Yehezkiel 18:1--20:49
Konteks18:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 18:2 “What do you mean by quoting this proverb concerning the land of Israel,
“‘The fathers eat sour grapes
And the children’s teeth become numb?’ 1
18:3 “As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, 2 you will not quote this proverb in Israel anymore! 18:4 Indeed! All lives are mine – the life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The one 3 who sins will die.
18:5 “Suppose a man is righteous. He practices what is just and right, 18:6 does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains 4 or pray to the idols 5 of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, does not have sexual relations with a 6 woman during her period, 18:7 does not oppress anyone, but gives the debtor back whatever was given in pledge, 7 does not commit robbery, 8 but gives his bread to the hungry and clothes the naked, 18:8 does not engage in usury or charge interest, 9 but refrains 10 from wrongdoing, promotes true justice 11 between men, 18:9 and follows my statutes and observes my regulations by carrying them out. 12 That man 13 is righteous; he will certainly live, 14 declares the sovereign Lord.
18:10 “Suppose such a man has 15 a violent son who sheds blood and does any of these things 16 mentioned previously 18:11 (though the father did not do any of them). 17 He eats pagan sacrifices on the mountains, 18 defiles his neighbor’s wife, 18:12 oppresses the poor and the needy, 19 commits robbery, does not give back what was given in pledge, prays to 20 idols, performs abominable acts, 18:13 engages in usury and charges interest. Will he live? He will not! Because he has done all these abominable deeds he will certainly die. 21 He will bear the responsibility for his own death. 22
18:14 “But suppose he in turn has a son who notices all the sins his father commits, considers them, and does not follow his father’s example. 23 18:15 He does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains, does not pray to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, 18:16 does not oppress anyone or keep what has been given in pledge, does not commit robbery, gives his food to the hungry, and clothes the naked, 18:17 refrains from wrongdoing, 24 does not engage in usury or charge interest, carries out my regulations and follows my statutes. He will not die for his father’s iniquity; 25 he will surely live. 18:18 As for his father, because he practices extortion, robs his brother, and does what is not good among his people, he will die for his iniquity.
18:19 “Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not suffer 26 for his father’s iniquity?’ When the son does what is just and right, and observes all my statutes and carries them out, he will surely live. 18:20 The person who sins is the one who will die. A son will not suffer 27 for his father’s iniquity, and a father will not suffer 28 for his son’s iniquity; the righteous person will be judged according to his righteousness, and the wicked person according to his wickedness. 29
18:21 “But if the wicked person turns from all the sin he has committed and observes all my statutes and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 18:22 None of the sins he has committed will be held 30 against him; because of the righteousness he has done, he will live. 18:23 Do I actually delight in the death of the wicked, declares the sovereign Lord? Do I not prefer that he turn from his wicked conduct and live?
18:24 “But if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing according to all the abominable practices the wicked carry out, will he live? All his righteous acts will not be remembered; because of the unfaithful acts he has done and the sin he has committed, he will die. 31
18:25 “Yet you say, ‘The Lord’s conduct 32 is unjust!’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my conduct unjust? Is it not your conduct that is unjust? 18:26 When a righteous person turns back from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing, he will die for it; 33 because of the wrongdoing he has done, he will die. 18:27 When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life. 18:28 Because he considered 34 and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die. 18:29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?
18:30 “Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct, 35 O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent 36 and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity. 37 18:31 Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! 38 Why should you die, O house of Israel? 18:32 For I take no delight in the death of anyone, 39 declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
19:1 “And you, sing 40 a lament for the princes of Israel, 19:2 and say:
“‘What a lioness was your mother among the lions!
She lay among young lions; 41 she reared her cubs.
19:3 She reared one of her cubs; he became a young lion.
He learned to tear prey; he devoured people. 42
19:4 The nations heard about him; he was trapped in their pit.
They brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt. 43
19:5 “‘When she realized that she waited in vain, her hope was lost.
She took another of her cubs 44 and made him a young lion.
19:6 He walked about among the lions; he became a young lion.
He learned to tear prey; he devoured people.
19:7 He broke down 45 their strongholds 46 and devastated their cities.
The land and everything in it was frightened at the sound of his roaring.
19:8 The nations – the surrounding regions – attacked him.
They threw their net over him; he was caught in their pit.
19:9 They put him in a collar with hooks; 47
they brought him to the king of Babylon;
they brought him to prison 48
so that his voice would not be heard
any longer on the mountains of Israel.
19:10 “‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, 49 planted by water.
It was fruitful and full of branches because it was well-watered.
19:11 Its boughs were strong, fit 50 for rulers’ scepters; it reached up into the clouds.
It stood out because of its height and its many branches. 51
19:12 But it was plucked up in anger; it was thrown down to the ground.
The east wind 52 dried up its fruit;
its strong branches broke off and withered –
a fire consumed them.
19:13 Now it is planted in the wilderness,
in a dry and thirsty land. 53
19:14 A fire has gone out from its branch; it has consumed its shoot and its fruit. 54
No strong branch was left in it, nor a scepter to rule.’
This is a lament song, and has become a lament song.”
20:1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, 55 some of the elders 56 of Israel came to seek 57 the Lord, and they sat down in front of me. 20:2 The word of the Lord came to me: 20:3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Are you coming to seek me? As surely as I live, I will not allow you to seek me, 58 declares the sovereign Lord.’ 20:4 “Are you willing to pronounce judgment? 59 Are you willing to pronounce judgment, son of man? Then confront them with the abominable practices of their fathers, 20:5 and say to them:
“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose Israel I swore 60 to the descendants 61 of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore 62 to them, “I am the Lord your God.” 20:6 On that day I swore 63 to bring them out of the land of Egypt to a land which I had picked out 64 for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, 65 the most beautiful of all lands. 20:7 I said to them, “Each of you must get rid of the detestable idols you keep before you, 66 and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” 20:8 But they rebelled against me, and refused to listen to me; no one got rid of their detestable idols, 67 nor did they abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I decided to pour out 68 my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 20:9 I acted for the sake of my reputation, 69 so that I would not be profaned before the nations among whom they lived, 70 before whom I revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 71
20:10 “‘So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them to the wilderness. 20:11 I gave them my statutes 72 and revealed my regulations to them. The one 73 who carries 74 them out will live by them! 75 20:12 I also gave them my Sabbaths 76 as a reminder of our relationship, 77 so that they would know that I, the Lord, sanctify them. 78 20:13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not follow my statutes and they rejected my regulations (the one who obeys them will live by them), and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out 79 my rage on them in the wilderness and destroy them. 80 20:14 I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 20:15 I also swore 81 to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them to the land I had given them – a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. 20:16 I did this 82 because they rejected my regulations, did not follow my statutes, and desecrated my Sabbaths; for their hearts followed their idols. 83 20:17 Yet I had pity on 84 them and did not destroy them, so I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.
20:18 “‘But I said to their children 85 in the wilderness, “Do not follow the practices of your fathers; do not observe their regulations, 86 nor defile yourselves with their idols. 20:19 I am the Lord your God; follow my statutes, observe my regulations, and carry them out. 20:20 Treat my Sabbaths as holy 87 and they will be a reminder of our relationship, 88 and then you will know that I am the Lord your God.” 20:21 “‘But the children 89 rebelled against me, did not follow my statutes, did not observe my regulations by carrying them out (the one who obeys 90 them will live by them), and desecrated my Sabbaths. I decided to pour out 91 my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the wilderness. 20:22 But I refrained from doing so, 92 and acted instead for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 20:23 I also swore 93 to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands. 94 20:24 I did this 95 because they did not observe my regulations, they rejected my statutes, they desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on 96 their fathers’ idols. 20:25 I also gave 97 them decrees 98 which were not good and regulations by which they could not live. 20:26 I declared them to be defiled because of their sacrifices 99 – they caused all their first born to pass through the fire 100 – so that I would devastate them, so that they will know that I am the Lord.’ 101
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. 20:28 I brought them to the land which I swore 102 to give them, but whenever they saw any high hill or leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices there and presented the offerings that provoke me to anger. They offered their soothing aroma there and poured out their drink offerings. 20:29 So I said to them, What is this high place you go to?’” (So it is called “High Place” 103 to this day.)
20:30 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers 104 and engage in prostitution with detestable idols? 20:31 When you present your sacrifices 105 – when you make your sons pass through the fire – you defile yourselves with all your idols to this very day. Will I allow you to seek me, 106 O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will not allow you to seek me! 107
20:32 “‘What you plan 108 will never happen. You say, “We will be 109 like the nations, like the clans of the lands, who serve gods of wood and stone.” 110 20:33 As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm, 111 and with an outpouring of rage, I will be king over you. 20:34 I will bring you out from the nations, and will gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm and with an outpouring of rage! 20:35 I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 20:36 Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the sovereign Lord. 20:37 I will make you pass under 112 the shepherd’s staff, 113 and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 20:38 I will eliminate from among you the rebels and those who revolt 114 against me. I will bring them out from the land where they have been residing, but they will not come to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
20:39 “‘As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Each of you go and serve your idols, 115 if you will not listen to me. 116 But my holy name will not be profaned 117 again by your sacrifices 118 and your idols. 20:40 For there on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord, all the house of Israel will serve me, all of them 119 in the land. I will accept them there, and there I will seek your contributions and your choice gifts, with all your holy things. 20:41 When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, I will accept you along with your soothing aroma. I will display my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. 20:42 Then you will know that I am the Lord when I bring you to the land of Israel, to the land I swore 120 to give to your fathers. 20:43 And there you will remember your conduct 121 and all your deeds by which you defiled yourselves. You will despise yourselves 122 because of all the evil deeds you have done. 20:44 Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for the sake of my reputation and not according to your wicked conduct and corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
20:45 (21:1) 123 The word of the Lord came to me: 20:46 “Son of man, turn toward 124 the south, 125 and speak out against the south. 126 Prophesy against the open scrub 127 land of the Negev, 20:47 and say to the scrub land of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look here, 128 I am about to start a fire in you, 129 and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The flaming fire will not be extinguished, and the whole surface of the ground from the Negev to the north will be scorched by it. 20:48 And everyone 130 will see that I, the Lord, have burned it; it will not be extinguished.’”
20:49 Then I said, “O sovereign Lord! They are saying of me, ‘Does he not simply speak in eloquent figures of speech?’”
[18:2] 1 tn This word only occurs here and in the parallel passage in Jer 31:29-30 in the Qal stem and in Eccl 10:10 in the Piel stem. In the latter passage it refers to the bluntness of an ax that has not been sharpened. Here the idea is of the “bluntness” of the teeth, not from having ground them down due to the bitter taste of sour grapes but to the fact that they have lost their “edge,” “bite,” or “sharpness” because they are numb from the sour taste. For this meaning for the word, see W. L. Holladay, Jeremiah (Hermeneia), 2:197.
[18:3] 2 tn This expression occurs often in Ezekiel (5:11; 14:16, 18, 20; 16:48; 17:16, 19; 20:3, 31, 33; 33:11, 27; 34:8; 35:6, 11).
[18:6] 4 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).
[18:6] 5 tn Heb, “does not lift up his eyes.” This refers to looking to idols for help.
[18:6] 6 tn Heb, “does not draw near to.” “Draw near” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse (Lev 18:14; Deut 22:14; Isa 8:3).
[18:7] 7 tn Heb “restores to the debtor his pledge.” The root occurs in Exod 22:25 in reference to restoring a man’s garment as a pledge before nightfall.
[18:7] 8 tn The Hebrew term refers to seizure of property, usually by the rich (Isa 3:14; 10:2; Mic 2:2 [see Lev 5:21, 22]).
[18:8] 9 sn This law was given in Lev 25:36.
[18:8] 10 tn Heb, “turns back his hand.”
[18:8] 11 tn Heb “justice of truth.”
[18:9] 12 tc The MT reads לַעֲשׂוֹת אֱמֶת (la’asot ’emet, “to do with integrity”), while the LXX reads “to do them,” presupposing לַעֲשׂוֹת אֹתָם (la’asot ’otam). The ם (mem) and ת (tav) have been reversed in the MT. The LXX refelcts the original, supported by similar phrasing in Ezekiel 11:20; 20:19.
[18:9] 14 tn Heb “living, he will live.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
[18:10] 16 tn Heb “and he does, a brother, from one of these.” If “brother” is retained, it may be an adverbial accusative, “against a brother” (i.e., fellow Israelite). But the form is likely dittographic (note the אח [aleph-heth] combination in the following form).
[18:11] 17 tn Heb “and he all of these did not do.” The parenthetical note refers back to the father described in the preceding verses.
[18:11] 18 sn See note on “mountains” in v. 6.
[18:12] 19 sn The poor and needy are often mentioned together in the OT (Deut 24:14; Jer 22:16; Ezek 14:69; Ps 12:6; 35:10; 37:14).
[18:12] 20 tn Heb “lifts up his eyes.”
[18:13] 21 tn Heb “be put to death.” The translation follows an alternative reading that appears in several ancient textual witnesses.
[18:13] 22 tn Heb “his blood will be upon him.”
[18:14] 23 tn Heb “and he sees and does not do likewise.”
[18:17] 24 tc This translation follows the LXX. The MT reads “restrains his hand from the poor,” which makes no sense here.
[18:17] 25 tn Or “in his father’s punishment.” The phrase “in/for [a person’s] iniquity/punishment” occurs fourteen times in Ezekiel: here and in vv. 18, 19, 20; 3:18, 19; 4:17; 7:13, 16; 24:23; 33:6, 8, 9; 39:23. The Hebrew word for “iniquity” may also mean the “punishment for iniquity.”
[18:19] 26 tn Heb “lift up, bear.”
[18:20] 27 tn Heb “lift up, bear.”
[18:20] 28 tn Heb “lift up, bear.”
[18:20] 29 tn Heb “the righteousness of the righteous one will be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked one will be upon him.”
[18:22] 30 tn Heb “remembered.”
[18:24] 31 tn Heb “because of them he will die.”
[18:26] 33 tn Heb “for them” or “because of them.”
[18:30] 36 tn The verbs and persons in this verse are plural whereas the individual has been the subject of the chapter.
[18:30] 37 tn Or “leading to punishment.”
[18:31] 38 sn In Ezek 11:19, 36:26 the new heart and new spirit are promised as future blessings.
[18:32] 39 tn Heb “the death of the one dying.”
[19:2] 41 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.
[19:4] 43 sn The description applies to king Jehoahaz (2 Kgs 23:31-34; Jer 22:10-12).
[19:5] 44 sn The identity of this second lion is unclear; the referent is probably Jehoiakim or Zedekiah. If the lioness is Hamutal, then Zedekiah is the lion described here.
[19:7] 45 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.
[19:7] 46 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.”
[19:9] 47 tn Or “They put him in a neck stock with hooks.” The noun סּוּגַר (sugar), translated “collar,” occurs only here in the Bible. L. C. Allen and D. I. Block point out a Babylonian cognate that refers to a device for transporting prisoners of war that held them by their necks (D. I. Block, Ezekiel [NICOT], 1:597, n. 35; L. C. Allen, Ezekiel [WBC], 1:284). Based on the Hebrew root, the traditional rendering had been “cage” (cf. ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[19:9] 48 tc The term in the MT occurs only here and in Eccl 9:12 where it refers to a net for catching fish. The LXX translates this as “prison,” which assumes a confusion of dalet and resh took place in the MT.
[19:10] 49 tc The Hebrew text reads “in your blood,” but most emend to “in your vineyard,” assuming a ב-כ (beth-kaph) confusion. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 1:284. Another attractive emendation assumes a faulty word division and yields the reading “like a vine full of tendrils, which/because…”; see D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:607, n. 68.
[19:11] 50 tn The word “fit” does not occur in the Hebrew text.
[19:11] 51 tn Heb “and it was seen by its height and by the abundance of its branches.”
[19:12] 52 sn The east wind symbolizes the Babylonians.
[19:13] 53 sn This metaphor depicts the Babylonian exile of the Davidic dynasty.
[19:14] 54 tn The verse describes the similar situation recorded in Judg 9:20.
[20:1] 55 sn The date would be August 14th, 591
[20:1] 56 tn Heb “men from the elders.”
[20:1] 57 tn See the note at 14:3.
[20:3] 58 tn Or “I will not reveal myself to you.”
[20:4] 59 tn Heb “will you judge.” Here the imperfect form of the verb is probably used with a desiderative nuance. Addressed to the prophet, “judge” means to warn of or pronounce God’s impending judgment.
[20:5] 60 tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”
[20:5] 62 tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”
[20:6] 63 tn Heb “I lifted up my hand to them.”
[20:6] 64 tn Or “searched out.” The Hebrew word is used to describe the activity of the spies in “spying out” the land of Canaan (Num 13-14); cf. KJV “I had espied for them.”
[20:6] 65 sn The phrase “a land flowing with milk and honey,” a figure of speech describing the land’s abundant fertility, occurs in v. 15 as well as Exod 3:8, 17; 13:5; 33:3; Lev 20:24; Num 13:27; Deut 6:3; 11:9; 26:9; 27:3; Josh 5:6; Jer 11:5; 32:23 (see also Deut 1:25; 8:7-9).
[20:7] 66 tn Heb “each one, the detestable things of his eyes, throw away.” The Pentateuch does not refer to the Israelites worshiping idols in Egypt, but Josh 24:14 appears to suggest that they did so.
[20:8] 67 tn Heb “each one, the detestable things of their eyes did not throw away.”
[20:8] 68 tn Heb “and I said/thought to pour out.”
[20:9] 69 tn Heb “for the sake of my name.”
[20:9] 70 tn Heb “before the eyes of the nations in whose midst they were.”
[20:9] 71 tn Heb “to whom I made myself known before their eyes to bring them out from the land of Egypt.” The translation understands the infinitive construct (“to bring them out”) as indicating manner. God’s deliverance of his people from Egypt was an act of self-revelation in that it displayed his power and his commitment to his promises.
[20:11] 72 sn The laws were given at Mount Sinai.
[20:11] 75 tn The wording and the concept is contained in Lev 18:5 and Deut 30:15-19.
[20:12] 76 sn Ezekiel’s contemporary, Jeremiah, also stressed the importance of obedience to the Sabbath law (Jer 17).
[20:12] 77 tn Heb “to become a sign between me and them.”
[20:12] 78 tn Or “set them apart.” The last phrase of verse 12 appears to be a citation of Exod 31:13.
[20:13] 79 tn Heb “and I said/thought to pour out.”
[20:13] 80 tn Heb “to bring them to an end.”
[20:15] 81 tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”
[20:16] 82 tn The words “I did this” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons. Verses 15-16 are one long sentence in the Hebrew text. The translation divides this sentence into two for stylistic reasons.
[20:16] 83 tn Heb “for after their idols their heart was going.” The use of the active participle (“was going”) in the Hebrew text draws attention to the ongoing nature of their idolatrous behavior.
[20:17] 84 tn Heb “my eye pitied.”
[20:18] 85 tn Heb “sons,” reflecting the patriarchal idiom of the culture.
[20:18] 86 tn Or “standard of justice.” See Ezek 7:27.
[20:20] 87 tn Or “set apart my Sabbaths.”
[20:20] 88 tn Heb “and they will become a sign between me and you.”
[20:21] 90 tn Or “carries them out.”
[20:21] 91 tn Heb “and I said/thought to pour out.”
[20:22] 92 tn Heb “drew my hand back.” This idiom also occurs in Lam 2:8 and Ps 74:11.
[20:23] 93 tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”
[20:23] 94 sn Though the Pentateuch does not seem to know of this episode, Ps 106:26-27 may speak of God’s oath to exile the people before they had entered Canaan.
[20:24] 95 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.
[20:24] 96 tn Or “they worshiped” (NCV, TEV, CEV); Heb “their eyes were on” or “were after” (cf. v. 16).
[20:25] sn The content of the verse is shocking: that God would “give” bad decrees. This probably does not refer to the Mosaic law but to the practices of the Canaanites who were left in the land in order to test Israel. See Judg 2:20-23, the note on “decrees” in v. 25, and the note on “pass through the fire” in v. 26.
[20:25] 98 tn The Hebrew term חֻקּוֹת (khuqot; translated “statutes” elsewhere in this chapter) is normally feminine. Here Ezekiel changes the form to masculine: חֻקִּים (khuqim). Further, they are not called “my decrees” as vv. 11 and 13 refer to “my statutes.” The change is a signal that Ezekiel is not talking about the same statutes in vv. 11 and 13, which lead to life.
[20:26] 100 sn This act is prohibited in Deut 12:29-31 and Jer 7:31; 19:5; 32:35. See also 2 Kgs 21:6; 23:10. This custom indicates that the laws the Israelites were following were the disastrous laws of pagan nations (see Ezek 16:20-21).
[20:26] 101 sn God sometimes punishes sin by inciting the sinner to sin even more, as the biblical examples of divine hardening and deceit make clear. See Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., “Divine Hardening in the Old Testament,” BSac 153 (1996): 410-34; idem, “Does God Deceive?” BSac 155 (1998): 11-28. For other instances where the Lord causes individuals to act unwisely or even sinfully as punishment for sin, see 1 Sam 2:25; 2 Sam 17:14; 1 Kgs 12:15; 2 Chr 25:20.
[20:28] 102 tn Heb “which I lifted up my hand.”
[20:29] 103 tn The Hebrew word (“Bamah”) means “high place.”
[20:30] 104 tn Heb “in the way of your fathers.”
[20:31] 106 tn Or “Will I reveal myself to you?”
[20:31] 107 tn Or “I will not reveal myself to you.”
[20:32] 108 tn Heb “what comes upon your mind.”
[20:32] 109 tn The Hebrew could also read: “Let us be.”
[20:32] 110 tn Heb “serving wood and stone.”
[20:32] sn This verse echoes the content of 1 Sam 8:20.
[20:33] 111 sn This phrase occurs frequently in Deuteronomy (Deut 4:34; 5:15; 7:19; 11:2; 26:8).
[20:37] 112 tn This is the same Hebrew verb used to describe the passing of the children through the fire.
[20:37] 113 sn The metaphor may be based in Lev 27:32 (see also Jer 33:13; Matt 25:32-33). A shepherd would count his sheep as they passed beneath his staff.
[20:38] 114 tn See the note at 2:3.
[20:39] 115 sn Compare the irony here to Amos 4:4 and Jer 44:25.
[20:39] 116 tn Heb “and after, if you will not listen to me.” The translation leaves out “and after” for smoothness. The text is difficult. M. Greenberg (Ezekiel [AB], 1:374) suggests that it may mean “but afterwards, if you will not listen to me…” with an unspoken threat.
[20:39] 117 sn A similar concept may be found in Lev 18:21; 20:3.
[20:40] 119 tn Heb “all of it.”
[20:42] 120 tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”
[20:43] 122 tn Heb “loathe yourselves in your faces.”
[20:45] 123 sn Beginning with 20:45, the verse numbers through 21:32 in the English Bible differ by five from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 20:45 ET = 21:1 HT, 20:46 ET = 21:2 HT, 21:1 ET = 21:6 HT etc., through 21:32 ET = 21:37 HT. Beginning with 22:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.
[20:46] 124 tn Heb “set your face toward.” This expression occurs as well in Ezek 6:2; 13:17.
[20:46] 125 tn Or “the way toward the south,” or “the way toward Teman.” Teman is in the south and may be a location or the direction.
[20:46] 126 tn Or “toward Darom.” Darom may mean the south or a region just north of southern city of Beer Sheba. See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:417-18.
[20:46] 127 tn The Hebrew term can also mean “forest,” but a meaning of uncultivated wasteland fits the Negev region far better. See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:418.
[20:47] 128 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
[20:47] 129 tn Fire also appears as a form of judgment in Ezek 15:4-7; 19:12, 14.
