Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 14:16

The LORD’s judgment will fall not only on the false prophets, but also upon those persons who so eagerly listened to their messages.

The people, as the last half of the verse makes clear, is actually a reference to the dead bodies of the people: “The people … will be killed in the same way. Their bodies…” (Good News Translation). For the first sentence of this verse, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “And the same thing will happen to the people who listen to these prophesies. Their bodies will lie all around on the streets of Jerusalem, together with the bodies of their women and children.”

For I will pour out their wickedness upon them is a way of stating that their punishment will conform to their sin. An American Translation has “for I will pour out upon them the trouble which they deserve” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “Thus I will punish them for their disobedience.”

The whole verse may be restructured as follows:

• And the people they made these declarations to will meet the same end. They will die from war and from starvation, all of them and their wives and sons and daughters. Their bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, and there will be no one to bury them. For I will bring evil to them as they have been evil.

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 .