Ezek 36:1 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם הִנָּבֵ֖א אֶל־הָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ הָרֵי֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁמְע֖וּ דְּבַר־יְהוָֽה׃
Ezek 36:2 כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה יַ֣עַן אָמַ֧ר הָאֹויֵ֛ב עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם הֶאָ֑ח וּבָמֹ֣ות עֹולָ֔ם לְמֹֽורָשָׁ֖ה הָ֥יְתָה לָּֽנוּ׃
Ezek 36:3 לָכֵן֙ הִנָּבֵ֣א וְאָמַרְתָּ֔ כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה יַ֣עַן בְּיַ֡עַן שַׁמֹּות֩ וְשָׁאֹ֨ף אֶתְכֶ֜ם מִסָּבִ֗יב לִֽהְיֹותְכֶ֤ם מֹֽורָשָׁה֙ לִשְׁאֵרִ֣ית הַגֹּויִ֔ם וַתֵּֽעֲל֛וּ עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת לָשֹׁ֖ון וְדִבַּת־עָֽם׃
Ezek 36:4 לָכֵן֙ הָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁמְע֖וּ דְּבַר־אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְ֠הוִה לֶהַהָרִ֨ים וְלַהַגְּבָעֹ֜ות לָהַאֲפִיקִ֣ים וְלַהַגֵּאָיֹ֗ות וְלֶהַחֳרָבֹ֤ות הַשֹּֽׁמְמֹות֙ וְלֶהַעָרִ֣ים הַנֶּעֱזָבֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָי֤וּ לְבַז֙ וּלְלַ֔עַג לִשְׁאֵרִ֥ית הַגֹּויִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִסָּבִֽיב׃ ס
Ezek 36:5 לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ אִם־לֹ֠א בְּאֵ֨שׁ קִנְאָתִ֥י דִבַּ֛רְתִּי עַל־שְׁאֵרִ֥ית הַגֹּויִ֖ם וְעַל־אֱדֹ֣ום כֻּלָּ֑א אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתְנֽוּ־אֶת־אַרְצִ֣י׀ לָ֠הֶם לְמֹ֨ורָשָׁ֜ה בְּשִׂמְחַ֤ת כָּל־לֵבָב֙ בִּשְׁאָ֣ט נֶ֔פֶשׁ לְמַ֥עַן מִגְרָשָׁ֖הּ לָבַֽז׃
Ezek 36:6 לָכֵ֕ן הִנָּבֵ֖א עַל־אַדְמַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ לֶהַהָרִ֣ים וְ֠לַהַגְּבָעֹות לָהַאֲפִיקִ֨ים וְלַהַגֵּאָיֹ֜ות כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הִנְנִ֨י בְקִנְאָתִ֤י וּבַחֲמָתִי֙ דִּבַּ֔רְתִּי יַ֛עַן כְּלִמַּ֥ת גֹּויִ֖ם נְשָׂאתֶֽם׃
Ezek 36:7 לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה אֲנִ֖י נָשָׂ֣אתִי אֶת־יָדִ֑י אִם־לֹ֤א הַגֹּויִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָכֶ֣ם מִסָּבִ֔יב הֵ֖מָּה כְּלִמָּתָ֥ם יִשָּֽׂאוּ׃
Ezek 36:8 וְאַתֶּ֞ם הָרֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ עַנְפְּכֶ֣ם תִּתֵּ֔נוּ וּפֶרְיְכֶ֥ם תִּשְׂא֖וּ לְעַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֥י קֵרְב֖וּ לָבֹֽוא׃
Ezek 36:9 כִּ֖י הִנְנִ֣י אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וּפָנִ֣יתִי אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וְנֶעֱבַדְתֶּ֖ם וְנִזְרַעְתֶּֽם׃
Ezek 36:10 וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֤י עֲלֵיכֶם֙ אָדָ֔ם כָּל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כֻּלֹּ֑ה וְנֹֽשְׁבוּ֙ הֶֽעָרִ֔ים וְהֶחֳרָבֹ֖ות תִּבָּנֶֽינָה׃
Ezek 36:11 וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֧י עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם אָדָ֥ם וּבְהֵמָ֖ה וְרָב֣וּ וּפָר֑וּ וְהֹושַׁבְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֜ם כְּקַדְמֹֽותֵיכֶ֗ם וְהֵטִֽבֹתִי֙ מֵרִאשֹׁ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
Ezek 36:12 וְהֹולַכְתִּי֩ עֲלֵיכֶ֨ם אָדָ֜ם אֶת־עַמִּ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וִֽירֵשׁ֔וּךָ וְהָיִ֥יתָ לָהֶ֖ם לְנַחֲלָ֑ה וְלֹא־תֹוסִ֥ף עֹ֖וד לְשַׁכְּלָֽם׃ ס
Ezek 36:13 כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה יַ֚עַן אֹמְרִ֣ים לָכֶ֔ם אֹכֶ֥לֶת אָדָ֖ם אָתִּי אָ֑תְּ וּמְשַׁכֶּ֥לֶת גֹּויֵךְ גֹּויַ֖יִךְ הָיִֽית׃
Ezek 36:14 לָכֵ֗ן אָדָם֙ לֹא־תֹ֣אכְלִי עֹ֔וד וְגֹויֵךְ וְגֹויַ֖יִךְ לֹ֣א תְכַשְּׁלִי־תְשַׁכְּלִי־עֹ֑וד נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
Ezek 36:15 וְלֹא־אַשְׁמִ֨יעַ אֵלַ֤יִךְ עֹוד֙ כְּלִמַּ֣ת הַגֹּויִ֔ם וְחֶרְפַּ֥ת עַמִּ֖ים לֹ֣א תִשְׂאִי־עֹ֑וד וְגֹויֵךְ וְגֹויַ֙יִךְ֙ לֹא־תַכְשִׁ֣לִי עֹ֔וד נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃ ס
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
and the word of YHWH was to me saying,too
Paraphrase: Then I received another message from YHWH, the Great King.
Comments:
Robertson says the word וַיְהִי is close in meaning to και εγενετο. source
The word לֵאמֹר marks off direct discourse and can be translated with a set of quotation marks.
בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם בֵּ֤ית יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יֹשְׁבִ֣ים עַל־אַדְמָתָ֔ם וַיְטַמְּא֣וּ אֹותָ֔הּ בְּדַרְכָּ֖ם וּבַעֲלִֽילֹותָ֑ם כְּטֻמְאַת֙ הַנִּדָּ֔ה הָיְתָ֥ה דַרְכָּ֖ם לְפָנָֽי׃
Son of man, the house of Israel were dwelling on their land and they defiled her in their way and in their actions. As the uncleanness of menstruation their way was before Me.
Paraphrase: Son of man, some years back the Israelites were living in their own land which I promised to give them. I first made this promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Israel, however, has desecrated this land with their sin. Their behavior was so unclean to Me; it was as repulsive as a menstrual cloth might be to one of you.
Comments:
The title בֶּן־אָדָם emphasizes the weakness of Ezekiel in comparison to God's transcendence.
וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֤ךְ חֲמָתִי֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם עַל־הַדָּ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁפְכ֣וּ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וּבְגִלּוּלֵיהֶ֖ם טִמְּאֽוּהָ׃
and I poured out my wrath on them because of the blood which they poured out on the land, and they defiled her with their idols.
Paraphrase: As a result of their sin, I was very angry, and My anger had just cause. I was enraged at the way they oppressed and even killed innocent people. Anyone who kills My children is going to face the full measure of My anger; you can be sure of that. It would be preferable for such a person to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be hurled into the sea. (Mt 18:6) What's worse is the constant idolatry. What husband would ever tolerate a wife who slept with every man who dropped by? Yet, My people commit adultery with the gods of every nation. They seem to be addicted to it. (Hos 4:17)
Comments:
Note the different uses of עַל here. It is sometimes used to mark the reason for a subsequent event as here עַל־הַדָּם.
The suffix on וּבְגִלּוּלֵיהֶם is a possessive pronoun; the suffix on טִמְּאוּהָ is the object of the verb.
וָאָפִ֤יץ אֹתָם֙ בַּהַגֹּויִ֔ם וַיִּזָּר֖וּ בָּהַאֲרָצֹ֑ות כְּדַרְכָּ֥ם וְכַעֲלִילֹותָ֖ם שְׁפַטְתִּֽים׃
and I scattered them among the nations and they were scattered in the lands, and I judged them according to their way and according to their actions.
Paraphrase: In My righteous anger, I struck them so hard that they went flying in all directions. Some landed in this country; others fled to another. One thing is certain, they will not live on My land and under My blessing. Away with these adulterous children! I'll have nothing to do with them. You can be sure that I will not tolerate such wickedness. I will certainly punish them in keeping with their wretched ingratitude and unfaithfulness.
Comments:
וַיָּבֹ֗וא אֶל־הַגֹּויִם֙ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣אוּ שָׁ֔ם וַֽיְחַלְּל֖וּ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קָדְשִׁ֑י בֶּאֱמֹ֤ר לָהֶם֙ עַם־יְהוָ֣ה אֵ֔לֶּה וּמֵאַרְצֹ֖ו יָצָֽאוּ׃
and he went to the nations where they went and profaned the Name of My Holiness in saying to them, "The people of YHWH these are and from His land they went forth!"
Paraphrase: Then My people went to all these places and continued to profane My Name, the Name which represents My perfect and unapproachable holiness (1Tim 6:16). The report spread far and wide that I had been defeated and was powerless to help My people. "This is YHWH's people!" they shouted triumphantly. "He was not able to protect them from the nations which came to their land, plundered it, and dragged Israel off into captivity!" These nations had no understanding that I used them to discipline My people. They were just a rod (Is 10:5) which I used to beat My people for their sin.
Comments:
When שָׁם is preceded by the relative pronoun, then the pronoun has the meaning of where; see 1b in BDB.
The agent of וַיְחַלְּלוּ is the nation of Israel. It is not certain who the agent is of the participle בֶּאֱמֹר or the antecedent of the pronoun לָהֶם. Whoever it is is saying, "These are the people of God..." which would imply that the speaker was the people of the nations, not Israel.
וָאֶחְמֹ֖ל עַל־שֵׁ֣ם קָדְשִׁ֑י אֲשֶׁ֤ר חִלְּל֙וּהוּ֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בַּהַגֹּויִ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אוּ שָֽׁמָּה׃ ס
and I took pity on the Name of My Holiness which the house of Israel had profaned it among the nations where they had gone.
Paraphrase: Then I decided to deal decisively with this situation. To let these rumors go unanswered would simply bring down My Name even further. The perfect holiness which is My very nature would be further compromised. I could not let my exiled people broadcast to the nations that I was just another local deity who had done his best but was finally unsuccessful in defending his land and people.
Comments:
Here is שָׁמָּה with a directive on it.
לָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֣ר לְבֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה לֹ֧א לְמַעַנְכֶ֛ם אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶׂ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֤י אִם־לְשֵׁם־קָדְשִׁי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חִלַּלְתֶּ֔ם בַּהַגֹּויִ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אתֶם שָֽׁם׃
Therefore, speaking to the house of Israel, "Thus speaks Lord YHWH; not on account of you, I am doing, O house of Israel, but for the Name of My Holiness which you profaned among the nations where you went.
Paraphrase: Now I make this announcement to the nation of Israel. Thus speaks the Great King, YHWH. "I am going to take care that My Name, the Name which represents perfect and unapproachable holiness, is not profaned and disrespected. The nations will learn who I am and what I represent, but let Me be perfectly clear; what I do is not because I have any special love for you or because I pity your misery.
Comments:
Jouon notes that after a negation as we have here (not on account of you...), the adversative clause is often begun with כִּי אִם. Joüon, Grammar, §172c.
וְקִדַּשְׁתִּ֞י אֶת־שְׁמִ֣י הַגָּדֹ֗ול הַֽמְחֻלָּל֙ בַּהַגֹּויִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר חִלַּלְתֶּ֖ם בְּתֹוכָ֑ם וְיָדְע֨וּ הַגֹּויִ֜ם כִּי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֗ה נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה בְּהִקָּדְשִׁ֥י בָכֶ֖ם לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃
and I will sanctify My Great Name, which was being profaned among the nations which you profaned among them, and the nations will know that I am YHWH." It is utterance of Lord YHWH "When I in being sanctified among you, before before your eyes.
Paraphrase: On the contrary, My intent is display the holiness of My Great Name before the nations of this world. Let them understand that YHWH reigns and all the peoples should tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake! YHWH is great in Zion; He is exalted above all the peoples. Let them praise His great and awesome Name; Holy is He. (Psalm 99:1-3) Let the nations understand that they are but men. (Ps 9:20) When I stretch out My arm to deliver you from your exile, then the nations will know that I sit in the heavens and laugh at their folly. (Psalm 2:4) Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are a speck of dust on the scales. (Is 40:15) All this I will do before your very eyes; you will see it and be ashamed of your addiction for idols.
Comments:
Note the vav-reversive on וְקִדַּשְׁתִּי.
Note that both שְׁמִ֣י and הַגָּדֹ֗ול are definite; the sign of attributive position.
There is no vav-conversive on וְיָדְעוּ; the a vav is a simple vav conjunction. Because of this, we translate as a future time verb.
The כִּי here is very much like a content οτι.
Delistszch writes about נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה:
Closely connected with this is the other peculiarity of Ezekiel’s style of prophecy, namely, the marked prominence assigned to the divine origin and contents of his announcements, which distinctly appears in the standing form of address—“Son of man”—with which God summons the prophet to speech and action; in the continual use of אֲדֹנָי יהוה; in the formulae כֹּה אָמַר or נְאֻם; in the introduction to almost every discourse of God’s requirement to him to prophesy or to do this and that; and in the formula which recurs frequently in all the discourses,—“Ye shall know that I am Jehovah.” The standing address, “Son of man,” and the frequent call to speech and action, are likewise regarded by modern critics as a token of the failure of the prophetic spirit-power. Both phrases, however, could only be held to convey so much, if—in conformity with the view of Ewald, who, agreeably to the naturalistic representation of prophecy, assumes it to be a result of high poetic inspiration—they had been selected by Ezekiel of his own free choice, and employed with the intention of expressing the feeling of his own profound distance from God, and of imparting to himself courage to prophesy. If, on the contrary, according to the Scriptural conception of prophecy, God the Lord addressed Ezekiel as “son of man,” and called him, moreover, on each occasion to utter predictions, then the use of the God-given name, as well as the mention of the summons, as proceeding from God only, furnishes an evidence that Ezekiel does not, like the false prophets, utter the thoughts and inspirations of his own heart, but, in all that he says and does, acts under a divine commission and under divine inspiration, and serves to impress the rebellious nation more and more with the conviction that a prophet of the Lord is in their midst (Ez 2:5; 33:33), and that God had not departed with His Spirit from Israel, notwithstanding their banishment among the heathen. In favor of the correctness of this view of the expressions and phrases in question, there speak decisively the manner and fashion in which Ezekiel was called and consecrated to the prophetic office; not only the instruction which God communicates to him for the performance of his calling (Ezek. 2:1–3, 10),—and which, immediately upon the first act of his prophetic activity, He supplements to the effect of enjoining upon him dumbness or entire silence, only then permitting him to open his mouth to speak when He wishes to inspire him with a word to be addressed to the rebellious people (Ez 3:26, 27; cf. 24:27 and 33:22),—but also the theophany which inaugurated his call to the prophetic office (Ez 1), which, as will appear to us in the course of the exposition, has unmistakeably the significance of an explanation of a reality, which will not be dissolved and annihilated with the dissolution of the kingdom of Judah, and the destruction of Jerusalem, and of the temple of that covenant of grace which Jehovah had concluded with Israel. source
וְלָקַחְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ מִן־הַגֹּויִ֔ם וְקִבַּצְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִכָּל־הָאֲרָצֹ֑ות וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמַתְכֶֽם׃
and I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the lands and cause you to come to your land.
Paraphrase: Now here is what I intend to do. I will gather you up from all the places to which you were scattered. No matter in what nation or country you may have ended up, I will find you. I will bring you back to the land which I promised to your fathers. I will bring you back to your own land.
Comments:
וְזָרַקְתִּ֧י עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם מַ֥יִם טְהֹורִ֖ים וּטְהַרְתֶּ֑ם מִכֹּ֧ל טֻמְאֹותֵיכֶ֛ם וּמִכָּל־גִּלּ֥וּלֵיכֶ֖ם אֲטַהֵ֥ר אֶתְכֶֽם׃
and I will sprinkle on you pure water and you will be purified from all your impurity and from all your actions I will purify you.
Paraphrase: To prepare you for your return to your land, I will first purify you. This I will do by sprinkling clean water on you just as the priests were prepared for their office by being sprinkled with water (Ex 30:20; Num 8:7) and those who touched a dead body were cleansed from this impurity by being sprinkled with the water of impurity. (Num 19:9) This water will cleanse you from all the guilt which you have built up over the years by your persistent idolatry and sin. When you are cleansed, you will then be ready to enter the land which I promised to you and your fathers.
Comments:
Three times some form of the word טהר here.
וְנָתַתִּ֤י לָכֶם֙ לֵ֣ב חָדָ֔שׁ וְר֥וּחַ חֲדָשָׁ֖ה אֶתֵּ֣ן בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וַהֲסִ֨רֹתִ֜י אֶת־לֵ֤ב הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ מִבְּשַׂרְכֶ֔ם וְנָתַתִּ֥י לָכֶ֖ם לֵ֥ב בָּשָֽׂר׃
and I will give to you a new heart and a new Spirit I will put within you and I will cause the heart of stone to go away from your body and I will give to you a heart of flesh.
Paraphrase: Then I will proceed to give you a new heart. Currently, your heart is addicted to idols; it's like your heart is made of rock. No amount of threatening or punishment or persuasion seems to have any effect on it. Even the profaning of My Holy Name did not bring it to reconsider it's way. Therefore, it's time for Me to take more drastic action. I am going to reconstruct your very soul. I am going to remake your very nature such that the things which you once loved, you will now hate, and the things you once hated, you will come to love. I will remove your old heart from your body with its fatal addiction to idolatry and send it away forever. I will replace it with a real heart, a heart that beats with love for Me, a heart that truly loves Me, loves My covenant, loves My people and loves My ways.
Comments:
I understand a heart of stone to be a heart that is both addicted to idolatry and unaffected by any effort to get it to return to God.
וְאֶת־רוּחִ֖י אֶתֵּ֣ן בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וְעָשִׂ֗יתִי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־בְּחֻקַּי֙ תֵּלֵ֔כוּ וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֥י תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶֽם׃
and My Spirit, I will put within you and I will do this in order that in My statutes you might walk and My judgments you might observe and do.
Paraphrase: Then I will send My own Holy Spirit, the third person of the most Blessed Trinity, to live in your heart. He will live within you and will cause you to love holiness just as He is Holy. The ministry of this Blessed Person will be such that you will soon learn to love My laws and instructions. He will take you by the hand and lead you forward. (Is 42:16; 57:18; Jer 31:9; Gal 5:25) You will walk in them and obey them with all your heart. Living a life of holiness will be as natural as eating your daily food. (Jn 4:34)
Comments:
This is an unusual use of the relative pronoun here. Gesenius writes that usually a purpose clause will have לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר but that sometimes the relative pronoun introduces the purpose clause all on its own; see §165b.
The first occurrence of a YQTL form with no vav-conversive is אֶתֵּן. It is clearly a future time verb. The second is תֵּלֵכוּ and תִּשְׁמְרוּ which are what Gesenius calls the modal use (§107m). You're probably more familiar with the term subjunctive.
וִישַׁבְתֶּ֣ם בָּהַאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם וִהְיִ֤יתֶם לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וְאָ֣נֹכִ֔י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃
and you will dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers, and you will be to me for a people, and I will be to you for a God.
Paraphrase: After all this, you will live and flourish in the promised land. This is the land which I promised Abraham (Gen 12:7), Isaac (Gen 26:3), and Jacob (Gen 28:4). This is the land I gave to Moses and his generation (Num 33:53). Yes, you were thrown out of this land because of your idolatry, but now I will bring you back. I will remember the covenant I made with your fathers, and I will act on it. By this new heart and new Spirit, you will participate once again in the blessings of this covenant, just as you did in the old days when you were so devoted to Me. From your side, you will be like a new bride who adores her husband and follows him everywhere. (Jer 2:2) On my part, I will be your husband (Is 54:5) and will care and provide for you every step of the way.
Comments:
וְהֹושַׁעְתִּ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִכֹּ֖ל טֻמְאֹֽותֵיכֶ֑ם וְקָרָ֤אתִי אֶל־הַדָּגָן֙ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֣י אֹתֹ֔ו וְלֹא־אֶתֵּ֥ן עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם רָעָֽב׃
I will rescue you from all your impurities and I will call to the grain and multiply it and I will not give to you famine.
Paraphrase: As your God, I will rescue you from the consequences of your impurity. Your impurity calls for My punishment; instead, I will cleanse it away and never mention it again. Then I will call out to the seeds which you will plant and cause them to bear a bumper crop. Famine will be unheard of.
Comments:
וְהִרְבֵּיתִי֙ אֶת־פְּרִ֣י הָעֵ֔ץ וּתְנוּבַ֖ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה לְמַ֗עַן אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹ֣א תִקְח֥וּ עֹ֛וד חֶרְפַּ֥ת רָעָ֖ב בַּגֹּויִֽם׃
and I will cause the fruit of the tree to multiply and the produce of the field in order that you will not take reproach because of the famine among the nations.
Paraphrase: I will also cause fruit trees to grow an abundantly (Ez 47:12) and to provide a rich harvest. The field crops too will be abundant and and provide plenty for everyone. Never again will the surrounding nations ridicule you because you are experiencing a drought or famine. There won't be any denying that your land and you yourselves are being abundantly blessed.
Comments:
Here we see the לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר where in v27, we had only the relative pronoun. The meaning is the same; see §165b.
וּזְכַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־דַּרְכֵיכֶ֣ם הָרָעִ֔ים וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־טֹובִ֑ים וּנְקֹֽטֹתֶם֙ בִּפְנֵיכֶ֔ם עַ֚ל עֲוֹנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעַ֖ל תֹּועֲבֹֽותֵיכֶֽם׃
and you will remember your evil ways and your actions which were not good and you will feel loathing at your face for your guilt and for your idols.
Paraphrase: Then the real impurity of your behavior and it's evil will stare you in the face. (Psalm 51:3) Then you will see clearly your terrible ingratitude and just how low you sunk when you profaned My Name among the peoples of this world. You will see your idolatry as spiritual adultery and as rank unfaithfulness to the perfect Husband. Indeed, you will begin to think very poorly of yourself. In your anguish, you will cry out, "Cast me not away from Your presence, Oh YHWH; do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me!" (Ps 51:11) "Woe is me!" you will lament. (Is 6:5) You will see yourselves as completely unclean and unfit to enter My presence. "Depart from me, Oh YHWH, for I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8)
Comments:
לֹ֧א לְמַעַנְכֶ֣ם אֲנִֽי־עֹשֶׂ֗ה נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה יִוָּדַ֖ע לָכֶ֑ם בֹּ֧ושׁוּ וְהִכָּלְמ֛וּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֖ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס
"Not on account of you, I am acting!" It is an utterance of Lord YHWH. Be it known to you! Be ashamed and humbled from your ways, Oh house of Israel.
Paraphrase: At this point, you might despair of ever seeing My favor again. Certainly, this would be just, but here is good news for you. All these wonderful things, which I have promised you just now, are not because of anything you have done. I am not acting because you have done something which I value or because I pity your misery. I am doing this because My Holy Name has been called into question. If I were going to act based on something you had done, you would have long ago been consigned to eternal punishment. But now, the nations have seen you and questioned My power and sovereignty to protect you. Hence, to show My transcendent majesty and power, I will bring you back to your land and show the nations that I am the Great King, and there is none other. The very fact that I have to do this should fill you wish shame and embarrassment since it is your sin which made this necessary in the first place. Your proper place is to abhor yourself and repent in dust and ashes. (Job 42:6)
Comments:
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה בְּיֹום֙ טַהֲרִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִכֹּ֖ל עֲוֹנֹֽותֵיכֶ֑ם וְהֹֽושַׁבְתִּי֙ אֶת־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים וְנִבְנ֖וּ הֶחֳרָבֹֽות׃
Ezek 36:34 וְהָאָ֥רֶץ הַנְּשַׁמָּ֖ה תֵּֽעָבֵ֑ד תַּ֚חַת אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיְתָ֣ה שְׁמָמָ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־עֹובֵֽר׃
Ezek 36:35 וְאָמְר֗וּ הָאָ֤רֶץ הַלֵּ֙זוּ֙ הַנְּשַׁמָּ֔ה הָיְתָ֖ה כְּגַן־עֵ֑דֶן וְהֶעָרִ֧ים הֶחֳרֵבֹ֛ות וְהַֽנְשַׁמֹּ֥ות וְהַנֶּהֱרָסֹ֖ות בְּצוּרֹ֥ות יָשָֽׁבוּ׃
Ezek 36:36 וְיָדְע֣וּ הַגֹּויִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽשָּׁאֲרוּ֮ סְבִיבֹותֵיכֶם֒ כִּ֣י׀ אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֗ה בָּנִ֙יתִי֙ הַנֶּ֣הֱרָסֹ֔ות נָטַ֖עְתִּי הַנְּשַׁמָּ֑ה אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִֽׂיתִי׃ ס
Ezek 36:37 כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה עֹ֗וד זֹ֛את אִדָּרֵ֥שׁ לְבֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַעֲשֹׂ֣ות לָהֶ֑ם אַרְבֶּ֥ה אֹתָ֛ם כַּהַצֹּ֖אן אָדָֽם׃
Ezek 36:38 כְּצֹ֣אן קָֽדָשִׁ֗ים כְּצֹ֤אן יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ בְּמֹ֣ועֲדֶ֔יהָ כֵּ֤ן תִּהְיֶ֙ינָה֙ הֶעָרִ֣ים הֶחֳרֵבֹ֔ות מְלֵאֹ֖ות צֹ֣אן אָדָ֑ם וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ ס