2:1 He said to me, “Son of man, 1 stand on your feet and I will speak with you.”
“‘What a lioness was your mother among the lions!
She lay among young lions; 7 she reared her cubs.
21:30 Return it to its sheath! 8
In the place where you were created, 9
in your native land, I will judge you.
27:26 Your rowers have brought you into surging waters.
The east wind has wrecked you in the heart of the seas.
28:15 You were blameless in your behavior 13 from the day you were created,
until sin was discovered in you.
“‘Who are you like in your greatness?
32:9 I will disturb 14 many peoples,
when I bring about your destruction among the nations,
among countries you do not know.
35:4 I will lay waste your cities;
and you will become desolate.
Then you will know that I am the Lord!
38:7 “‘Be ready and stay ready, you and all your companies assembled around you, and be a guard for them. 18
1 sn The phrase son of man occurs ninety-three times in the book of Ezekiel. It simply means “human one,” and distinguishes the prophet from the nonhuman beings that are present in the world of his vision.
2 tn Heb “from there a few in number.” The word “strands” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
3 sn Objects could be carried in the end of a garment (Hag 2:12).
4 tn Heb “Chaldea.” The name of the tribal group ruling Babylon (“Chaldeans”) and the territory from which they originated (“Chaldea”) is used as metonymy for the whole empire of Babylon.
5 tn Heb “and I will judge you (with) the judgments of adulteresses and of those who shed blood.”
6 tn Heb “and I will give you the blood of rage and zeal.”
7 sn Lions probably refer to Judahite royalty and/or nobility. The lioness appears to symbolize the Davidic dynasty, though some see the referent as Hamutal, the wife of Josiah and mother of Jehoahaz and Zedekiah. Gen 49:9 seems to be the background for Judah being compared to lions.
8 sn Once the Babylonian king’s sword (vv. 19-20) has carried out its assigned task, the Lord commands it to halt and announces that Babylon itself will also experience his judgment. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:28.
9 tn In the Hebrew text of vv. 30-32 the second person verbal and pronominal forms are feminine singular. This may indicate that the personified Babylonian sword is being addressed. The Hebrew word for “sword” (see v. 28) is feminine. However, it may refer to the Ammonites.
10 tn Heb “unclean of name.”
11 sn The ultimate purpose of divine judgment is to purify the covenant community of its sins.
12 tn See v. 17.
13 tn Heb “ways.”
14 tn Heb “I will provoke the heart of.”
15 tn Heb “your mouth.”
16 tn Heb “and you multiplied against me your words.” The Hebrew verb occurs only here and in Prov 27:6, where it refers to the “excessive” kisses of an enemy. The basic idea of the verb appears to be “to be abundant.” Here it occurs in the causative (Hiphil) stem.
17 tn Heb “I (am) toward you.”
18 tn The second person singular verbal and pronominal forms in the Hebrew text indicate that Gog is addressed here.