Then the nations will know that I the LORD sanctify Israel: The nations are the foreign nations (compare Contemporary English Version “Every nation on earth”). The Hebrew verb rendered sanctify may be rendered “make … holy” (New International Reader’s Version, New Century Version), but its basic meaning is “set apart” (see 20.12). Here it has the idea that God set Israel apart for himself to be holy (so New Living Translation [1996]). Good News Translation provides a helpful model for this clause, saying “then the nations will know that I, the LORD, have chosen Israel to be my own people” (similarly Contemporary English Version). This is a recognition formula (see Ezek 37.6), which is a little different from the usual formula. Instead of the foreign nations recognizing Yahweh as God, they will come to understand that God has chosen Israel and has set the Israelites apart for himself.

They will recognize this when my sanctuary is in the midst of them for evermore, that is, when God’s Temple is in Jerusalem among the Israelites forever. New Century Version says “When my Temple is among them forever.”

Good News Translation rearranges this verse in a more logical order by placing the time clause first. This is a good model to follow. Another model that does this is:

• When I establish my Temple there with them forever, then all the foreign nations will know that I, Yahweh, have chosen the Israelites to be my own people.”

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 .