In the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month: The fifth prophecy against Egypt begins with another date formula (compare 29.1, 17; 30.20). Ezekiel received this prophecy from God ten years after the Babylonians had taken him and many other Israelites as prisoners (made explicit by Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Reader’s Version, New Living Translation, New Century Version). In the eleventh year means that it was at least ten years but not yet eleven. Contemporary English Version says “Eleven years after,” which is incorrect. A good model for the whole date is “More than ten years after the Babylonians took Israel [or, us] into captivity, on the first day of the third month.” When translating the date, translators should follow the most natural order of recording dates in their own language. For those translators who include footnotes in their Bibles, it is appropriate to indicate that this date is probably June 21, 587 B.C.

This prophecy against Egypt also begins with the traditional formula the word of the LORD came to me, which Good News Translation renders “the LORD spoke to me.”

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 .