And they shall know that I, the LORD their God, am with them …: When God’s covenant of peace and prosperity comes into effect, people will recognize that Yahweh is the God of Israel and that the Israelites are his people. It is not clear to whom the pronoun they refers. Many Hebrew manuscripts make explicit that it is the people of the nations who will recognize Yahweh as Israel’s God (so Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version with “everyone”). But most translations are not specific and leave the interpretation open, so that it could be the people of Israel, which may be made explicit by saying “my people.” Translators may follow either interpretation. For the recognition formula here, see verse 27.

Says the Lord GOD: See Ezek 34.8. This solemn formal declaration of God’s message confirms his promise here.

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 .