An officer who had been in command of the men of war: This is thought by some to have been a civilian, not a military person; Bright has “a certain official who had been commissioner over the troops.” However, most translations have the equivalent of “an official who was in command of the fighting men” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Seven men of the king’s council is more literally “seven men [five in 2Kgs 25.19] who saw the king’s face.” Apparently these men stood in a close and confidential relationship with the king. Good News Translation has “seven of the king’s personal advisers” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “seven men from the king’s closest associates.”

The secretary of the commander of the army who mustered the people of the land: This is translated “the official responsible for mustering the troops” by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and “the secretary to the army commander responsible for military conscription” by New Jerusalem Bible. Good News Translation renders “the commander’s assistant, who was in charge of military records.” Translators can also say, for example, “the assistant of the army commander, who was in charge of recruiting people for the army.”

Sixty men of the people of the land: This expression is understood by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch to mean “sixty outstanding men from the territory of Judah.” However, it is the same expression as used in verse 6, where it referred to the common people; so it is also possible to understand the phrase here as referring to men from the ordinary ranks of soldiers who were arbitrarily chosen for punishment as a warning to the rest. Bible en français courant has “sixty citizens of Judah,” New Living Translation “sixty other citizens,” and Good News Translation “sixty other important men.”

These people were all taken from the city or in the midst of the city. These expressions are redundant, and it is probably not necessary to include both. Good News Translation begins the sentence with “From the city.” As in the previous verse, took can be expressed as “took away as prisoners.”

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 .