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Ezekiel 37-40
New English Translation

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand[a] of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and placed[b] me in the midst of the valley, and it was full of bones. 2 He made me walk all around among them.[c] I realized[d] there were a great many bones in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said to him, “Sovereign Lord, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them: ‘Dry bones, listen to the Lord’s message. 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: Look, I am about to infuse breath[e] into you and you will live. 6 I will put tendons[f] on you and muscles over you and will cover you with skin; I will put breath[g] in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. There was a sound when I prophesied— I heard[h] a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 As I watched, I saw[i] tendons on them, then muscles appeared,[j] and skin covered over them from above, but there was no breath[k] in them.

9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath,[l]—prophesy, son of man—and say to the breath: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these corpses so that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as I was commanded, and the breath came into them; they lived and stood on their feet, an extremely great army.

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all the house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to open your graves and will raise you from your graves, my people. I will bring you to the land of Israel. 13 Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. 14 I will place my breath[m] in you and you will live; I will give you rest in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord—I have spoken and I will act, declares the Lord.’”

15 The Lord’s message came to me: 16 “As for you, son of man, take one branch and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another branch and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the branch of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel associated with him.’ 17 Join[n] them as one stick;[o] they will be as one in your hand. 18 When your people[p] say to you, ‘Will you not tell us what these things mean?’ 19 tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to take the branch of Joseph that is in the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel associated with him, and I will place them on the stick of Judah[q] and make them into one stick—they will be one in my hand.’[r] 20 The sticks you write on will be in your hand in front of them. 21 Then tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to take the Israelites from among the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from round about and bring them to their land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over them all. They will never again be two nations and never again be divided into two kingdoms.[s] 23 They will not defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, and all their rebellious deeds. I will save them from all their unfaithfulness[t] by which they sinned. I will purify them; they will become my people, and I will become their God.

24 “‘My servant David will be king over them; there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow[u] my regulations and carefully observe my statutes.[v] 25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, in which your fathers lived; they will live in it—they and their children and their grandchildren forever. David my servant will be prince over them forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be a perpetual covenant with them.[w] I will establish them,[x] increase their numbers, and place my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 Then, when my sanctuary is among them forever, the nations will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel.’”[y]

A Prophecy Against Gog

38 The Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, turn toward[z] Gog,[aa] of the land of Magog,[ab] the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.[ac] Prophesy against him 3 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you,[ad] Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and bring you out with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all of them fully armed, a great company with shields of different types,[ae] all of them armed with swords. 5 Persia,[af] Ethiopia, and Put[ag] are with them, all of them with shields and helmets. 6 They are joined by[ah] Gomer with all its troops, and by Beth Togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops—many peoples are with you.[ai]

7 “‘Be ready and stay ready, you and all your companies assembled around you, and be a guard for them.[aj] 8 After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come to a land restored from the ravages of war,[ak] from many peoples gathered on the mountains of Israel that had long been in ruins. Its people[al] were brought out from the peoples, and all of them will be living securely. 9 You will advance;[am] you will come like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the earth, you, all your troops, and the many other peoples with you.

10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind,[an] and you will devise an evil plan. 11 You will say, “I will invade[ao] a land of unwalled towns; I will advance against[ap] those living quietly in security—all of them living without walls and barred gates— 12 to loot and plunder, to attack[aq] the inhabited ruins and the people gathered from the nations, who are acquiring cattle and goods, who live at the center[ar] of the earth.” 13 Sheba and Dedan and the traders of Tarshish with all its young warriors[as] will say to you, “Have you come to loot? Have you assembled your armies to plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to haul away a great amount of spoils?”’

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[at] 15 and come from your place, from the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a vast army. 16 You will advance[au] against my people Israel like a cloud covering the earth. In future days I will bring you against my land so that the nations may acknowledge me, when before their eyes I magnify myself[av] through you, O Gog.

17 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days by my servants[aw] the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days[ax] that I would bring you against them? 18 On that day, when Gog invades[ay] the land of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord, my rage will mount up in my anger. 19 In my zeal, in the fire of my fury,[az] I declare that on that day there will be a great earthquake[ba] in the land of Israel. 20 The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the wild beasts, all the things that creep on the ground, and all people who live on the face of the earth will shake[bb] at my presence. The mountains will topple, the cliffs[bc] will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground. 21 I will call for a sword to attack[bd] Gog[be] on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign Lord; every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22 I will judge him with plague and bloodshed. I will rain down on him, his troops, and the many peoples who are with him a torrential downpour, hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23 I will exalt and magnify myself; I will reveal myself before many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’

39 “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! 2 I will turn you around and drag you along;[bf] I will lead you up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you against the mountains of Israel. 3 I will knock your bow out of your left hand and make your arrows fall from your right hand. 4 You will fall dead on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the people who are with you. I give you as food to every kind of bird and every wild beast. 5 You will fall dead in the open field; for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. 6 I will send fire on Magog and those who live securely in the coastlands; then they will know that I am the Lord.

7 “‘I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.[bg] 8 Realize that it is coming and it will be done, declares the Sovereign Lord. It is the day I have spoken about.

9 “‘Then those who live in the cities of Israel will go out and use the weapons for kindling[bh]—the shields,[bi] bows and arrows, war clubs and spears—they will burn them for seven years. 10 They will not need to take[bj] wood from the field or cut down trees from the forests because they will make fires with the weapons. They will take the loot from those who looted them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them,[bk] declares the Sovereign Lord.

11 “‘On that day I will assign Gog a grave in Israel. It will be the valley of those who travel east of the sea; it will block the way of the travelers. There they will bury Gog and all his horde; they will call it the Valley of Hamon Gog.[bl] 12 For seven months Israel[bm] will bury them, in order to cleanse the land. 13 All the people of the land will bury them, and it will be a memorial[bn] for them on the day I magnify myself, declares the Sovereign Lord. 14 They will designate men to scout continually[bo] through the land, burying those who remain on the surface of the ground,[bp] in order to cleanse it. They will search for seven full months. 15 When the scouts survey[bq] the land and see a human bone, they will place a sign by it, until those assigned to burial duty have buried it[br] in the valley of Hamon Gog. 16 (A city by the name of Hamonah[bs] will also be there.) They will cleanse the land.’

17 “As for you, son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Tell every kind of bird and every wild beast: ‘Assemble and come! Gather from all around to my slaughter[bt] that I am going to make for you, a great slaughter on the mountains of Israel! You will eat flesh and drink blood. 18 You will eat the flesh of warriors[bu] and drink the blood of the princes of the earth—the rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, all of them fattened animals of Bashan. 19 You will eat fat until you are full, and drink blood until you are drunk[bv] at my slaughter[bw] that I have made for you. 20 You will fill up at my table with horses and charioteers,[bx] with warriors and all the soldiers,’ declares the Sovereign Lord.

21 “I will display my majesty[by] among the nations. All the nations will witness the judgment I have executed and the power I have exhibited[bz] among them. 22 Then the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God, from that day forward. 23 The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile due to their iniquity,[ca] for they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies; all of them died by the sword. 24 According to their uncleanness and rebellion I have dealt with them, and I hid my face from them.

25 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Now I will restore[cb] the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name. 26 They will bear their shame for all their unfaithful acts against me, when they live securely on their land with no one to make them afraid. 27 When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will magnify myself among them in the sight of many nations. 28 Then they will know that I am the Lord their God because I sent them into exile among the nations and then gathered them into their own land. I will not leave any of them in exile[cc] any longer. 29 I will no longer hide my face from them, when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel,[cd] declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Vision of the New Temple

40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city[ce] was struck down, on this very day,[cf] the hand[cg] of the Lord was on me, and he brought me there.[ch] 2 By divine visions[ci] he brought me to the land of Israel and placed me on a very high mountain,[cj] and on it was a structure like a city, to the south. 3 When he brought me there, I saw[ck] a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring stick in his hand. He was standing in the gateway. 4 The man said to me, “Son of man, watch closely, listen carefully, and pay attention[cl] to everything I show you, for you have been brought here so that I can show it to you.[cm] Tell the house of Israel everything you see.”

5 I saw[cn] a wall all around the outside of the temple.[co] In the man’s hand was a measuring stick 10½ feet[cp] long. He measured the thickness of the wall[cq] as 10½ feet,[cr] and its height as 10½ feet. 6 Then he went to the gate facing east. He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate as 10½ feet deep.[cs] 7 The alcoves were 10½ feet long and 10½ feet wide; between the alcoves were 8¾ feet.[ct] The threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate facing inward was 10½ feet. 8 Then he measured the porch of the gate facing inward as 10½ feet. 9 He measured the porch of the gate as 14 feet,[cu] and its jambs as 3½ feet;[cv] the porch of the gate faced inward. 10 There were three alcoves on each side of the east gate; the three had the same measurement, and the jambs on either side had the same measurement.[cw] 11 He measured the width of the entrance of the gateway as 17½ feet,[cx] and the length of the gateway as 22¾ feet.[cy] 12 There was a barrier in front of the alcoves, 1¾ feet[cz] on either side; the alcoves were 10½ feet[da] on either side. 13 He measured the gateway from the roof of one alcove to the roof of the other, a width of 43¾ feet[db] from one entrance to the opposite one. 14 He measured[dc] the porch[dd] at 105 feet[de] high;[df] the gateway went all around to the jamb of the courtyard. 15 From the front of the entrance gate to the porch of the inner gate was 87½ feet.[dg] 16 There were closed windows toward the alcoves and toward their jambs within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. There were windows all around the inside, and on each jamb were decorative palm trees.[dh]

17 Then he brought me to the outer court. I saw[di] chambers there and a pavement made for the court all around; thirty chambers faced the pavement. 18 The pavement was beside the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the width from before the lower gate to the front of the exterior of the inner court as 175 feet[dj] on the east and on the north.

20 He measured the length and width of the gate of the outer court that faces north. 21 Its alcoves, three on each side, and its jambs and porches had the same measurement as the first gate; 87½ feet[dk] long and 43¾ feet[dl] wide. 22 Its windows, its porches, and its decorative palm trees had the same measurement as the gate that faced east. Seven steps led up to it, and its porch was in front of them. 23 Opposite the gate on the north and the east was a gate of the inner court; he measured the distance from gate to gate at 175 feet.[dm]

24 Then he led me toward the south. I saw[dn] a gate on the south. He measured its jambs and its porches; they had the same dimensions as the others. 25 There were windows all around it and its porches, like the windows of the others;[do] 87½ feet[dp] long and 43¾ feet[dq] wide. 26 There were seven steps going up to it; its porches were in front of them. It had decorative palm trees on its jambs, one on either side. 27 The inner court had a gate toward the south; he measured it from gate to gate toward the south as 175 feet.[dr]

28 Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate. He measured the south gate; it had the same dimensions as the others. 29 Its alcoves, its jambs, and its porches had the same dimensions as the others, and there were windows all around it and its porches; its length was 87½ feet[ds] and its width 43¾ feet.[dt] 30 There were porches all around, 43¾ feet[du] long and 8¾ feet[dv] wide. 31 Its porches faced the outer court, and decorative palm trees were on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.

32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side. He measured the gate; it had the same dimensions as the others. 33 Its alcoves, its jambs, and its porches had the same dimensions as the others, and there were windows all around it and its porches; its length was 87½ feet[dw] and its width 43¾ feet.[dx] 34 Its porches faced the outer court, it had decorative palm trees on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.

35 Then he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it; it had the same dimensions as the others— 36 its alcoves, its jambs, and its porches. It had windows all around it; its length was 87½ feet[dy] and its width 43¾ feet.[dz] 37 Its jambs[ea] faced the outer court, and it had decorative palm trees on its jambs on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.

38 There was a chamber with its door by the porch of the gate;[eb] there they washed the burnt offering. 39 In the porch of the gate were two tables on either side on which to slaughter the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering. 40 On the outside of the porch as one goes up at the entrance of the north gate were two tables, and on the other side of the porch of the gate were two tables. 41 Four tables were on each side of the gate, eight tables on which the sacrifices were to be slaughtered. 42 The four tables for the burnt offering were of carved stone, 32 inches[ec] long, 32 inches[ed] wide, and 21 inches[ee] high. They would put the instruments that they used to slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice on them. 43 There were hooks[ef] three inches[eg] long fastened in the house all around, and on the tables was the flesh of the offering.

44 On the outside of the inner gate were chambers for the singers of the inner court, one[eh] at the side of the north gate facing south, and the other at the side of the south[ei] gate facing north. 45 He said to me, “This chamber that faces south is for the priests who keep charge of the temple,[ej] 46 and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the descendants of Zadok, from the descendants of Levi, who may approach the Lord to minister to him.” 47 He measured the court as a square 175 feet long and 175 feet wide;[ek] the altar was in front of the temple.

48 Then he brought me to the porch of the temple and measured the jambs of the porch as 8¾ feet[el] on either side; the width of the gate was 24½ feet,[em] and the sides[en] were 5¼ feet[eo] on each side. 49 The length of the porch was 35 feet[ep] and the width 19¼ feet;[eq] steps[er] led up to it, and there were pillars beside the jambs on either side.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 37:1 tn Or “power.” sn Hand in the OT can refer metaphorically to power, authority, or influence. In Ezekiel God’s hand being on the prophet is regularly associated with communication or a vision from God (3:14, 22; 8:1; 37:1; 40:1).
  2. Ezekiel 37:1 tn Heb “caused me to rest.”
  3. Ezekiel 37:2 tn Heb “and he made me pass over them, around, around.”
  4. Ezekiel 37:2 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and is here translated as “I realized” because it results from Ezekiel’s recognition of the situation around him. In Hebrew, the exclamation is repeated in the following sentence.
  5. Ezekiel 37:5 tn Heb “I am about to bring a spirit.”
  6. Ezekiel 37:6 tn The exact anatomical referent of the term is uncertain. In addition to v. 8, the term occurs only in Gen 32:32 (32:33 Heb); Job 10:11; 40:17; Is 48:4.
  7. Ezekiel 37:6 tn Or “a spirit.”
  8. Ezekiel 37:7 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
  9. Ezekiel 37:8 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
  10. Ezekiel 37:8 tn Heb “came up.”
  11. Ezekiel 37:8 tn Or “spirit.”
  12. Ezekiel 37:9 tn Or “spirit,” and several times in this verse.
  13. Ezekiel 37:14 tn Or “spirit.” This is likely an allusion to Gen 2 and God’s breath that creates life.
  14. Ezekiel 37:17 tn Heb “bring near.”
  15. Ezekiel 37:17 tn Heb “one to one for you for one stick.”
  16. Ezekiel 37:18 tn Heb “the sons of your people.”
  17. Ezekiel 37:19 tn Heb “I will place them on it, that is, on the stick of Judah.”
  18. Ezekiel 37:19 sn The reunification of Israel and Judah is envisioned as well in Ezek 33:23, 29; Jer 3:18; 23:5-6; Hos 1:11; Amos 9:11.
  19. Ezekiel 37:22 sn Jeremiah also attested to the reuniting of the northern and southern kingdoms (Jer 3:12, 14; 31:2-6).
  20. Ezekiel 37:23 tc Heb “their dwellings.” The text as it stands does not make sense. Based on the LXX, a slight emendation of two vowels, including a mater lectionis, yields the reading “from their turning,” a reference here to their turning from God and deviating from his commandments. See BDB 1000 s.v. מְשׁוּבָה, and D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:407.
  21. Ezekiel 37:24 tn Heb “walk [in].”
  22. Ezekiel 37:24 tn Heb “and my statutes they will guard and they will do them.”
  23. Ezekiel 37:26 sn See Isa 24:5; 55:3; 61:8; Jer 32:40; 50:5; Ezek 16:60 for other references to perpetual covenants.
  24. Ezekiel 37:26 tn Heb “give them.”
  25. Ezekiel 37:28 sn The sanctuary of Israel becomes the main focus of Ezek 40-48.
  26. Ezekiel 38:2 tn Heb “set your face against.”
  27. Ezekiel 38:2 sn This may refer to a Lydian king in western Asia Minor in the seventh century b.c. Apart from Ezek 38-39, the only other biblical reference to this king/nation is in Rev 20:8. For a study of the names appearing in this verse, see E. Yamauchi, Foes From the Northern Frontier, 19-27.
  28. Ezekiel 38:2 sn One of the sons of Japheth according to Gen 10:2 and 1 Chr 1:5.
  29. Ezekiel 38:2 tn Heb “the prince, the chief of Meshech and Tubal.” Some translate “the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal,” but it is more likely that the Hebrew noun in question is a common noun in apposition to “prince,” rather than a proper name. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:434-35. As Block demonstrates, attempts by some popular writers to identify these proper names with later geographical sites in Russia are anachronistic. See as well E. Yamauchi, Foes From the Northern Frontier, 19-27. sn Meshech and Tubal were two nations in Cappadocia of Asia Minor. They were also sons of Japheth (Gen 10:2; 1 Chr 1:5).
  30. Ezekiel 38:3 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 ‘hinnenî ’êlékâ’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
  31. Ezekiel 38:4 sn The Hebrew text mentions two different types of shields here.
  32. Ezekiel 38:5 tn D. I. Block prefers to see the Hebrew word as referring here to a western ally of Egypt or as an alternative spelling for Pathros, that is, Upper Egypt. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:439-40.
  33. Ezekiel 38:5 sn That is, Lybia.
  34. Ezekiel 38:6 tn The words “they are joined by” are added in the translation for purposes of English style.
  35. Ezekiel 38:6 sn The seven-nation coalition represents the north (Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, Beth Togarmah), the south/west (Ethiopia, Put) and the east (Persia). The use of the sevenfold list suggests completeness. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:441.
  36. Ezekiel 38:7 tn The second person singular verbal and pronominal forms in the Hebrew text indicate that Gog is addressed here.
  37. Ezekiel 38:8 tn Heb “from the sword.”
  38. Ezekiel 38:8 tn Heb “it.”
  39. Ezekiel 38:9 tn Heb “go up.”
  40. Ezekiel 38:10 tn Heb “words will go up upon your heart.”
  41. Ezekiel 38:11 tn Heb “go up against.”
  42. Ezekiel 38:11 tn Heb “come (to).”
  43. Ezekiel 38:12 tn Heb “to turn your hand against.”
  44. Ezekiel 38:12 tn The Hebrew term occurs elsewhere only in Judg 9:37. Perhaps it means “high point, top.”
  45. Ezekiel 38:13 tn Heb “young lions.”
  46. Ezekiel 38:14 tn The Hebrew text is framed as a rhetorical question: “will you not take notice?”
  47. Ezekiel 38:16 tn Heb “come up.”
  48. Ezekiel 38:16 tn Or “reveal my holiness.”
  49. Ezekiel 38:17 tn Heb “by the hand of my servants.”
  50. Ezekiel 38:17 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.
  51. Ezekiel 38:18 tn Heb “goes up against.”
  52. Ezekiel 38:19 sn The phrase “in the fire of my fury” occurs in Ezek 21:31 and 22:21, 31.
  53. Ezekiel 38:19 tn Or “shaking.”
  54. Ezekiel 38:20 tn Or “tremble.”
  55. Ezekiel 38:20 tn The term occurs only here and in Song of Songs 2:14.
  56. Ezekiel 38:21 tn Heb “against.”
  57. Ezekiel 38:21 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Gog, cf. v. 18) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  58. Ezekiel 39:2 tn The Hebrew root occurs only here in the OT. An apparent cognate in the Ethiopic language means “walk along.” For a discussion of the research on this verb, see D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:460.
  59. Ezekiel 39:7 sn The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” The Lord’s holiness is first and foremost his transcendent sovereignty as the ruler of the world. He is “set apart” from the world over which he rules. At the same time his holiness encompasses his moral authority, which derives from his royal position. As king he has the right to dictate to his subjects how they are to live; indeed, his very own character sets the standard for proper behavior. This expression is a common title for the Lord in the book of Isaiah.
  60. Ezekiel 39:9 tn Heb “burn and kindle the weapons.”
  61. Ezekiel 39:9 tn Two different types of shields are specified in the Hebrew text.
  62. Ezekiel 39:10 tn Heb “they will not carry.”
  63. Ezekiel 39:10 tn Heb “loot their looters and plunder their plunderers.”
  64. Ezekiel 39:11 tn The name means “horde of Gog.”
  65. Ezekiel 39:12 tn Heb “the house of Israel.”
  66. Ezekiel 39:13 tn Heb “name.”
  67. Ezekiel 39:14 tn Heb “men of perpetuity.”
  68. Ezekiel 39:14 tn Heb “and bury the travelers and those who remain on the surface of the ground.” The reference to “travelers” seems odd and is omitted in the LXX. It is probably an accidental duplication (see v. 11).
  69. Ezekiel 39:15 tn Heb “as the scouts scout.”
  70. Ezekiel 39:15 tn That is, the aforementioned bone.
  71. Ezekiel 39:16 tn This name appears to be a feminine form of the word “horde,” used in the name Hamon Gog.
  72. Ezekiel 39:17 tn Or “sacrifice” (so also in the rest of this verse).
  73. Ezekiel 39:18 sn See Rev 19:17-18.
  74. Ezekiel 39:19 sn Eating the fat and drinking blood were God’s exclusive rights in Israelite sacrifices (Lev 3:17).
  75. Ezekiel 39:19 tn Or “sacrifice” (so also in the rest of this verse).
  76. Ezekiel 39:20 tn Heb “chariots.”
  77. Ezekiel 39:21 tn Or “my glory.”
  78. Ezekiel 39:21 tn Heb “my hand which I have placed.”
  79. Ezekiel 39:23 tn Or “in their punishment.” The phrase “in/for [a person’s] iniquity/punishment” occurs fourteen times in Ezekiel: here; 3:18, 19; 4:17; 7:13, 16; 18:17, 18, 19, 20; 24:23; 33:6, 8, 9. The Hebrew word for “iniquity” may also mean the “punishment” for iniquity or “guilt” of iniquity.
  80. Ezekiel 39:25 tn Heb “cause to return.”
  81. Ezekiel 39:28 tn Heb “there,” referring to the foreign nations to which they were exiled. The translation makes the referent clear.
  82. Ezekiel 39:29 sn See Ezek 11:19 and 37:14.
  83. Ezekiel 40:1 sn That is, Jerusalem.
  84. Ezekiel 40:1 tn April 19, 573 b.c.
  85. Ezekiel 40:1 tn Or “power.” sn Hand in the OT can refer metaphorically to power, authority, or influence. In Ezekiel God’s hand being on the prophet is regularly associated with communication or a vision from God (3:14, 22; 8:1; 37:1; 40:1).
  86. Ezekiel 40:1 sn That is, to the land of Israel (see v. 2).
  87. Ezekiel 40:2 tn The expression introduces the three major visions of Ezekiel (1:1; 8:3; 40:2).
  88. Ezekiel 40:2 tn The reference to a very high mountain is harmonious with Isa 2:2.
  89. Ezekiel 40:3 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
  90. Ezekiel 40:4 tn Heb “look with your eyes, hear with your ears, and set your mind on.”
  91. Ezekiel 40:4 tn Heb “in order to show (it) to you.”
  92. Ezekiel 40:5 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
  93. Ezekiel 40:5 tn Heb “house.”
  94. Ezekiel 40:5 tn Heb “a measuring stick of 6 cubits, [each] a cubit and a handbreadth.” The measuring units here and in the remainder of this section are the Hebrew “long” cubit, consisting of a cubit (about 18 inches or 45 cm) and a handbreadth (about 3 inches or 7.5 cm), for a total of 21 inches (52.5 cm). Therefore the measuring stick in the man’s hand was 10.5 feet (3.15 meters) long. Because modern readers are not familiar with the cubit as a unit of measurement, and due to the additional complication of the “long” cubit as opposed to the regular cubit, all measurements have been converted to American standard feet and inches, with the Hebrew measurements and the metric equivalents given in the notes.
  95. Ezekiel 40:5 tn Heb “building.”
  96. Ezekiel 40:5 tn Heb “one rod [or “reed”]” (also a second time in this verse, twice in v. 6, three times in v. 7, and once in v. 8).
  97. Ezekiel 40:6 tn The Hebrew text adds “the one threshold 10½ feet deep.” This is probably an accidental duplication of what precedes. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:517.
  98. Ezekiel 40:7 tn Heb “5 cubits” (i.e., 2.625 meters) according to the “long” cubit. See the note on the first occurrence of the phrase “10½ feet” in v. 5.
  99. Ezekiel 40:9 tn Heb “8 cubits” (i.e., 4.2 meters).
  100. Ezekiel 40:9 tn Heb “2 cubits” (i.e., 1.05 meters).
  101. Ezekiel 40:10 sn The three alcoves are parallel to the city gates found at Megiddo, Hazor, and Gezer.
  102. Ezekiel 40:11 tn Heb “10 cubits” (i.e., 5.25 meters).
  103. Ezekiel 40:11 tn Heb “13 cubits” (i.e., 6.825 meters).
  104. Ezekiel 40:12 tn Heb “one cubit” (i.e., 52.5 cm).
  105. Ezekiel 40:12 tn Heb “6 cubits” (i.e., 3.15 meters).
  106. Ezekiel 40:13 tn Heb “25 cubits” (i.e., 13.125 meters).
  107. Ezekiel 40:14 tn Heb “made.”
  108. Ezekiel 40:14 tc The MT reads “jambs,” which does not make sense in context. Supposing a confusion of י (yod) for ו (vav), the text may be emended to read “porch.” See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:518.
  109. Ezekiel 40:14 tn Heb “60 cubits” (i.e., 31.5 meters).
  110. Ezekiel 40:14 tn The word “high” is not in the Hebrew text but is supplied for sense.
  111. Ezekiel 40:15 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  112. Ezekiel 40:16 sn Decorative palm trees were also a part of Solomon’s temple (1 Kgs 6:29, 32, 35).
  113. Ezekiel 40:17 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
  114. Ezekiel 40:19 tn Heb “100 cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
  115. Ezekiel 40:21 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  116. Ezekiel 40:21 tn Heb “25 cubits” (i.e., 13.125 meters).
  117. Ezekiel 40:23 tn Heb “100 cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
  118. Ezekiel 40:24 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
  119. Ezekiel 40:25 tn Heb “as these windows.”
  120. Ezekiel 40:25 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  121. Ezekiel 40:25 tn Heb “25 cubits” (i.e., 13.125 meters).
  122. Ezekiel 40:27 tn Heb “100 cubits” (i.e., 52.5 meters).
  123. Ezekiel 40:29 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  124. Ezekiel 40:29 tn Heb “25 cubits” (i.e., 13.125 meters).
  125. Ezekiel 40:30 tn Heb “25 cubits” (i.e., 13.125 meters).
  126. Ezekiel 40:30 tn Heb “5 cubits” (i.e., 2.625 meters).
  127. Ezekiel 40:33 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  128. Ezekiel 40:33 tn Heb “25 cubits” (i.e., 13.125 meters).
  129. Ezekiel 40:36 tn Heb “50 cubits” (i.e., 26.25 meters).
  130. Ezekiel 40:36 tn Heb “twenty-five cubits” (i.e., 13.125 meters).
  131. Ezekiel 40:37 tc The LXX reads “porches.”
  132. Ezekiel 40:38 tc The MT reads “jambs of the gates,” which does not make sense in a context discussing one chamber. The emendation to “porch” is similar to v. 14. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:530.
  133. Ezekiel 40:42 tn Heb “1½ cubits” (i.e., 78.75 cm).
  134. Ezekiel 40:42 tn Heb “1½ cubits” (i.e., 78.75 cm).
  135. Ezekiel 40:42 tn Heb “one cubit” (i.e., 52.5 cm).
  136. Ezekiel 40:43 tc This reading is supported by the Aramaic Targum. The LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac read “shelves” or some type of projection.
  137. Ezekiel 40:43 tn Heb “one handbreadth” (7.5 cm).
  138. Ezekiel 40:44 tn “One” is not in the Hebrew text but is supplied for clarity in the translation.
  139. Ezekiel 40:44 tc This reading is supported by the LXX; the MT reads “east.”
  140. Ezekiel 40:45 tn Heb “the house.”
  141. Ezekiel 40:47 tn Heb “100 cubits long and 100 cubits wide, a square” (i.e., 52.5 meters by 52.5 meters).
  142. Ezekiel 40:48 tn Heb “5 cubits” (i.e., 2.625 meters).
  143. Ezekiel 40:48 tn The LXX reads “14 cubits” (i.e., 7.35 meters). See following note.
  144. Ezekiel 40:48 tc The translation follows the LXX. The MT reads: “the width of the gate was 3 cubits,” the omission due to haplography.tn Or “sidewalls.”
  145. Ezekiel 40:48 tn Heb “3 cubits” (i.e., 1.575 meters).
  146. Ezekiel 40:49 tn Heb “20 cubits” (i.e., 10.5 meters).
  147. Ezekiel 40:49 tn Heb “11 cubits” (i.e., 5.775 meters).
  148. Ezekiel 40:49 tc The LXX reads: “ten steps.”
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Ezekiel 36
Ezekiel 41
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