Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch introduces a new section with verse 14, which runs through 20.6; it is entitled “Jeremiah is mistreated.” This is a better division of the text than is found in Good News Translation, since Jeremiah’s conflict with Pashhur the priest (20.1-6) is the result of Jeremiah’s message of 19.14-15.

Then Jeremiah came from Topheth: Good News Translation retains the first person singular with “Then I left Topheth.” Translators will also have to decide whether “went” or “came” is more natural in their language. It will depend on whether readers would understand these words as indicating movement toward or away from the modern readers, or toward or away from the writer of Jeremiah. In this verse Jeremiah travels from Topheth to the court of the temple. The writer uses the temple as the reference point and has came, but “went” will be more natural in many languages.

For English readers prophesy primarily means “predict” or “foretell the future.” In this context the meaning is “proclaim the LORD’s message” (see Good News Translation). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates where the LORD had sent him to prophesy as “where he had spoken by order of the Lord.”

The court of the LORD’s house would have been the open area in front of the temple building. Consequently, court is sometimes rendered as “the compound in front of the temple” or “the temple compound.”

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 .