Jeremiah set out: Jeremiah’s departure from the city must have taken place almost immediately after the withdrawal of the Babylonian army, which probably returned within a few weeks.

The land of Benjamin probably points to Anathoth, Jeremiah’s hometown.

To receive his portion there among the people: As the Revised Standard Version note indicates, the Hebrew is obscure, though a number of commentators understand this to be a technical term that somehow relates to Jeremiah’s legal rights in claiming ownership of his ancestral property. For this reason, Good News Translation translates “to take possession of my share of the family property.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “concerning a matter of succession in his family” and New American Bible “to take part with his family in the division of an inheritance.” New Jerusalem Bible has “to see about a piece of his property among the people there.” Among the people probably means Jeremiah’s own family.

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 .

All your wives could seem to refer to several wives of the king or, better, to all the women in the city. Similarly, sons means neither only the king’s sons, nor even just the boys, but rather “children.”

As in the previous verse, shall be led out may need to be expressed as “they [or, the soldiers] will lead out.”

Chaldeans; that is, Babylonians.

From their hand means “from their power” or “from them.” See “the hand of” in verse 3.

Seized by the king of Babylon: See 39.5-7.

This city shall be burned with fire: See verse 17. The Hebrew verb shall be burned may be read with different vowels so as to render “you will cause this city to be burned.” However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project favors the rendering represented by Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and most others. This passive verb can also be rendered with an agent, as in “The Babylonians will burn this city down to the ground.”

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 .