And I will provide for them prosperous plantations: I will provide for them is literally “I will establish for them.” The pronoun them refers to God’s people. Plantations (literally “a planting”) may be rendered “crops” or “fields.” Instead of prosperous plantations, the Hebrew reads “a planting of name,” that is, a famous plantation. Many translations follow the Hebrew; for example, New International Reader’s Version has “a land that is famous for its crops” (similarly New International Version, New Living Translation, New Century Version), and Revised English Bible says “crops renowned.” The Revised Standard Version reading involves changing the order of two Hebrew consonants (shalom [“peace”] instead of leshem [“of name”]), a mistake that someone copying the text can easily make. The word that Revised Standard Version reads is the same word for “peace” that appeared in verse 25, so it is not out of place in this context. Other renderings that follow this reading are “a planting of peace” (Septuagint), “fertile fields” (Good News Translation; similarly Moffatt), “peaceful fields for planting” (New American Bible), and “large amounts of crops” (Contemporary English Version). It is difficult to decide which reading is better, but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends that translators follow the Hebrew. Fortunately there is little difference in meaning between the two alternatives, because a field or a garden only becomes famous as a result of its fertility and the large crops it produces. We recommend that translators adopt this understanding in translating this clause.

So that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land: The Hebrew phrase rendered consumed with hunger carries the implication of “die of hunger” (Christian Community Bible), so it is much stronger than “put an end to hunger” (Good News Translation), “never again go hungry” (Contemporary English Version; similarly New International Reader’s Version), or “suffer from hunger” (New Century Version; similarly New Living Translation).

And no longer suffer the reproach of the nations means God’s people will no longer bear the “insults” (New Revised Standard Version, New Century Version, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible) or “taunts” (Revised English Bible) of other nations. In the ancient world it was a matter of ridicule and shame when a nation suffered famine, because it showed that their god was unable to look after his people (compare 36.30). Good News Translation renders this clause as “The other nations will not sneer at them any more,” and New International Reader’s Version has “The nations will not make fun of them anymore.” Another possible model is “No longer will other nations be able to insult 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 .