I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their transgressions: Not only was God’s punishment of the Israelites the result of their sins, but it was also “in proportion to” (New Living Translation) their sins (compare Good News Translation “I gave them what they deserved … ” and Contemporary English Version .”.. they deserved to be punished”). The Hebrew word for uncleanness refers to being ritually unclean (see the comments on 36.25). The Hebrew word for transgressions refers to turning aside from the straight way (see 14.11). This whole clause may be rendered “They made themselves unfit for worshiping me and they turned away from doing the right things. So I punished them as they deserved.”

And hid my face from them: See the previous verse.

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 .