Ezekiel 18:6

18:6 does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains 1  or pray to the idols 2  of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, does not have sexual relations with a 3  woman during her period,

Ezekiel 24:17

24:17 Groan in silence for the dead, 4  but do not perform mourning rites. 5  Bind on your turban 6  and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your lip 7  and do not eat food brought by others.” 8 

1 tn Heb, “on the mountains he does not eat.” The mountains are often mentioned as the place where idolatrous sacrifices were eaten (Ezek 20:28; 22:9; 34:6).

2 tn Heb, “does not lift up his eyes.” This refers to looking to idols for help.

3 tn Heb, “does not draw near to.” “Draw near” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse (Lev 18:14; Deut 22:14; Isa 8:3).

4 tn Or “Groan silently. As to the dead….” Cf. M. Greenberg’s suggestion that דֹּם מֵתִים (dom metim) be taken together and דֹּם be derived from ָדּמַם (damam, “to moan, murmur”). See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:508.

5 tn Heb “(For) the dead mourning you shall not conduct.” In the Hebrew text the word translated “dead” is plural, indicating that mourning rites are in view. Such rites would involve outward demonstrations of one’s sorrow, including wailing and weeping.

6 sn The turban would normally be removed for mourning (Josh 7:6; 1 Sam 4:12).

7 sn Mourning rites included covering the lower part of the face. See Lev 13:45.

8 tn Heb “the bread of men.” The translation follows the suggestion accepted by M. Greenberg (Ezekiel [AB], 2:509) that this refers to a meal brought by comforters to the one mourning. Some repoint the consonantal text to read “the bread of despair” (see L. C. Allen, Ezekiel [WBC], 2:56), while others, with support from the Targum and Vulgate, emend the consonantal text to read “the bread of mourners” (see D. I. Block, Ezekiel [NICOT], 1:784).