All the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah: If “all the people” in verse 13 are clearly marked as Ishmael’s prisoners, then this clause may either be entirely omitted or at least reduced to a pronoun “they.” In fact, the whole verse in Good News Translation is rendered “and turned and ran to them.” Other translators, however, say “So all the people Ishmael had led away as prisoners from Mizpah turned around and went to join Johanan.”

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 .

Take in your hands large stones; that is, “Go [and] pick up some large stones” or “Take some large stones.” This is to be an acted parable, and the significance of what Jeremiah will do is clear. The stones symbolize, or may actually be the foundation of, the elevated platform on which Nebuchadnezzar would place his throne, indicating that he was now ruler of Egypt (see verse 10).

The precise meaning of the verb translated hide (Revised Standard Version) is not known; Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible render “bury” and New American Bible “sink,” while Revised English Bible has “set … in,” a rendering that actually seems best in this verse.

The word translated mortar occurs only here in the Old Testament. Some scholars take it to mean “clay” (Bright), while others render it as “cement” (Revised English Bible). Translators should use whatever word or expression would be appropriate for the mortar used to hold bricks or poles together in building. The two phrases, in the mortar and in the pavement, are probably to be taken together with the meaning of either “in the clay pavement” or “in the cement pavement.” Some Greek manuscripts and the Vulgate have the meaning of “secretly” for the first word, and so Zürcher Bibel translates “bury them secretly at the entranceway” and Moffatt “hiding them secretly under the paved court.” But, as some commentators note, this seems incorrect, since Jeremiah was to do this in the presence of witnesses. If footnotes are being included, perhaps the text here should have a note: “Hebrew unclear.”

Pharaoh’s palace: This was probably a government building of some sort, since it is not likely that the royal palace would be found in Tahpanhes. Good News Translation renders “government building” and New American Bible “royal building.” Of course, it could be a place where the Pharaoh stayed when he came there. Pharaoh is not a name but a title for the king of Egypt (see 25.19); consequently, translators can say, for example, “the royal residence” or “the royal building.”

In the sight of the men of Judah; that is, Jeremiah is to do this while some of the people of Judah are watching. Translators can even say something like “Do this in plain view of some of the people of Judah.”

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 .

This shall be the sign to you: Good News Translation has “I … will give you proof.” This refers to the event described in verse 30. The problem is that the mention of the sign at the beginning of verse 29 and the description of it in verse 30 are so far distant that the reader (and more especially the hearer) may lose the connection. It would perhaps be best to reorder verse 29 so that the mention of the sign comes immediately before its description in verse 30; for example, “I want you to know that I will punish you in this place and that my promise to destroy you will come true. Here is the way I will prove it.”

My words will surely stand against you for evil: New International Version renders “my threats of harm against you will surely stand,” which is still somewhat literal. New Jerusalem Bible has “the words with which I threaten you 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 .

I will deliver them into the hand of: See 29.21.

Those who seek their life (see 11.21); that is, Nebuchadnezzar and his army officers.

Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old: A promise follows the threat. Revised English Bible makes the transition well with “yet after this…,” as does New International Version “Later, however….” Contemporary English Version begins this sentence with “But I also promise….” Egypt shall be inhabited may need to be expressed as “people will live in Egypt [again].”

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 .

Good News Translation opens verse 26 with “The LORD said” in order to let the reader know that the LORD is still speaking.

Make him drunk: Since the reference is to Moab, and this is the first verse in a new section, Good News Translation renders “Make Moab drunk.”

Magnified himself against the LORD is rendered “has set himself up against Yahweh” by New Jerusalem Bible and “defied the LORD/Yahweh” by Revised English Bible and Bright; Good News Translation translates “rebelled against me.” New American Bible has “boasted against the LORD.” The Bible en français courant model is also good: “thought himself superior to the Lord.” Some languages will have an expression such as “make himself big [or, great] over the LORD.”

So that Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he too shall be held in derision: Unfortunately, this is an incomplete sentence in Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation opens a new sentence here with “Moab will roll in its own vomit….” Moreover, Good News Translation shifts the passive he too shall be held in derision to an active construction: “and people will laugh.” Some scholars point out that the verb rendered shall wallow means to clap the hands (Num 24.10; Lam 2.15) or to strike the thigh (31.19), whether in rage, disgust, or remorse. Thus the picture would be that of a person vomiting, and at the same time striking his thigh in helpless rage and disgust. This interpretation is not followed by most translations, however. For derision see 20.7, where Revised Standard Version has “laughingstock.”

Bible en français courant links Make him drunk to wallow in his own vomit, and restructures the verse as follows:

• Moab thought himself superior to the Lord. Therefore, make him drunk to the point he vomits his wine, and in his turn makes the whole world laugh at 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 .

As verses 10-11 appear in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, the connection between them is unclear and verse 11 hardly makes sense in the context. Some translators have begun verse 11 with “No one can say.” Following Jewish tradition, both Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible interpret verse 11 as what would be said by Esau’s descendants, if any one of them were still alive. For example, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible renders the end of verse 10 as follows: “His descendants, his brothers and his neighbors are destroyed, and there is no one left to say:….”

Leave; that is, “leave in my care.”

Fatherless children is much more naturally rendered as “orphans” (Good News Translation, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant). Among the Hebrews, orphans and widows were considered the most helpless people in their society (see 7.6).

Let your widows trust in me: Good News Translation has “Your widows can depend on me.”

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 .

Since this is the beginning of a new section, Good News Translation opens with “The LORD says,” in order to indicate who is speaking.

In those days and in that time: In many languages two time expressions are unnecessarily redundant and tend to diminish the impact.

Says the LORD: See 1.8.

The people of Israel represent the northern kingdom, while the people of Judah represent the southern kingdom.

The expression shall come together does not mean they will return to their land, nor does it mean they will unite. Here the meaning is conveyed clearly by New International Version: “the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God.” Note that in many languages “go” is more appropriate than come.

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 .

A sword upon: See verse 35.

Diviners is rendered “lying prophets” by Good News Translation (New International Version “false prophets”). The same word (or a different word of the same spelling) is found in 48.30, where Revised Standard Version renders “boasts.” The meaning of the word is “empty talk” or “bragging,” though it is apparently used in Isa 44.25 with the same meaning that it has here. Diviners are people who read certain signs or get information from some god or spirit power and then make pronouncements or deliver messages. Since Jeremiah would not believe they really had a message from God, “false prophets” is probably acceptable. Of course, if diviners are known in a society, then the appropriate term for them can be used; or we may say “interpreters of signs.”

Become fools translates the same verb used in 5.4 (Revised Standard Version “have no sense”). Elsewhere in the Old Testament it is found in Num 12.11; Isa 19.13. Here the idea is that since they are not speaking the truth, they will seem to be fools when war comes. Therefore translators can say something like “They will be seen to be fools.” For the first two lines Contemporary English Version has “This war will prove that your prophets are liars and fools.”

That they may be destroyed: The word translated destroyed often has the meaning of “dismayed” or “terrified” (see 1.17); hence Good News Translation has “how terrified they are!” Or translators can say “that they all may be terrified.”

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 .