The altar hearth shall be square, twelve cubits long by twelve broad: The altar hearth, that is, the fire place at the top of the altar, was square. It was twelve cubits long by twelve broad, that is, 6 meters long and 6 meters wide (20 feet by 20 feet). Good News Translation says “20 feet on each side.”

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 .

No priest shall drink wine, when he enters the inner court: In this context wine probably stands for any alcoholic drink, including beer (see the comments on 27.18). Wine may pose a problem in some areas. If so, translators may say “fermented drink” or “drink that can make a person drunk.” The prohibition on alcohol only applies when he enters the inner court, that is, when the priests are involved in their sacred duties in the inner courtyard. This is not a rule that the priests are never allowed to drink alcohol. A model for this verse is:

• Priests must not drink any wine when they go into the inner courtyard to fulfill their sacred duties.

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 .

The prince shall enter by the vestibule of the gate from without: See 44.3. On the days that the east gateway of the inner courtyard is open, the king will be allowed to enter it from the outer courtyard through the porch of the gateway. This clause may be rendered “When the gateway is open, the king will go from the outer courtyard into the entrance room of the gateway” (similarly Good News Translation).

And shall take his stand by the post of the gate: Take his stand suggests that the king had to “remain standing” (New American Bible, Moffatt), without sitting down. By the post of the gate probably refers to the doorframe at the inner end of the gateway, the doorframe that led into the inner courtyard. If this interpretation is correct, it means that the king never actually goes into the inner courtyard, but stays in the building of the gatehouse. It is not surprising that he will not go into the inner courtyard because only the priests and Levites were allowed to go there. Instead of the singular Hebrew word rendered post, some translations read it as a plural (see the comments on 41.21), saying “posts” (Good News Translation) or “doorposts” (Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, Christian Community Bible), but here it is better to retain the singular, for example, “door-post” (New English Bible, Moffatt) or “doorway” (Contemporary English Version). Translators may render this clause as “and he will stand in the doorway” or .”.. by the doorframe of the gatehouse.”

The priests shall offer his burnt offering and his peace offerings: The priests will offer sacrifices on behalf of the king. He will not take an active part in this religious activity. For burnt offering, see 40.38; for peace offerings, see 43.27.

And he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: The king will worship God at the doorframe of the gateway while the priests make sacrifices on his behalf. The Hebrew word for worship means more than participating passively in the religious ceremonies. It carries the sense of “bow down [in worship]” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible; similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “prostrate” (Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, Christian Community Bible, Complete Jewish Bible). It may have involved lying flat on the ground, bowing low, or kneeling to show respect. In some languages the verb worship will require an object. If so, he shall worship may be rendered “he will worship me [God]” or “he will bow down to worship me.” Contemporary English Version says “The ruler will bow down with his face to the ground to show that he has worshiped me.” The threshold of the gate refers to the same doorway as the post of the gate. The Hebrew word for threshold differs from the one used in 40.6 (see the comments there). It is closely related to the word for an opening or “entrance” (New International Reader’s Version, New Century Version) that is used elsewhere in Ezekiel (see, for example, 40.11; 41.2; 46.3), so it may have that meaning here. However, the word may refer here to the slab of stone that is the bottom of a doorway (see the comments on 9.3, where the same Hebrew word is used). Either meaning is acceptable in this context.

Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening: At the end of the religious ceremony, the king will go out, that is, he will leave by the same way he came (see 44.3). He will not be allowed to stay there just to watch what is happening. However, even after he has left, the gate shall not be shut until evening, that is, the priests will not shut the door of the gateway until the sun sets. Contemporary English Version says “the gate will remain open until evening.”

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 .

On the east side: This verse describes the eastern border of the land of Israel.

The boundary shall run from Hazar-enon, which was the easternmost point of the northern border (see verse 17), between Hauran and Damascus, that is, in a southwest direction with Hauran on the left and Damascus on the right (see the comments and the map at verses 15-17). The Hebrew does not mention Hazar-enon. The reading in Revised Standard Version follows a suggested change to the Hebrew text to tie the eastern boundary to the northern boundary. The Hebrew here is literally “from between Hauran and from between Damascus” (similarly Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, New Century Version). Although this reading results in a less specific description, it is preferable because it does not require a change to the Hebrew consonantal text (see the first model below). But if the omission of Hazar-enon will confuse readers, translators may include it (see the second model below).

Along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel refers to the part of the Jordan River that flows from Lake Galilee to the Dead Sea. God does not say where the border coming from Hazar-enon will meet the Jordan River, but it is unlikely to be further south than Lake Galilee. It may have been at the lake itself, or further north, but we don’t know. Gilead was a region to the east of the Jordan River.

To the eastern sea and as far as Tamar: The boundary will continue to the eastern sea, that is, the Dead Sea, and then further southward as far as Tamar. Revised Standard Version follows the ancient Syriac version here instead of the Hebrew text, which reads “from the border to the eastern sea you shall measure” (similarly King James Version / New King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Complete Jewish Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The Hebrew word for “you shall measure” looks very similar to the Hebrew name “Tamar” and could easily be confused with it. However, the idea of measuring does not fit well here, and the references to the town of Tamar in verse 19 and 48.28 make it almost certain that Tamar is the best translation here (so Hebrew Old Testament Text Project).

This shall be the east side changes the Hebrew text, which is literally “and the east side.” It is better to follow Revised Standard Version here (see the comments on verse 17).

Models for this verse are:

• “Here is [or, This is] the boundary on the east. It will start from a point [in the north] between the territory of Hauran and that of Damascus, and will go southward between those two towns. It will follow the Jordan River between the land of Gilead and the land of Israel, continue to the Dead Sea, and then go south as far as the town of Tamar. This will be the eastern boundary of the land.

• “Here is the boundary on the east. It will start at Hazer-enon in the north and go between the territories of Hauran to the east and Damascus to the west. It will follow the Jordan River between the land of Gilead and the land of Israel, continue to the Dead Sea, and then go south as far as the town of Tamar. This will be the eastern boundary of the land.

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 .

Now as I looked at the living creatures: In Hebrew this verse begins in almost exactly the same way as verse 4. Now renders the Hebrew waw conjunction (literally “And”), which simply serves to continue the story. Here it does not mean “at this present time,” but rather “then,” “and,” or even “next.” Many versions omit it, and it should only be included if there is a suitable resumptive particle that is natural in the translator’s language. As I looked at the living creatures can be taken in two ways. Most translations take it as a continuous action, referring to the whole vision thus far; for example, Good News Translation says “As I was looking at the four creatures.” But it could mean that Ezekiel now refocuses his attention on the creatures after watching the flashing of the fire. If so, it should be translated “Then I looked [again] at the creatures.” Some translations take this clause as Ezekiel focusing his attention on one part of the vision; for example, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “As I looked more closely,” but this rendering goes a bit further than the Hebrew allows.

I saw a wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them: I saw is literally “and behold” (see the comments on Ezek 1.4). There was one wheel beside each creature, so Good News Translation says “I saw four wheels … one beside each of them.” The wheels were probably beside the legs and feet of each creature. The wheels were upon the earth, that is, standing upright and “touching the ground” (Good News Translation). The translation must not give the impression that the wheels were lying on their sides on the ground. One way would be to say “I saw a wheel standing on the ground beside each of the four creatures.”

One for each of the four of them renders a difficult Hebrew text, which is literally “to his four faces.” Many versions omit the reference to the “faces” (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, Jerusalem Bible). Others strain to get some meaning from the word “faces,” but their solutions are not very satisfactory; for example, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “each of the four-faced creatures” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible), and New International Version has “each creature with its four faces.” It may be that these “four faces” belong to the wheels themselves (see the comments on 10.14). But this would be the only reference to the wheels’ faces in this chapter, and it is almost impossible to make any sense out of this meaning here. Therefore it is more likely that the “four faces” refer to the human faces on the four sides of the square of creatures. Thus there was one wheel alongside each creature, and the wheel was pointing in the direction that the human face was facing. This is the meaning of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.

Translators may want to restructure the verse slightly as follows:

• And then as I watched, I saw that beside each of the four creatures there was a wheel standing on the ground.

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 .

Moreover he said to me is literally “And he said to me.” God finished speaking at the end of verse 9, but he continues speaking immediately in verse 10. The break shows that God’s words in verses 10-11 are especially important. They are a summary of God’s commission to Ezekiel. Translators may render this clause as “Then God also said to me.” However, some translations omit this clause and just have God continuing to speak (so Contemporary English Version).

For Son of man, see 2.1.

All my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears: Since the heart in Hebrew is the organ with which a person thinks and makes decisions, receive in your heart means “receive into your mind” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This phrase may be rendered “think about” (Contemporary English Version), “remember” (Good News Translation), or “take notice of” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Hear with your ears may be translated “pay close attention” (Good News Translation) or “listen carefully” (Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). In many languages it is more logical to reorder this sentence to have Ezekiel hearing God’s message first, and then taking it to heart (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). One model that does this is “You, mere mortal, pay attention to everything that I will say to you and remember it.”

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 .

I will do this that they may lack bread and water is literally “so that they will lack bread and water.” Revised Standard Version adds the words I will do this to make clear the purpose of God’s action in cutting off the food and water supply in Jerusalem, which is that they may lack bread and water. This verse in Hebrew begins with the conjunction that normally indicates purpose. Yet only the Septuagint, the Targum, King James Version / New King James Version, and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh follow the same interpretation as Revised Standard Version. Other translations understand this conjunction in different ways. Some take it as introducing the result of God’s action (so Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). Others understand it as introducing the reason for rationing the food and water (so New International Version, New Century Version, New American Standard Bible, Jerusalem Bible) or the reason for the anxiety and distress of the people (so New Revised Standard Version). Still others omit the conjunction and leave it to the readers to make whatever connection they can between the two verses (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). It is best to follow Revised Standard Version here since this conjunction does show purpose. This clause may be rendered “I will do this so that they won’t have any food or water” or “I will do this so that they will face starvation.”

When the people realize their plight, they will look at one another in dismay. Some translations seem to imply that the people will be dismayed at the sight of the others because they look so gaunt and haggard; for example, New Century Version says “The people will be shocked at the sight of each other.” But translators do not need to include any idea of people looking at each other. The dismay is the growing realization that the city is doomed, and they are going to die. Revised English Bible captures the sense of this clause well with “dismay spreads from one to another.” Another alternative is “everyone will be shocked and horrified.”

And waste away under their punishment: This clause makes it absolutely clear that God will cut off the food supply to punish the people of Jerusalem for their sins. The Hebrew verb rendered waste away means “decay and rot away.” Normally things only decay and rot after they are dead, so this is a very vivid picture of the haggard bodies of the starving inhabitants of Jerusalem. If necessary, translators may say “become very thin,” or as one language put it, “become bone nothing.” The Hebrew word for punishment is ʿawon, as in verses 4-6 (see the comments there). The same ambiguity applies here. It may be best to try to cover that ambiguity by including two of the senses of ʿawon in the translation of this clause as follows: “and they will become very thin and die as punishment for their sins.”

A model for this verse is:

• I will do this [that is, stop the supply of food into the city] so that there will not be enough food and water for the people. They will all be shocked and horrified, and they will become very thin and die. In this way I will punish them for their sins.

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 .