And the land that was desolate shall be tilled: The land that was desolate refers to the “barren” (Contemporary English Version) and “empty” (New Century Version) land of Israel (see Ezek 36.3). Good News Translation refers to this land being “overgrown and wild.” In those parts of the world where land that is left unused and unworked becomes overgrown, this is acceptable as a contrast to farmed land. Shall be tilled means the land will be “plowed” (Contemporary English Version, New Century Version) and “farmed again” (New International Reader’s Version; see Ezek 36.9).

Instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by: Before God allowed the land to be farmed again, everyone who passed by it saw that it was untended and abandoned, which made the Israelites all the more ashamed (see 5.14). The Hebrew noun for desolation comes from the same root as the verb rendered was desolate.

A model for this verse is:

• You will once more farm the land that has been barren, so that it will not be abandoned and wild anymore for anyone who passes by to see.

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 .