The circumstances described in verses 36-37 are best interpreted in light of verse 18. Rather than depending upon the LORD for its safety, Israel now attempts a political alliance with Egypt, as it once did with Assyria. But the new alliance will be no more productive than the earlier one; when the nation turns from the LORD, the end result is always shame.

Gad about (“move restlessly or aimlessly from place to place”) is accompanied by an adverb that means “very close” or “as much as possible.” But there is a question regarding the origin of the verb, whether it derives from a stem that means “go away” or “be worthless.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project indicates that either of these alternatives may be followed. But it is not always easy to determine which solution is followed by a given translation, since several of the translations attempt to render the meaning rather than the literal form. Moreover, the problem of analyzing the various translations is further complicated by the phrase changing your way, which may be understood either of changing gods or political alliances. A sampling of translations will immediately reveal the wide range of restructurings that are possible: “You have cheapened yourself by turning to the gods of other nations” (Good News Translation); “Why do you cheapen yourself by shifting your course?” (Moffatt); “Why do you so lightly change your course?” (Revised English Bible); “How frivolously you undertake a change of course!” (New Jerusalem Bible); “Why do you so swiftly change alliance partners?” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch); “Why do you so thoughtlessly run about, sometimes here sometimes there?” (Luther 1984). Translators may follow any of these interpretations.

Notice that the expression beginning How lightly is a way of emphasizing that Israel is changing (gods or alliances) quickly and too easily. Some of the models above use rhetorical questions, others statements. Translators should use whatever will most easily convey that sense in their language.

Be put to shame: See the comments at verse 26. To be put to shame by Egypt would suggest disappointment in the lack of help that Egypt would supply. New Jerusalem Bible translates “But you will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “Egypt can give you no more help than Assyria!”

Probably most readers will recognize that Egypt and Assyria refer to those countries or to the people there. But for some translators “Egyptians” and “Assyrians” or “land of Egypt” and “land of Assyria” will be helpful.

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 .