Jeremiah

The name that is transliterated as “Jeremiah” in English is translated in American Sign Language with the sign signifying “prophet (seeing into the future)” and “crying.” (Source: Phil King in Journal of Translation 16/2 2020, p. 33ff.)


“Jeremiah” in American Sign Language (source )

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with a sign that depicts to lament often.


“Jeremiah” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

Following is a Russian Orthodox icon of Jeremiah from the 18th century (found in the Transfiguration Church, Kizhi Monastery, Karelia, Russia).

 
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

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 37:12

Jeremiah set out: Jeremiah’s departure from the city must have taken place almost immediately after the withdrawal of the Babylonian army, which probably returned within a few weeks.

The land of Benjamin probably points to Anathoth, Jeremiah’s hometown.

To receive his portion there among the people: As the Revised Standard Version note indicates, the Hebrew is obscure, though a number of commentators understand this to be a technical term that somehow relates to Jeremiah’s legal rights in claiming ownership of his ancestral property. For this reason, Good News Translation translates “to take possession of my share of the family property.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “concerning a matter of succession in his family” and New American Bible “to take part with his family in the division of an inheritance.” New Jerusalem Bible has “to see about a piece of his property among the people there.” Among the people probably means Jeremiah’s own family.

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 .