And you, O unhallowed wicked one, prince of Israel …: The prophecy now turns against the prince of Israel, that is, King Zedekiah. However, translators should not use his name. The Hebrew pronoun for you is singular, referring to Zedekiah. The Hebrew word for unhallowed means “polluted” or “ritually unclean” (see 7.21, where the word rendered “profane” comes from the same root). Translators may say “unclean” (New Century Version) if their readers understand this correctly, or they may use “not fit for my presence” or “not fit to worship me.” The Hebrew word for wicked refers to a person who does not respect God and deliberately breaks the rules of the covenant (see the comments on 3.18-19). These two words together here are a very strong condemnation of Zedekiah. Jerusalem Bible renders them well by saying “vile criminal.” In this context prince is better translated “king” or “ruler” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

Whose day has come, the time of your final punishment means the time for the punishment or death of Zedekiah will come soon. Contemporary English Version says “your day of final punishment is almost here” (similarly Good News Translation). The time of your final punishment is an unusual phrase that refers to the time when Zedekiah’s sins build up to such a level that they trigger punishment. The Hebrew word for punishment (ʿ awon) is the same one rendered “guilt” in the previous two verses (see the comments on 4.4-5).

Models for this verse are:

• And you, king of Israel, you vile and corrupt man, the time has come for you to be punished. Your sin has added up. It’s high time for your punishment.

• And you, king of Israel, you are wicked and not fit for my presence. The time for me to punish you has come. Your sins are so many that it is time for your final punishment.

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 .