Ezekiel 2:5

2:5 And as for them, ¹  whether they listen ²  or not – for they are a rebellious ³  house ⁴  – they will know that a prophet has been among them.

Ezekiel 20:24

20:24 I did this ⁵  because they did not observe my regulations, they rejected my statutes, they desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on ⁶  their fathers’ idols.

Ezekiel 22:7

22:7 They have treated father and mother with contempt ⁷  within you; they have oppressed the foreigner among you; they have wronged the orphan and the widow ⁸  within you.

Ezekiel 44:25

44:25 “‘They must not come near a dead person or they will be defiled; ⁹  however, for father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister, they may defile themselves.

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¹ tn Heb “they”; the phrase “And as for them” has been used in the translation for clarity.

² tn The Hebrew word implies obedience rather than mere hearing or paying attention.

³ tn This Hebrew adjective is also used to describe the Israelites in Num 17:25 and Isa 30:9.

⁴ sn The book of Ezekiel frequently refers to the Israelites as a rebellious house (Ezek 2:5, 6, 8; 3:9, 26-27; 12:2-3, 9, 25; 17:12; 24:3).

⁵ tn The words “I did this” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons. Verses 23-24 are one long sentence in the Hebrew text. The translation divides this sentence into two for stylistic reasons.

⁶ tn Or “they worshiped” (NCV, TEV, CEV); Heb “their eyes were on” or “were after” (cf. v. 16).

⁷ tn Heb “treated lightly, cursed.”

⁸ tn Widows and orphans are often coupled together in the OT (Deut 14:29; 16:11, 14; 24:19-21; 26:12-13; Jer 7:6; 22:3). They represented all who were poor and vulnerable to economic exploitation.

⁹ sn This law was part of the legal code for priests (Lev 21:1-3).