complete verse (Ezekiel 47:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 47:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “And when I had reached, I saw many trees that grew on the bank on this side and the other side.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When were passing-by there, I saw very many trees on both riverbanks.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then he led me to the bank of that river. There I saw many trees growing on each side of the river.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 47:7

As I went back refers to Ezekiel’s return to the riverbank. Good News Translation says “when I got there.”

I saw upon the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other: I saw renders the emphatic Hebrew word hinneh (see Ezek 47.1). Although this word is literally “behold” (King James Version, New American Standard Bible), it is better to render it with a verb of “seeing” as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation do. New Living Translation (1996) renders it “Suddenly, to my surprise,” which reflects the vividness of this word well. Upon the bank of the river … on the one side and on the other means “on each bank [of the river]” (Good News Translation), “on both sides of the river” (New International Reader’s Version, New Living Translation, New Century Version), not just on the bank where Ezekiel was. What he saw on both banks were very many trees. The Hebrew expression here shows that there were a huge number of trees, many more than “dozens of trees” (Contemporary English Version) suggests. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “trees in great profusion.”

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 .