On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin): Another dating formula appears here. It is in the third person and gives a definite date, that is, the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin, which was 593 B.C. This formula is very similar to those in Hag 1.1 and Zech 1.1. In those books it functions as a heading for the following vision. Here in Ezekiel it functions in the same way.

However, this formula lacks the number of the month, and scholars usually assume that it was left out because it was the same as that in verse 1, that is, the fourth month. This is a reasonable assumption, but there is no way to be sure. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version have followed this assumption, for they also omit the reference to the fifth day, because that too is the same as verse 1. This leaves Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version with only the reference to the fifth year, which they use to make the uncertain date in verse 1 specific. This is undesirable, because the date in verse 1 is so uncertain, as we have seen. It would be better to keep the uncertainty by keeping the two dates in these two verses separate. New International Version has done this by beginning a new paragraph at verse 2.

After the uncertainty of the first date in verse 1, Ezekiel more carefully records here the date of the vision he is about to describe. It was nearly five years after the Babylonians had taken King Jehoiachin, Ezekiel and many others as prisoners. For those translators who include footnotes in their Bibles, it is appropriate to indicate that this date was probably July 31, 593 B.C. The fifth year means that it was at least four years but not yet five. Therefore Contemporary English Version is incorrect with “Five years after….” Good News Translation gives a better model with “It was the fifth year since….” Another possibility is “Nearly five years after….”

This verse may be translated as follows:

• Nearly five years after King Jehoiachin was deported [or, taken into exile], on the fifth day of the month….

• Nearly five years after Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin as a prisoner to Babylonia, on the fifth day of the month….

However, translators should follow the most natural order of recording dates in their own language.

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 .

And you shall speak my words to them: God commands Ezekiel to tell the people the message he is giving to them.

Whether they hear or refuse to hear: See the comments on Ezek 2.5. Ezekiel is to give them God’s message, whether they respond and obey, or whether they refuse to listen.

For they are a rebellious house: This Revised Standard Version reading is a favorite expression of Ezekiel, and it is supported by many Hebrew manuscripts and early translations. But the best Hebrew text does not have the word house, and says nothing more than “for they are rebellious” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). There is no way of knowing whether the word house was in the original text and accidentally dropped out, or whether it was not in the original text and a scribe put it in by mistake, because it is in verses 5, 6, and 8. Either way, the meaning is the same. Most modern versions follow the best Hebrew text, but Contemporary English Version omits the whole clause, because it is used in verses 5 and 6 already. This is permissible, depending on the requirements of naturalness in the receptor language. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch connects this clause well with the first half of the verse by saying “You know, after all, that they are a rebellious 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 .

And take an iron plate …: This verse contains more instructions on how Ezekiel should “attack” the brick that represents Jerusalem. This time he uses a familiar household cooking utensil, an iron plate, that is, a “griddle” (Revised English Bible), frying pan, barbecue plate, or flat piece of iron used for cooking food.

And place it as an iron wall between you and the city: God tells Ezekiel to stand the iron plate on its edge so that it forms a solid barrier between Ezekiel and the brick. It is not certain what the iron wall signifies, but the fact that it is made of iron shows that no one can break through it.

And set your face toward it: Ezekiel’s strong “attack” against the brick (Jerusalem) continues here. Set your face toward it means he is to look at it fiercely, or glare at it. This clause has a hostile sense, which New Century Version captures well with “Turn your face toward the city as if to attack it.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is similar with “Look at the city in a hostile way.” Good News Translation says simply “Face the city,” which does not express the original meaning as well.

And let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it: Good News Translation provides a better model than Revised Standard Version for these two clauses, saying “It is under siege, and you are the one besieging it.” This rendering has a nice balance with the city being besieged and Ezekiel doing the besieging. Revised English Bible is similar with “it will be the besieged and you the besieger.” Languages without passive verbs may say “The city is under attack, and you are the attacker” or “Then surround it and attack it” (International Children’s Bible). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch combines these two clauses, saying simply “and attack it.” Contemporary English Version omits them along with the previous clause, but it is better to keep the emphasis here by rendering all three clauses as “Look fiercely at the city [as if you are going to attack it]. Attack it and keep on fighting against it.”

This is a sign for the house of Israel: Many times in the book of Ezekiel, the prophet does things or predicts events that are signs for the Israelites or other people. Sometimes the word sign is used; more often he says something like “then they will know that….” Sometimes these signs are a “warning” (Contemporary English Version) or an “omen” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), but more often they show that God is acting in those events. Sometimes he acts to judge, but at other times he acts to save. Whichever expression is used, this is a very important theme in Ezekiel, and translators would do well to consider it early as part of their discussions on key terms. One problem in some languages with the word sign is that the translators have to say what the sign shows or points to. If so, “warning” is clearly a better translation here. For the house of Israel, that is, the Israelites, see the comments on 3.1. Possible models for this whole sentence are “The Israelites will see my message [or, warning] in this action” and “This action will show the people of Israel a message.”

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 .

And say: This short clause is still part of God’s command to Ezekiel. It may be rendered “and this is what you must say.”

You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD!: This clause may be rendered “Listen to what the Lord Yahweh is saying to you, you mountains of Israel!” Good News Translation uses indirect speech here, saying “Tell the mountains of Israel to hear the Sovereign LORD’s word.” This is a good model to follow.

Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys introduces what God says to the mountains and the other geographical areas of Israel. The mountains and the hills are the higher and lower hills. The ravines are “the streams” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) that carved out valleys in the mountains, and the valleys are the low places between the mountains. Referring to these four geographical areas shows that God is addressing the whole of the land of Israel. Both Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie have the LORD addressing the “inhabitants” of the mountains and other parts of Israel. This adjustment may also be necessary in other languages, but if retaining the form of the text can be done without resulting in complete misunderstanding, then translators should do that. One possible model that keeps the form is “This is what the Lord Yahweh says to the mountains, the hills, the streams, and the valleys.” But the focus here is not on the land in general, but specifically on those areas where the people had set up their idols and worshiped other gods. The mountains and the hills and the ravines and the valleys were the places where the people had built shrines and sanctuaries to false gods (see, for example, Isa 57.6; 65.7). These shrines were often called high places, because they were raised platforms where the people could offer sacrifices. Usually such a platform was on a small hill that was a little higher than the surrounding area. High places may be rendered “raised places where people worship false gods” (similarly Good News Translation), “shrines” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or “places of worship.” It may be necessary in translation to make clear that the mountains and the hills and the ravines and the valleys were the places where shrines to false gods were located; for example, this clause may be rendered “This is what the Lord Yahweh says to the mountains, hills, streams and valleys, the places where the people have built shrines to false gods.”

Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you begins God’s message for the land of Israel. Behold, I, even I is an emphatic introduction (see the comments on 5.8). I will bring a sword upon you means God will cause the mountains and other areas of Israel to be destroyed in war.

And I will destroy your high places means God will destroy the shrines and sanctuaries of the false gods in the land. This clause and the previous one may be translated “Listen, I myself will cause an enemy to attack you and destroy all the places of worship.”

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 .

Good News Translation adds the clause “says the LORD” near the beginning of this verse, because Good News Translation understands verses 10-20 as the words of Ezekiel. However, if God is understood as the speaker of verses 10-20 (so Revised Standard Version), this addition is unnecessary. The main thing for translators to remember is to make it clear that God is the speaker in verse 21.

And I will give it into the hands of foreigners for a prey: God threatens to give the Israelites’ silver and gold to the Babylonians as booty. Foreigners refers to the Babylonian army. The Hebrew word for prey refers to booty, that is, the things soldiers take for themselves from the people they defeat in war. This clause may be rendered “I also will let foreigners take their wealth as booty [or, spoils of war].”

And to the wicked of the earth for a spoil: This line is parallel to the previous one and has almost the same meaning. The verb phrase I will give it is implied here. The foreigners and the wicked of the earth refer to the same people, that is, the Babylonians. The wicked of the earth may be rendered “the most evil people in the world.” The Hebrew word for spoil refers to booty, like the word for prey. The first two lines of this verse may be combined by saying “I also will give your silver and gold to the most wicked foreigners to take home for themselves after defeating you.” However, it is also possible to keep both lines as follows: “I also will let foreigners take your wealth as a prize of war. Yes, it is the most wicked people who will take your wealth.”

And they shall profane it means the Babylonians will make the silver and gold ritually impure. The Hebrew word for profane has the sense of removing the sacred character of something. For the Jews, anything that non-Jews touched was polluted. This clause may be rendered “It will not be fit for respectable people to touch anymore.”

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 .

And while they were smiting, and I was left alone: While the six men were killing the people of Jerusalem who did not have the mark on their foreheads, Ezekiel was left alone. When the men went, Ezekiel was the only one who stayed in the Temple area.

I fell upon my face means Ezekiel lay face down on the ground (see 1.28b).

And cried does not mean he was weeping, but it was a cry of distress and sorrow, addressed to God, so this clause may be rendered “and cried out to the LORD” (Contemporary English Version).

Ah Lord GOD!: Ah renders a Hebrew interjection showing Ezekiel’s distress (see 4.14). Some translations have omitted it (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (1982)); others have used a variety of terms, such as “Ah” (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New King James Version , Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “Oh” (New Century Version, Bible en français courant), “O” (New Living Translation, New English Bible), and “Alas” (New American Standard Bible, New American Bible). Any natural exclamation expressing the emotion of distress is acceptable in translation. Lord renders the Hebrew word ʾadonai, and GOD renders “Yahweh” (YHWH in Hebrew), the name of God.

Wilt thou destroy all that remains of Israel in the outpouring of thy wrath upon Jerusalem?: In his distress at seeing the inhabitants of Jerusalem being killed, Ezekiel was afraid that God in his anger was about to kill all the remaining Israelites. The outpouring of thy wrath upon Jerusalem pictures God pouring out his anger as if it were a hot liquid (see 7.8). Those languages that cannot describe anger in this way may use a simile or a different figure of speech, for example, “making them feel your strong anger.” Contemporary English Version provides a helpful model for this question by restructuring it as follows: “Are you so angry at the people of Jerusalem that everyone must die?” (similarly Good News Translation). Another possible model is “Will you vent your anger on Jerusalem by killing everyone left in Israel?”

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 .

But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence: God promises that he will not kill everyone in Jerusalem. He will let a few of them escape from the sword, that is, some will not be killed in war; from famine, that is, some will not starve to death because they have no food; and from pestilence, that is, some will not get sick and die of a terrible disease (see the comments on 5.12). However, most of them will die in one of these three ways. This clause may be rendered “I will allow a few to survive. They won’t all be killed in war or die of starvation or disease.”

That they may confess all their abominations among the nations where they go: God will let this small number stay alive in order that they may tell foreigners about the disgusting things they did. The Hebrew verb rendered confess does not refer to the confession and repentance of sins. Here it is better translated “recount” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “tell [of/about]” (New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version), or “describe” (Revised English Bible). Their abominations are their sins, the evil and disgusting things that they did (see 5.9). God will make these people describe all their sins among the nations where they go, that is, to the foreigners in the countries where God will send them.

And may know that I am the LORD: They will describe their sins not because they enjoyed doing them or because they enjoy telling others about what they did. They will do it so that they may acknowledge God. This recognition formula is repeated from the previous verse (see the comments there). Most translations understand this clause to mean that the few remaining exiles will acknowledge God (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Century Version, New American Standard Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). However, it may mean that those who hear of these sins, those who live in the foreign countries, are the ones who will acknowledge God (so Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant). Both interpretations are possible, but the first one is preferable. Contemporary English Version gives another possible interpretation, saying “and [they will be able to tell foreigners] that it was the LORD who punished them in this way.” According to Contemporary English Version, they will tell foreigners about their sins to show the foreigners that they suffered because God punished them, not because God was too weak to protect them. A model for this clause and the previous one is “I will let them live so that they can tell people in the countries where they go about the terrible things they did, and so that they will recognize that I am Yahweh.”

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 .