Behold: See the comment at 1.6.

Serpents and adders refer to the same creatures; there is no way to determine the particular snakes intended, though they were obviously poisonous: “… snakes among you, poisonous snakes” (Good News Translation). The serpents and adders here are figures for Judah’s enemies, so New Living Translation uses a comparison to begin this verse: “I will send these enemy troops among you like poisonous snakes….”

If snake charming is not known at all, translators can render cannot be charmed as “cannot be controlled.”

For says the LORD, see 1.8.

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 .