Thus says the Lord GOD: This prophetic formula calls attention to the importance of another message from God (see Ezek 46.1).

If the prince makes a gift to any of his sons out of his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons, it is their property by inheritance: Inheritance here does not have the normal meaning of some property that a person receives from someone who has died, for example, their father or mother. His inheritance refers to the land that is allocated to the king (see 45.7-8); in a sense it is something that he has received from God. Good News Translation says “the land he owns.” If he gives some of that land to some of his sons before he dies, it shall belong to his sons, that is, his sons will be the permanent owners of that land. This is acceptable because it is their property by inheritance, that is, it is their “family property” (Good News Translation), and the land remains in the family. In ancient Israel only males were normally entitled to own land. However, in many cultures both males and females can own property, and in some areas only the females own the land. Therefore some translations replace sons with “children” (Contemporary English Version). Although it is good to remove as much sexist language from the Bible as possible, it is probably better to retain sons here because this prophecy has arisen in a specific historical situation and refers to a specific future situation. It is not a passage that has a general application.

New Century Version has a good model for this verse as follows:

• “This is what the Lord GOD says: If the ruler gives a gift from his land to any of his sons, that land will belong to the son and then to the son’s children. It is their property passed down from their family.

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 .