And you shall know that I am the LORD: The theme of the recognition and acknowledgment of God because of what he does appears once again (compare verses 7 and 10). The Hebrew pronoun for you is plural, referring to the mountains and other areas of Israel that were addressed at the beginning of the chapter. God continues to speak as if the land of Israel can see and understand what was happening. However, Good News Translation renders this pronoun as “everyone.”

When their slain lie among their idols round about their altars …: The mountains and other areas of Israel will acknowledge God when he has punished the Israelites, as described in verses 4-7. Their slain refers to the corpses of the unfaithful Israelites (see Ezek 6.7). For idols and altars, see the comments on Ezek 6.4.

These altars were on prominent landmarks throughout the land: upon every high hill, on all the mountain tops, under every green tree, and under every leafy oak. Such places were often chosen for worship in ancient times. Every green tree refers to all the healthy sacred trees full of leaves, and every leafy oak refers to one type of these trees. The Hebrew word for oak probably refers to the terebinth tree (so Revised English Bible), which resembles the oak tree. The terebinth is a large strong tree. If this tree is not known, translators may render every leafy oak as “every large sacred tree full of leaves” or “every large lush tree called terebinth [or, oak].” These four phrases may be translated “on the top of every high hill and mountain and under every terebinth tree and every other sacred tree full of leaves.”

Wherever they offered pleasing odor to all their idols: In these sacred places the people burnt food and animal sacrifices and incense as a satisfying aroma for their false gods. The Hebrew word for pleasing can mean “restful,” “soothing,” or “relaxing.” In this context it refers to the sacrifices as “soothing” the gods so that they would not be angry with the people.

Good News Translation reorders this verse for naturalness in English, which other languages may find helpful. Another model that does this is:

• Their dead bodies will be lying around their idols and altars on all the high hills and mountaintops and under every terebinth tree and other leafy tree where they worshiped and where they burned sacrifices to please their idols. Then you will know 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 .