That …: This verse gives the reason why God will punish the idol worshipers and the false prophets. To make this clear, Contemporary English Version begins with “I will do this, so that…” (similarly Good News Translation). God states the purpose for this punishment in two parts—first a negative part, then a positive one. The negative purpose is so that the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, nor defile themselves any more with all their transgressions. For the house of Israel, that is, “the Israelites” (Good News Translation), see Ezek 14.4. To go … astray from me means to stop following God and not be faithful to him. To defile themselves means to become ritually unclean (see 4.14). They became unclean because of their transgressions (“sins” in Good News Translation). The Hebrew word for transgressions refers to turning aside from the straight way. Translators can render this part of the verse as “I will do this to prevent the people of Israel from being so unfaithful to me anymore and to stop them from making themselves unclean from all their sins [or, unfit to worship me because of all their sins].”
But that they may be my people and I may be their God: See 11.20. This is the positive purpose for God’s punishment of the idol worshipers and the false prophets. He wants to have a good relationship with his people. This relationship is referred to in Exo 6.7, and often in Deuteronomy and the Prophets. Translators may begin a new sentence here by saying “Instead, they will be my people, and I will be the God they worship.”
Says the Lord GOD: This solemn pronouncement emphasizes that God speaks these words (see the comments on 5.11). For the Lord GOD, see Ezek 14.4. For many languages it may be ponderous and unnatural to repeat this clause. However, it is best to keep it if possible; for example, it may be rendered “This is what I, the Lord Yahweh, declare” or “(This is the solemn declaration of the Lord Yahweh).”
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 .