complete verse (Ezekiel 7:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 7:15:

  • Kupsabiny: “When/If a person wishes to go outside the city, he meets with war, and/but if he wishes to stay in the city, famine and epidemic will kill (him).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘The people outside the city will-die in battle. The one-who-will-remain inside the city will-die of disease and famine.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When those things happen, your enemies will be outsidethe city with their swords, and there will be plagues and famines insidethe city. Thosewho flee from the city into the countryside will be killed bytheir enemies’ swords, and those who stay in the city will die from famines and plagues.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 7:15

Good News Translation has a section heading here, which is “Punishment for Israel’s Sins.” If translators decide to begin a new section here, another possible title is “The Lord will take action against the Israelites” (Parole de Vie).

The sword is without, pestilence and famine are within: See the comments on 5.12. The Israelites will face danger and death everywhere. The sword is without means the enemy army is outside city walls, ready to kill any Israelites they meet. Pestilence and famine are within means the people within the cities will die from disease and starvation.

He that is in the field dies by the sword: The enemy soldiers will kill any Israelites who are outside the cities. He that is in the field can refer to those who live, work, or travel in the countryside. Good News Translation renders this sentence as “Anyone who is out in the country will die in the fighting.”

And him that is in the city famine and pestilence devour: Inside the cities of Israel the people will die from starvation and disease. Although Ezekiel has the siege of Jerusalem in mind, this verse stresses that the entire nation will be affected by the disaster, so the city may be rendered “the cities.” For some languages it may not be possible to say that famine and pestilence devour the people. If so, translators may render this sentence as “and those who live in towns will die from starvation and deadly diseases” (Contemporary English Version).

A model for this verse is:

• Enemy soldiers are outside the cities, and disease and famine are inside. Anyone out in the countryside will die in battle, and those in the cities will die from starvation and disease.

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 .