Therefore does not really make sense in English, and so both Revised English Bible and New American Bible translate the opening particle as “Yet.” Its force is perhaps best represented by New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “Assuredly.” The function of the verse is to emphasize the truth that the LORD will treat other nations in the same way that they treat his people.

Devour translates a verb that literally means “eat,” though in the present context the meaning is extended to that of “destroy” (see 12.9).

Shall be devoured is a passive construction, which in many languages will be expressed as an active one; for example, “someone else [or, an enemy] will destroy them.”

All your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity: For captivity see 1.3. Shall go into captivity may better be rendered as a passive: “will be taken away as prisoners” (Good News Translation). However, for languages that would not use a passive construction here, it is possible to say “enemies [or, someone else] will take them away as prisoners.”

Those who despoil you shall become a spoil: Those who despoil translates a participle that means “plunderer” (see Jdg 2.14, 16; 1Sam 14.48; 2 Kgs 17.20 [Revised Standard Version “spoilers”]; Isa 17.14; Jer 50.11). Spoil translates a noun from the same Hebrew root as that rendered those who despoil; elsewhere in the Old Testament it is found in 2Kgs 21.14; Isa 42.22, 24; Hab 2.7 (Revised Standard Version “booty”); Zeph 1.13 (Revised Standard Version “plundered”). Shall become a spoil may need an agent indicated, as in “someone will plunder them [or, will make them their spoil].”

All who prey on you I will make a prey: The verb translated prey on literally means “take booty or spoil.” See 20.5, where Revised Standard Version has “plunder.” For the noun prey, see 2.14.

In some languages there may be some difficulty trying to distinguish among the terms despoil, spoil, and prey. The meaning is very close, and translators should use whatever terms would go well in the context. Note that Good News Translation, for example, has used “oppress” and “plunder.”

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 .