Whereas verses 28b-29 were a command to attack, verse 30 is a warning to those who are being attacked. Good News Translation makes this switch clear with “People of Hazor…” at the beginning of the verse.

Flee, wander far away is rendered “run far away” by Good News Translation, while “hide” is its rendering of dwell in the depths. For this expression, see verse 8.

Says the LORD: See 1.8.

Since made a plan against you is essentially equivalent to formed a purpose against you, it may be more effective in many languages to render them by one verb: “King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia has plotted against you” (Good News Translation) or “… has made plans on how to defeat you.”

Good News Translation introduces “and this is what he says” at the end of this verse in order to indicate that verse 31 represents the plan devised by Nebuchadnezzar. However, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch handles the text differently: “31 I myself, the Lord, have given the Babylonians this command: ‘Attack these carefree, unsuspecting people….’ ” This is clearly the superior translation, because in verse 31 says the LORD indicates that it is the LORD who is encouraging the attack.

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 .