5:11 “Therefore, as surely as I live, says the sovereign Lord, because you defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominable practices, I will withdraw; my eye will not pity you, nor will I spare 3 you.
6:11 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Clap your hands, stamp your feet, and say, “Ah!” because of all the evil, abominable practices of the house of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine, and pestilence. 4
11:5 Then the Spirit of the Lord came 6 upon me and said to me, “Say: This is what the Lord says: ‘This is what you are thinking, 7 O house of Israel; I know what goes through your minds. 8
11:17 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: When I regather you from the peoples and assemble you from the lands where you have been dispersed, I will give you back the country of Israel.’
13:13 “‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: In my rage I will make a violent wind break out. In my anger there will be a deluge of rain and hailstones in destructive fury.
14:21 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send my four terrible judgments – sword, famine, wild animals, and plague – to Jerusalem 14 to kill both people and animals!
15:6 “Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Like the wood of the vine is among the trees of the forest which I have provided as fuel for the fire – so I will provide the residents of Jerusalem 15 as fuel. 16
“‘A great eagle 18 with broad wings, long feathers, 19
with full plumage which was multi-hued, 20
came to Lebanon 21 and took the top of the cedar.
20:27 “Therefore, speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In this way too your fathers blasphemed me when they were unfaithful to me.
21:24 “Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have brought up 27 your own guilt by uncovering your transgressions and revealing your sins through all your actions, for this reason you will be taken by force. 28
21:28 “As for you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says concerning the Ammonites and their coming humiliation; 29 say:
“‘A sword, a sword drawn for slaughter,
polished to consume, 30 to flash like lightning –
23:22 “Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look here, 33 I am about to stir up against you the lovers with whom you were disgusted; I will bring them against you from every side:
23:28 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look here, 34 I am about to deliver you over to 35 those whom you hate, to those with whom you were disgusted.
23:35 “Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because you have forgotten me and completely disregarded me, 37 you must bear now the punishment 38 for your obscene conduct and prostitution.”
“‘Set on the pot, 40 set it on,
pour water in it too;
24:6 “‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says:
Woe to the city of bloodshed,
the pot whose rot 41 is in it,
whose rot has not been removed 42 from it!
Empty it piece by piece.
No lot has fallen on it. 43
26:7 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Take note that 48 I am about to bring King Nebuchadrezzar 49 of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre from the north, with horses, chariots, and horsemen, an army and hordes of people.
26:15 “This is what the sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Oh, how the coastlands will shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, at the massive slaughter in your midst!
26:19 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says: When I make you desolate like the uninhabited cities, when I bring up the deep over you and the surging 50 waters overwhelm you,
“‘O Tyre, you have said, “I am perfectly beautiful.”
“‘You were the sealer 54 of perfection,
full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
30:6 “‘This is what the Lord says:
Egypt’s supporters will fall;
her confident pride will crumble. 55
From Migdol to Syene 56 they will die by the sword within her,
declares the sovereign Lord.
32:3 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:
“‘I will throw my net over you 59 in the assembly of many peoples;
and they will haul you up in my dragnet.
“‘Look, I am against you, Mount Seir;
I will stretch out my hand against you
and turn you into a desolate ruin.
36:37 “This is what the sovereign Lord says: I will allow the house of Israel to ask me to do this for them: 63 I will multiply their people like sheep. 64
38:14 “Therefore, prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On that day when my people Israel are living securely, you will take notice 65
38:17 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days by my servants 66 the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days 67 that I would bring you against them?
39:1 “As for you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal!
39:25 “Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Now I will restore 68 the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name.
45:9 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Enough, you princes of Israel! Put away violence and destruction, and do what is just and right. Put an end to your evictions of my people, 70 declares the sovereign Lord.
45:18 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you must take an unblemished young bull and purify the sanctuary.
46:16 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: If the prince should give a gift to one of his sons as 71 his inheritance, it will belong to his sons, it is their property by inheritance.
47:13 This is what the sovereign Lord says: “Here 72 are the borders 73 you will observe as you allot the land to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Joseph will have two portions.) 74
1 tn Heb “open your mouth.”
2 tn Heb “the listener will listen, the refuser will refuse.” Because the word for listening can also mean obeying, the nuance may be that the obedient will listen, or that the one who listens will obey. Also, although the verbs are not jussive as pointed in the MT, some translate them with a volitive sense: “the one who listens – let that one listen, the one who refuses – let that one refuse.”
3 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term is primarily emotional: “to pity,” which in context implies an action, as in being moved by pity in order to spare them from the horror of their punishment.
4 sn By the sword and by famine and by pestilence. A similar trilogy of punishments is mentioned in Lev 26:25-26. See also Jer 14:12; 21:9; 27:8, 13; 29:18).
5 tn Or “earth.” Elsewhere the expression “four corners of the earth” figuratively refers to the whole earth (Isa 11:12).
6 tn Heb “fell.”
7 tn The Hebrew verb commonly means “to say,” but may also mean “to think” (see also v. 3).
8 tn Heb “I know the steps of your spirits.”
9 tn Heb “placed.”
10 tn Heb “in its midst.”
11 tn Heb “she/it.” See v. 3.
12 tc Many of the versions read “I will bring you out” (active) rather than “he brought out” (the reading of MT).
13 tn Heb “the days draw near and the word of every vision (draws near).”
14 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
15 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
16 tn The words “as fuel” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
17 tn The parable assumes the defection of Zedekiah to Egypt and his rejection of Babylonian lordship.
18 sn The great eagle symbolizes Nebuchadnezzar (17:12).
19 tn Hebrew has two words for wings; it is unknown whether they are fully synonymous or whether one term distinguishes a particular part of the wing such as the wing coverts (nearest the shoulder), secondaries (mid-feathers of the wing) or primaries (last and longest section of the wing).
20 tn This term was used in 16:10, 13, and 18 of embroidered cloth.
21 sn In the parable Lebanon apparently refers to Jerusalem (17:12).
22 tn Heb “the land of Israel.”
23 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) draws attention to something and has been translated here as a verb.
24 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘h!nn#n' ?l?K>,’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
25 sn This is the sword of judgment, see Isa 31:8; 34:6; 66:16.
26 sn Ezekiel elsewhere pictures the Lord’s judgment as discriminating between the righteous and the wicked (9:4-6; 18:1-20; see as well Pss 1 and 11) and speaks of the preservation of a remnant (3:21; 6:8; 12:16). Perhaps here he exaggerates for rhetorical effect in an effort to subdue any false optimism. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:25-26; D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:669-70; and W. Zimmerli, Ezekiel (Hermeneia), 1:424-25.
27 tn Heb “caused to be remembered.”
28 tn Heb “Because you have brought to remembrance your guilt when your transgressions are uncovered so that your sins are revealed in all your deeds – because you are remembered, by the hand you will be seized.”
29 tn Heb “their reproach.”
30 tn Heb “to contain, endure.” Since the Hebrew text as it stands makes little, if any, sense, most emend the text to read either “to consume” or “for destruction.” For discussion of options see D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:693.
31 tn Heb “her time”; this refers to the time of impending judgment (see the note on “doom” in v. 4).
32 tn Heb “her prophets coat for themselves with whitewash.” The expression may be based on Ezek 13:10-15.
33 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
34 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
35 tn Heb “I am giving you into the hand of.”
36 sn The image of a deep and wide cup suggests the degree of punishment; it will be extensive and leave the victim helpless.
37 tn Heb “and you cast me behind your back.” The expression pictures her rejection of the Lord (see 1 Kgs 14:9).
38 tn The word “punishment” is not in the Hebrew text but is demanded by the context.
39 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).
40 sn See Ezek 11:3-12.
41 tn Or “rust.”
42 tn Heb “has not gone out.”
43 tn Here “lot” may refer to the decision made by casting lots; it is not chosen at all.
44 tn In Hebrew the verb “and I will cut off” sounds like its object, “the Cherethites,” and draws attention to the statement.
45 sn This is a name for the Philistines, many of whom migrated to Palestine from Crete.
46 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) draws attention to something and has been translated here as a verb.
47 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘h!nn#n' ?l?K>,’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8. The Hebrew text switches to a second feminine singular form here, indicating that personified Jerusalem is addressed (see vv. 5-6a). The address to Jerusalem continues through v. 15. In vv. 16-17 the second masculine plural is used, as the people are addressed.
48 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) draws attention to something.
49 tn Heb “Nebuchadrezzar” is a variant and more correct spelling of Nebuchadnezzar, as the Babylonian name Nabu-kudurri-usur has an an “r” rather than an “n.”
50 tn Heb “many.”
51 tn Heb “entrances.” The plural noun may reflect the fact that Tyre had two main harbors.
52 sn Rome, another economic power, is described in a similar way in Rev 17:1.
53 tn Heb “lift up.”
54 tn For a discussion of possible nuances of this phrase, see M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:580-81.
55 tn Heb “come down.”
56 sn Syene is known as Aswan today.
57 tn The word h!nn@h indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
58 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘h!nn#n' ?l?K>,’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
59 tn The expression “throw my net” is common in Ezekiel (12:13; 17:20; 19:8).
60 sn This practice was a violation of Levitical law (see Lev 19:26).
61 tn Heb “lift up your eyes.”
62 tn Heb “Will you possess?”
63 tn The Niphal verb may have a tolerative function here, “Again (for) this I will allow myself to be sought by the house of Israel to act for them.” Or it may be reflexive: “I will reveal myself to the house of Israel by doing this also.”
64 sn Heb “I will multiply them like sheep, human(s).”
65 tn The Hebrew text is framed as a rhetorical question: “will you not take notice?”
66 tn Heb “by the hand of my servants.”
67 tn The Hebrew text adds “years” here, but this is probably a scribal gloss on the preceding phrase. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:201.
68 tn Heb “cause to return.”
69 sn Tobiah, an Ammonite (Neh 13:8), was dismissed from the temple.
70 sn Evictions of the less fortunate by the powerful are described in 1 Kgs 21:1-16; Jer 22:1-5, 13-17; Ezek 22:25.
71 tn The Hebrew text has no preposition; the LXX reads “from” (see v. 17).
72 tc This translation follows the reading זֶה (zeh) instead of גֵּה (geh), a nonexistent word, as supported by the LXX.
73 tn Or “territory”; see D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:715.
74 tc The grammar is awkward, though the presence of these words is supported by the versions. L. C. Allen (Ezekiel [WBC], 2:274) suggests that it is an explanatory gloss.
sn One portion for Ephraim, the other for Manasseh (Gen 48:17-20).