For Son of man, see Ezek 14.3.

When …: Verses 13-14 contain a long and complicated conditional sentence in Hebrew. The five clauses in verse 13 and the first one in verse 14 are all part of the condition, which the conjunction when (“if” in Good News Translation) introduces. The result of the conditional sentence does not come until the end of verse 14. Some languages may need to break up this long sentence to ensure that its sense is clear (so Good News Translation). The model at the end of the discussion on verse 14 gives one way to do this.

A land sins against me: For many languages it may not be possible to say that an inanimate object such as a land or “a country” (Good News Translation) sins. If so, translators may say “an entire nation” (Contemporary English Version) or “the people of a country” (New Century Version). Although the land in focus here is Israel, translators will go too far if they refer explicitly to Israel at this point, because God has left it general so that his message applies to any sinful nation. The Hebrew verb rendered sins conveys the idea of breaking a relationship here. At the heart of its meaning is the idea of “missing the mark” or “failing to attain something.” The pronoun me refers to God. This whole clause may be rendered “the people of a nation do wrong against me.”

By acting faithlessly renders a Hebrew verb and noun from the same root. This root also presupposes a relationship, usually between God and people, that the people break by refusing to accept God’s authority. New Century Version provides a helpful model here, saying “by not being loyal.” Some languages may find it hard to distinguish between sins and acting faithlessly. If so, it is acceptable to combine the two expressions (so Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation).

And I stretch out my hand against it means God will punish the nation. For the figurative language here, see Ezek 14.9. New Century Version says “I will use my power against them.”

And break its staff of bread and send famine upon it means God will destroy the nation’s crops, so that the people starve. For break its staff of bread, see the comments on 4.16. These two clauses may be rendered “and cut off their supplies of food and cause a famine in that country.”

And cut off from it man and beast means God will destroy all the people and animals in the land. Many translations interpret this clause to mean that the famine causes them to die (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, Moffatt, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). This is a possible interpretation, but the Hebrew also allows for God to destroy the people and animals in some other way. Translators may take either interpretation.

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 .