3:12 Then a wind lifted me up 1 and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me as the glory of the Lord rose from its place, 2
19:7 He broke down 3 their strongholds 4 and devastated their cities.
The land and everything in it was frightened at the sound of his roaring.
1 sn See note on “wind” in 2:2.
2 tc This translation accepts the emendation suggested in BHS of בְּרוּם (bÿrum) for בָּרוּךְ (barukh). The letters mem (מ) and kaph (כ) were easily confused in the old script while בָּרוּךְ (“blessed be”) both implies a quotation which is out of place here and also does not fit the later phrase, “from its place,” which requires a verb of motion.
3 tc The Hebrew text reads “knew,” but is apparently the result of a ר-ד (dalet-resh) confusion. For a defense of the emendation, see L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 1:284. However, Allen retains the reading “widows” as the object of the verb, which he understands in the sense of “do harm to,” and translates the line: “He did harm to women by making them widows” (p. 282). The line also appears to be lacking a beat for the meter of the poem.
4 tc The Hebrew text reads “widows” instead of “strongholds,” apparently due to a confusion of ר (resh) and ל (lamed). L. C. Allen (Ezekiel [WBC], 1:284) favors the traditional text, understanding “widows” in the sense of “women made widows.” D. I. Block, (Ezekiel [NICOT], 1:602) also defends the Hebrew text, arguing that the image is that of a dominant male lion who takes over the pride and by copulating with the females lays claim to his predecessor’s “widows.”
5 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
6 sn This same title appears in 8:4; 9:3; 10:19; and 11:22.
7 sn Earlier Ezekiel had observed God leaving the temple to the east (11:23).
8 sn See Ezek 1:24; Rev 1:15; 14:2; 19:6.
9 tn Heb “shone from.”