Thus says the Lord GOD: The judgment on Jerusalem begins with the traditional formula of a prophet passing on a message from God (see the comments on Ezek 16.3).

Although God has already given a long list of the girl’s sins, he summarizes her wickedness in this verse. For many languages it will be easier to omit the conjunction Because (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version). The logical connection between her sins and God’s punishment of her is made clear with another strong connector at the beginning of verse 37.

Although it is not clear in Revised Standard Version, God refers to two of the girl’s sins in this verse. The first sin has two parts. The first part of it is your shame was laid bare. This clause renders another very coarse statement in Hebrew. It reads literally “your [vaginal] fluid was poured out,” which means the girl’s genitals were always being lubricated and wet, ready for sex. This coarseness is no doubt the reason why translations have so many different renderings and why some have omitted the clause totally (so Good News Translation, New Living Translation [1996], Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Most translations use euphemisms to render this clause, but it is clear that some do not understand it correctly. Some read a slightly different verb and understand the clause to mean the same as the following one; for example, New Century Version has “You showed your nakedness,” Jerusalem Bible says “having undressed,” and Bible en français courant translates “You showed yourself completely nude.” Others mistake the crude Hebrew noun meaning “[vaginal] fluid” for the word meaning “bronze”; for example, New Jerusalem Bible says “having squandered your money,” New International Version has “you poured out your wealth,” and Revised English Bible translates “your brazen excesses” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Others again retain the idea of “pour out” but use a euphemism for “[vaginal] fluid”; for example, New American Bible has “you poured out your lust” (similarly New Revised Standard Version), New American Standard Bible says “your lewdness was poured out,” and New King James Version translates “your filthiness was poured out” (similarly King James Version). Only Contemporary English Version keeps a hint of the original meaning by saying “You chased after lovers,” but this rendering loses the coarseness of the original language, which is part of the message. It is best if translators can find an indigenous word, preferably somewhat coarse, to describe a woman who is always wanting to have sex. Some possible models for this clause are “Your genitals were always wet, ready for sex,” “You were always ready for sex,” and “You were always sexually aroused.”

And your nakedness uncovered in your harlotries with your lovers, and because of all your idols is the second part of the girl’s first sin. Revised Standard Version separates the idols as a different sin (also New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, Moffatt), but in Hebrew the idols are the same as the lovers. It reads literally “and your genitals were uncovered in your harlotries with your lover and with all the idols of your abominations.” Good News Translation expresses the Hebrew more accurately here, saying “and like a prostitute, you gave yourself to your lovers and to all your disgusting idols” (similarly New Century Version, King James Version / New King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Nakedness renders the Hebrew word for “genitals” (see Ezek 16.8). For harlotries see verse 15. The Hebrew term for idols is very strong (see the comments on 6.4). These idols are described as “disgusting” (Good News Translation), which renders the same Hebrew word translated “abominations” in verse 2 (see the comments there). Other possible renderings for this word here are “foul” (New Jerusalem Bible), “detestable” (New International Version, New Living Translation, New American Standard Bible), and “hateful” (New Century Version). This part of the verse describes the girl as a prostitute who uncovered her genitals for her lovers and for the disgusting idols. The reference to the idols is another hint that the parable of the girl in fact describes the history of Jerusalem and Judah. A model for this part of the verse is “and as a prostitute, you exposed your genitals [or, you stripped naked] to have sex with your lovers and all the idols I hate.”

And because of the blood of your children that you gave to them refers to the girl’s second sin. As in verses 20-21, God also accuses the girl of sacrificing her children to the idols of the false gods. Revised Standard Version and most other translations simply see the child sacrifices as the second sin for which the girl (Jerusalem) will be punished, so they begin this clause with because of, but the Hebrew has “like” or “according to,” which implies that the coming punishment will be “in accordance with” the children’s blood. This means that the punishment she receives will be equivalent to the deaths of the children. This clause may be rendered “Just as you killed your children to worship those idols, so I will punish you.”

A model for this verse is:

• This is what I, the Lord Yahweh, say. Your genitals were always wet, ready for sex [or, You were always ready for sex], and as a prostitute, you uncovered your genitals [or, you stripped naked] for your lovers and for all those disgusting idols. You killed your children to honor those idols—I will punish and kill you in the same way.

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 .