Scroll translates a Hebrew expression of two words, which appears elsewhere only in verse 4; Psa 40.7 (Revised Standard Version “roll of the book”); Ezek 2.9. Scholars are not certain whether this expression means a lengthy scroll, or whether it is merely the complete term for a writing scroll, which is normally referred to by only one word in Hebrew. It would have been made of papyrus sheets pasted together, so that they could be rolled up for storage. The writing on the scroll would have been in columns, enabling a person to read the series of columns as the scroll was unrolled sideways. For translation, see the notes on the section heading above. Here it is possible to say “rolled paper for writing.”

All the words is better expressed as “every word” (New English Bible), “everything” (Good News Translation), or “all” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Bible en français courant has “all the messages.”

The words were spoken against Israel and Judah and all the nations. As is clear in verse 3, these are the words the LORD spoke in condemnation of these peoples, words of all the destruction that would come to pass. Translators could say something like “[words telling] the terrible things that would happen to Israel and Judah and all the nations.” This is not really communicated by the rendering “about Israel and Judah and all the nations” (Good News Translation and others).

From the day I spoke to you refers to the same period of time as from the days of Josiah. Good News Translation is clear here: “from the time I first spoke to you, when Josiah was king.”

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 .