Now the end is upon you: The adverb Now refers to the time God is speaking. The pronoun you refers to the land of Israel. The repetition of the word end makes this prophecy of judgment more forceful. This clause may be rendered “Now is the end for you” or “Now things are over for you.”
And I will let loose my anger upon you is literally “and I will send my anger on you” (similarly New Century Version), which is not a natural expression for many languages. New International Version renders it idiomatically in English as “and I will unleash my anger against you” (similarly Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). Other possible models are “I will bring my anger to bear on you” and “I will make you feel the force of my anger.” It is also acceptable to say simply “I am very angry with you” (similarly Contemporary English Version).
And will judge you according to your ways means God will judge and punish the land of Israel for the evil things that the people have done in it. The sins of the people have infected the land and made it sinful too. New Century Version says “I will judge you for the way you have lived,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “and judge you as your conduct deserves.”
And I will punish you for all your abominations is literally “and I will place upon you all your abominations.” God leaves the sins of the people on the land, and the consequences of those sins automatically result in punishment. Your abominations refers to the disgusting things the people did, especially their worship of idols (see the comments on 5.9). Translators may render this clause as “and I will hold you responsible for all your disgusting acts.”
Two models for this verse are:
• Now, land of Israel, things are over for you, and you will feel the force of my anger. I will judge you as your behavior deserves, and I will hold you responsible for all the things you did that I hate.
• Now it is the end for you, land of Israel. I am very angry with you. Your people have done evil, so I am going to punish you. They have disobeyed me and worshiped false gods, so I will make you suffer for this.
Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
