moffatt, Bright, and An American Translation. Revised English Bible has “a city ripe for punishment.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project believes that the expression can be interpreted to mean “This is the city which has been investigated:….” This interpretation of the text apparently follows the root meaning of the verb translated punished by Revised Standard Version. The verb means “visit,” whether for good or evil. If this interpretation of the text is followed, then we may translate, “The LORD has looked closely at the city, and this is what he sees:….” For the last half of the verse, Bible en français courant has “The evidence is this: it is the city which is distinguished by the brutality which rules there.”
There is nothing but oppression within her can be rendered as “throughout the city people are oppressing others” or “everyone in the city is acting with brutality.”
Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, following the form of the text of Revised Standard Version described above, reverses the order of This is … within her and translates “… because in her there is nothing but brutal oppression. She has earned her punishment.”
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 .