When this comes: There is no clear indication of what the demonstrative pronoun this refers to, but this clause must have something to do with the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecies of punishment (compare 7.5, 10; 24.24). In chapters 7 and 24 it referred to specific disasters that were coming on Jerusalem and the rest of Israel, but here it is a more general threat, probably referring to all of Ezekiel’s prophecies in the previous chapters. So translators should be fairly general by saying “When this comes true” (New Century Version) or “But when all your words come true” (Good News Translation). Although it is best to retain a short, powerful expression here, translators may include explanatory material; for example, New Living Translation says “But when all these terrible things happen to them,” and Contemporary English Version has “Soon they will be punished, just as you warned.”

And come it will!: This clause repeats the previous one for emphasis. In Hebrew it begins with emphatic word hinneh (rendered “lo” in King James Version; see the comments on the previous verse). Here this word highlights that Ezekiel’s prophecies will come true. New Century Version says “and it surely will happen.” New International Reader’s Version renders both the first two clauses of this verse as “Everything I have told you will come true. You can be sure of it.”

When Ezekiel’s words concerning God’s punishment come true, then they will know that a prophet has been among them (see 2.5). This clause is a variation of the usual recognition formula (see verse 29). Instead of Ezekiel’s fellow exiles acknowledging Yahweh, they will realize that Ezekiel was a true prophet of God. Ezekiel’s role as God’s prophet will be vindicated.

Here is one model for this verse:

• This will all surely come true. And when it does, then they will know that someone who speaks for me [God] has been among them.

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 .