The remainder of this section (verses 30-35) pictures the fall and destruction of Babylonia.

Strongholds is better rendered “forts” (Good News Translation) or “fortresses” (New Jerusalem Bible). See 48.41.

Their strength has failed can also be expressed as “They have no courage any more.”

They have become women: See 50.37.

Her bars are broken: The city gates have been broken through. The bars are bars placed across the gates to lock them (see 49.31). To reflect the order in which things happen, Good News Translation reverses the last two lines of this verse: “The city gates are broken down, and the houses are on fire.”

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 .