That they may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them is the purpose of the metaphorical “heart transplant.” For walk, statutes, and ordinances, see the comments on verse 12. Walk in my statutes, keep my ordinances, and obey them are similar in meaning, all referring to obeying God’s laws. Some languages may need to combine them into one or two expressions and begin a new sentence here; for example, Good News Translation has “Then they will keep my laws and faithfully obey all my commands.” Another possible model is “I will do this so that they will live by my laws and obey my commandments.”

And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: As a result of the people’s obedience, the relationship between God and them will be restored (compare Exo 6.7). The people will acknowledge and worship God, and God will acknowledge and protect them. The connector and at the beginning of this sentence introduces the result of obedience. In some languages it is more natural to omit this connector, but in others it may be rendered “Therefore” or “Then” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible). This whole sentence may be rendered “Then they will be the people I protect, and I will be the God they worship.”

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 .