When all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan … they rejoiced: This sounds as though Ishmael’s men were happy to see Johanan approaching. However, the reference is obviously to the people Ishmael had taken prisoner, as Good News Translation makes clear: “When Ishmael’s prisoners saw Johanan … they were glad.” This interpretation is supported by the first part of verse 14, which identifies all the people as those “whom Ishmael had carried away captive.”

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 .

The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: See 1.4.

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 .

And those who escape the sword: There is an apparent contradiction between verse 27, which suggests the Jewish community will be totally wiped out, and this verse, which promises that some will return safely. However, Hebrew is fond of using “all” in a less than inclusive sense for the sake of emphasis, and in fact this verse agrees with verse 14 in referring to some people who escape.

The first half of this verse may be translated with Good News Translation as “But a few of you will escape death and return from Egypt to Judah.” Another way to express it is “Some of you will escape being killed, and will go back to Judah from Egypt. But you will be few in number.”

All the remnant of Judah: See 6.9.

Whose word will stand is an idiomatic expression meaning “whose words will come true.”

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 .

Verses 25-26 are in prose and form a commentary on the previous poetic section. They are firstly a statement of the LORD’s threat against Egypt and then his promise that it will again prosper.

The LORD of hosts: See 2.19.

Behold: See 1.6.

Amon of Thebes: Thebes was the capital city of northern (lower) Egypt, and Amon was its chief god. Hence Good News Translation has “Amon, the god of Thebes.”

Pharaoh is a title for the king of Egypt (see 25.19). It is used twice in the verse, and some translations simply drop the second occurrence. But others are closer to the example of Good News Translation, which introduces a second sentence to account for those who trust in him.

For gods see 1.16.

Bassa in Liberia offers a model for translation of the quote in this verse:

• Look, I will punish Amon who is the god of the Egyptians in the city of Thebes and their other gods and the whole land of Egypt and its king and its big government officials and all those who trust in the Egyptian king.

Another possible model is:

• I am going to punish the god Amon of the city Thebes, and also the Egyptian king [or, the Pharaoh], all of Egypt, and her gods and kings. Yes, I will punish the Pharaoh and all who are dependent on him.

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 .

The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken: For the ancient Hebrew readers, both horn and arm are symbols of strength, but this is not necessarily the case for persons of other cultures. Since the horn of Moab refers to Moab’s might or strength, if it is cut off or destroyed, then the meaning of the expression is as in Good News Translation “Moab’s might has been crushed,” which can also be rendered “Moab has lost all her power.” If an agent is required, a sentence such as “The LORD has destroyed the might of Moab” is possible. Similarly, his arm is broken refers to the inability of Moab to fight. Hence it may be rendered “its power is broken” (Bible en français courant) or “they do not have the ability to fight any more.”

Good News Translation expresses the sense of both these figures without using metaphors: “Moab’s might has been crushed; its power has been destroyed.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, on the other hand, replaces the metaphor only in the first half: “Moab has lost all its strength, its arm is broken.” The translation is followed with a note indicating the literal meaning of the first half of the verse. Both Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Bible en français courant follow Good News Translation, but Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is even more concise: “The proud might of Moab I will bring to an end!”

Says the LORD: See 1.8.

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 .

I have stripped Esau bare: In Hebrew the pronoun I is emphatic; the emphasis may be expressed by saying, for example, “For my part, I have stripped Esau bare” or “But I, I have stripped Esau bare.” Esau represents “Esau’s descendants” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), “the people of Edom.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch does away with the imagery of stripped Esau bare and renders “I myself will deliver the descendants of Esau to their enemies.” Other versions have “I have taken everything from the descendants of Esau.”

His children are destroyed may be translated following Good News Translation (“All the people of Edom are destroyed”) or Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (“All Edomites will die”).

He is no more; that is, “not one of the descendants of Esau is left.” Good News Translation combines his brothers and his neighbors with he is no more and renders “Not one of them is left.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch retains the imagery somewhat: “There are no more brothers or neighbors….”

See discussion below for the relation of this verse to verse 11.

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 .

Out of the north: Media (the home of Cyrus) was north of Babylonia, and Persia was to the southeast. After becoming king of Persia, Cyrus conquered territory to the north of Babylonia before 539 B.C. However, the use of north may be patterned after 1.13; 4.6 and other similar passages, which speak of the enemy as coming from the “north.” Note that Good News Translation places this phrase after a nation has come, which is more natural in English.

Come up against her; that is, “attacked her.” See 48.18.

A desolation: See 2.15, where the word is rendered “waste” by Revised Standard Version.

And none shall dwell in it; both man and beast shall flee away: Good News Translation restructures to put the actions in the order in which they happen, by translating “People and animals will run away, and no one will live there.” For man and beast, see 7.20.

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 .

In verses 35-37 A sword upon is equivalent to “War to” (Bible en français courant) or “Death to” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). When used with an object that is not personal, as in verse 37 with “treasures,” it can be interpreted as “Destroy” (Good News Translation).

Chaldeans; that is, the Babylonians (see verses 1, 8, 25; 21.4).

Says the LORD: See 1.8.

Princes: Good News Translation has “rulers” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “mighty rulers” (see 1.18).

Wise men are persons noted for their wisdom. Most translations are literal, though Bible en français courant renders “experts.” The context suggests that these might be the counselors or advisers for the nation’s rulers.

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 .