Ezekiel 36:1
וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם הִנָּבֵ֖א אֶל־הָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ הָרֵי֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁמְע֖וּ דְּבַר־יְהוָֽה׃
Ezekiel 36:2
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה יַ֣עַן אָמַ֧ר הָאוֹיֵ֛ב עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם הֶאָ֑ח וּבָמ֣וֹת עוֹלָ֔ם לְמֽוֹרָשָׁ֖ה הָ֥יְתָה לָּֽנוּ׃
Ezekiel 36:3
לָכֵן֙ הִנָּבֵ֣א וְאָמַרְתָּ֔ כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה יַ֣עַן בְּיַ֡עַן שַׁמּוֹת֩ וְשָׁאֹ֨ף אֶתְכֶ֜ם מִסָּבִ֗יב לִֽהְיוֹתְכֶ֤ם מֽוֹרָשָׁה֙ לִשְׁאֵרִ֣ית הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וַתֵּֽעֲל֛וּ עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת לָשׁ֖וֹן וְדִבַּת־עָֽם׃
Ezekiel 36:4 לָכֵן֙ הָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁמְע֖וּ דְּבַר־אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְ֠הוִה לֶהָרִ֨ים וְלַגְּבָע֜וֹת לָאֲפִיקִ֣ים וְלַגֵּאָי֗וֹת וְלֶחֳרָב֤וֹת הַשֹּֽׁמְמוֹת֙ וְלֶעָרִ֣ים הַנֶּעֱזָב֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָי֤וּ לְבַז֙ וּלְלַ֔עַג לִשְׁאֵרִ֥ית הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִסָּבִֽיב׃ס
Ezekiel 36:5 לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ אִם־לֹ֠א בְּאֵ֨שׁ קִנְאָתִ֥י דִבַּ֛רְתִּי עַל־שְׁאֵרִ֥ית הַגּוֹיִ֖ם וְעַל־אֱד֣וֹם כֻּלָּ֑א אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתְנֽוּ־אֶת־אַרְצִ֣י׀ לָ֠הֶם לְמ֨וֹרָשָׁ֜ה בְּשִׂמְחַ֤ת כָּל־לֵבָב֙ בִּשְׁאָ֣ט נֶ֔פֶשׁ לְמַ֥עַן מִגְרָשָׁ֖הּ לָבַֽז׃
Ezekiel 36:6 לָכֵ֕ן הִנָּבֵ֖א עַל־אַדְמַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ לֶהָרִ֣ים וְ֠לַגְּבָעוֹת לָאֲפִיקִ֨ים וְלַגֵּאָי֜וֹת כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הִנְנִ֨י בְקִנְאָתִ֤י וּבַחֲמָתִי֙ דִּבַּ֔רְתִּי יַ֛עַן כְּלִמַּ֥ת גּוֹיִ֖ם נְשָׂאתֶֽם׃
Ezekiel 36:7 לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה אֲנִ֖י נָשָׂ֣אתִי אֶת־יָדִ֑י אִם־לֹ֤א הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָכֶ֣ם מִסָּבִ֔יב הֵ֖מָּה כְּלִמָּתָ֥ם יִשָּֽׂאוּ׃
Ezekiel 36:8 וְאַתֶּ֞ם הָרֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ עַנְפְּכֶ֣ם תִּתֵּ֔נוּ וּפֶרְיְכֶ֥ם תִּשְׂא֖וּ לְעַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֥י קֵרְב֖וּ לָבֽוֹא׃
Ezekiel 36:9 כִּ֖י הִנְנִ֣י אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וּפָנִ֣יתִי אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וְנֶעֱבַדְתֶּ֖ם וְנִזְרַעְתֶּֽם׃
Ezekiel 36:10 וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֤י עֲלֵיכֶם֙ אָדָ֔ם כָּל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כֻּלֹּ֑ה וְנֹֽשְׁבוּ֙ הֶֽעָרִ֔ים וְהֶחֳרָב֖וֹת תִּבָּנֶֽינָה׃
Ezekiel 36:11 וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֧י עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם אָדָ֥ם וּבְהֵמָ֖ה וְרָב֣וּ וּפָר֑וּ וְהוֹשַׁבְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֜ם כְּקַדְמֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם וְהֵטִֽבֹתִי֙ מֵרִאשֹׁ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
Ezekiel 36:12 וְהוֹלַכְתִּי֩ עֲלֵיכֶ֨ם אָדָ֜ם אֶת־עַמִּ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וִֽירֵשׁ֔וּךָ וְהָיִ֥יתָ לָהֶ֖ם לְנַחֲלָ֑ה וְלֹא־תוֹסִ֥ף ע֖וֹד לְשַׁכְּלָֽם׃ס
Ezekiel 36:13 כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה יַ֚עַן אֹמְרִ֣ים לָכֶ֔ם אֹכֶ֥לֶת אָדָ֖ם אָתִּי וּמְשַׁכֶּ֥לֶת גּוֹיֵךְ הָיִֽית׃
Ezekiel 36:14 לָכֵ֗ן אָדָם֙ לֹא־תֹ֣אכְלִי ע֔וֹד וְגוֹיֵךְ לֹ֣א תְכַשְּׁלִי ע֑וֹד נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
Ezekiel 36:15
וְלֹא־אַשְׁמִ֨יעַ אֵלַ֤יִךְ עוֹד֙ כְּלִמַּ֣ת הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְחֶרְפַּ֥ת עַמִּ֖ים לֹ֣א תִשְׂאִי־ע֑וֹד וְגוֹיֵךְ לֹא־תַכְשִׁ֣לִי ע֔וֹד נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃ס
Ezekiel 36:16
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
And the word of YHWH was to me saying,
Paraphrase: Then another message came to me from YHWH. He said to me,
Comments:
Robertson (p1042) says the word וַיְהִי is close in meaning to και εγενετο.
The word לֵאמֹר marks direct discourse and can be translated with a set of quotation marks.
Ezekiel 36:17
בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם בֵּ֤ית יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יֹשְׁבִ֣ים עַל־אַדְמָתָ֔ם וַיְטַמְּא֣וּ אוֹתָ֔הּ בְּדַרְכָּ֖ם וּבַעֲלִֽילוֹתָ֑ם כְּטֻמְאַת֙ הַנִּדָּ֔ה הָיְתָ֥ה דַרְכָּ֖ם לְפָנָֽי׃
Son of man, the house of Israel was living on their land, and they defiled her by their way and by their evil practices; their way was as the uncleanness of the menstruation before Me.
Paraphrase: My dear child, My people Israel were once living on their own land in peace and prosperity. Alas, My goodness and provision for them did not bring them to love and follow me faithfully. Instead, they polluted the land, which I had given them, by their sinful practices. Their lifestyle was so vile; it was as revolting as a woman’s menstrual cloth. I was thoroughly disgusted with them.
Comments:
Keil writes about the title son of man (p13):
…the use of the God-given name [son of man], 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 (Ezekiel 2:5; 33:33), and that God had not departed with His Spirit from Israel, notwithstanding their banishment among the heathen.
Ezekiel 36:18
וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֤ךְ חֲמָתִי֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם עַל־הַדָּ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁפְכ֣וּ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וּבְגִלּוּלֵיהֶ֖ם טִמְּאֽוּהָ׃
and I poured out on them My heat on account of the blood which they poured out on the land; and by their evil practices, they defiled her.
Paraphrase: I was enraged at the injustice perpetrated against the innocent poor. Anyone who oppresses or 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. (Matthew 18:6) And all the other wickedness which they practiced; it is an endless list of crimes committed against My goodness to them. Even the good land, which I promised to them and to their fathers, they defiled and polluted by their wickedness. It was a holy land, but they were not a holy people. My justice demanded a full satisfaction for this sacrilege.
Comments:
Ezekiel 36:19
וָאָפִ֤יץ אֹתָם֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם וַיִּזָּר֖וּ בָּאֲרָצ֑וֹת כְּדַרְכָּ֥ם וְכַעֲלִילוֹתָ֖ם שְׁפַטְתִּֽים׃
and I caused them to disperse among the nations, and they were scattered among the lands according to their way and according to their wicked deeds, I judged them.
Paraphrase: Therefore, in My anger, I sent them off into exile. I drove them off My holy land which I had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I scattered them far and wide because My justice was burning with anger against them. Guilty! was the verdict; the punishment followed swiftly. I will never allow such wickedness to live on the land which I have consecrated by My presence.
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.
Ezekiel 36:20
וַיָּב֗וֹא אֶל־הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣אוּ שָׁ֔ם וַֽיְחַלְּל֖וּ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קָדְשִׁ֑י בֶּאֱמֹ֤ר לָהֶם֙ עַם־יְהוָ֣ה אֵ֔לֶּה וּמֵאַרְצ֖וֹ יָצָֽאוּ׃
and he came to the nations where they came, and they defiled the Name of My Holiness by saying to them, “The people of YHWH are these,” and from his land, they went forth.
Paraphrase: So Israel left the holy land, which I had promised them, and were taken to unknown lands. This, however, raised another difficulty which caused Me to act again. My Name and reputation were now called into question by the surrounding nations. The report began to spread that I had been defeated and was powerless to help My people. (Numbers 14:16; Jeremiah 33:24) “This is YHWH’s people!” the nations shouted triumphantly. “He was not able to protect them from the power of the gods of the nations who attacked them!”
These nations had no understanding that they were just tools in My hand. I was u sing them to discipline My people. They were just a rod in My hand (Isaiah 10:5) which I used to punish 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.
Ezekiel 36:21
וָאֶחְמֹ֖ל עַל־שֵׁ֣ם קָדְשִׁ֑י אֲשֶׁ֤ר חִלְּל֙וּהוּ֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בַּגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אוּ שָֽׁמָּה׃ס
and I considered the Name of My Holiness, which the house of Israel defiled her, among the nations where they had come.
Paraphrase: Then I decided to deal decisively with this situation. To let these rumors go unanswered would simply bring down My Name, which represents My unapproachable holiness (1 Timothy 6:16), even further. I could not let my exiled people give legs to the rumors that I was just another local deity who had done his best but was finally unsuccessful in defending his land and people.
Comments:
When שָׁם is preceded by the relative pronoun, then the pronoun has the meaning of where; see 1b in BDB.
Ezekiel 36:22
לָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֣ר לְבֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה לֹ֧א לְמַעַנְכֶ֛ם אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶׂ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֤י אִם־לְשֵׁם־קָדְשִׁי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חִלַּלְתֶּ֔ם בַּגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אתֶם שָֽׁם׃
Therefore, speaking to the house of Israel, “Thus says Lord YHWH, not for your sake, I am doing, Oh house of Israel, but for the Name of My Holiness which you profaned among the nations where you came.
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 My perfect and unapproachable holiness, is not profaned and disrespected amongst the nations of this world. They 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. I am acting to vindicate My Name and reputation.
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.
Ezekiel 36:23
וְקִדַּשְׁתִּ֞י אֶת־שְׁמִ֣י הַגָּד֗וֹל הַֽמְחֻלָּל֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר חִלַּלְתֶּ֖ם בְּתוֹכָ֑ם וְיָדְע֨וּ הַגּוֹיִ֜ם כִּי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֗ה נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה בְּהִקָּדְשִׁ֥י בָכֶ֖ם לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃
and I will sanctify My Great Name being profaned among the nations which you profaned in their midst, and the nations will know that I am YHWH.” It is an utterance of Lord YWHW. In My holiness, by you before their eyes.
Paraphrase: On the contrary, My intent is to make a public display of the holiness of My Great Name before all 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 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. (Psalm 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. (Isaiah 40:15) Now when I stand up to deliver My people, this public display will be made. The nations will see what happens to you; and before their very eyes, they will see who really is the Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth.
Comments:
Note the vav-reversive on וְקִדַּשְׁתִּי.
Note that both שְׁמִי and הַגָּדֹול 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.
Delitszch writes (bottom of p12):
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 (Ezekiel 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 (Ezekiel 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 (Ezekiel 3:26, 27; cf. 24:27 and 33:22),—but also the theophany which inaugurated his call to the prophetic office (Ezekiel 1), which, as will appear to us in the course of the exposition, has unmistakably 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.
Ezekiel 36:24
וְלָקַחְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ מִן־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְקִבַּצְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִכָּל־הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמַתְכֶֽם׃
and I will take you from the nations, and I will gather you from all lands and I will cause you to go to your land.
Paraphrase: Now here is what I intend to do. I will gather you up from all the places to which you have been 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:
Ezekiel 36:25
וְזָרַקְתִּ֧י עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם מַ֥יִם טְהוֹרִ֖ים וּטְהַרְתֶּ֑ם מִכֹּ֧ל טֻמְאוֹתֵיכֶ֛ם וּמִכָּל־גִּלּ֥וּלֵיכֶ֖ם אֲטַהֵ֥ר אֶתְכֶֽם׃
and I will sprinkle on you pure water, and you will be clean; from all your uncleannesses and from all your idols, I will purify you.
Paraphrase: Now before you can return to My Holy land, you must be purified. You defiled the land previously, and nothing that defiles can enter My holy land. (Revelation 21:27) Therefore, I will sprinkle pure water on you just as you have seen done to the priests when they were installed into their office. (Exodus 30:20; Numbers 8:7) You have also seen those who touched a dead body cleansed from this impurity by being sprinkled with the water of impurity. (Numbers 19:9) Now in the same way, I will pour water on you and bathe you. I will wash away all the sin which has stained you so deeply. (Jeremiah 13:23) This washing will break your persistent addiction to idolatry. Once it is complete, you will be ready to enter the land which I promised to you and your fathers.
Comments:
Note the water used in the cleansing ritual given us in Numbers 19:18 is not pure water.
Ezekiel 36:26
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 your heart of stone to be removed from your flesh and I will give to you a heart of flesh.
Paraphrase: Now this cleansing will deal not only with sin but with the very source of sin. You have a bad heart that is addicted to idolatry. It’s like your heart is made of rock; nothing can break it away from its idols. No amount of threatening, punishment or persuasion seems to have any effect on it. 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 now 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 and desires to follow Me, a heart that loves My covenant, loves My people and loves My ways. Now your heart will do all this because I will give you My Holy Spirit in a very special way.
Comments:
Ezekiel 36:27
וְאֶת־רוּחִ֖י אֶתֵּ֣ן בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וְעָשִׂ֗יתִי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־בְּחֻקַּי֙ תֵּלֵ֔כוּ וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֥י תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶֽם׃
and My Spirit, I put within you and I will do [it]; in order that in My statutes, you might walk and my judgments, you might observe and do.
Paraphrase: I will send Him to you and direct Him to take up His residence in your soul. (John 14:17; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19) The purpose of this will be to accomplish what you were never able to do yourselves. (Acts 13:39; Galatians 3:19-25) My Spirit will begin His glorious ministry which only He can do (Romans 8:6-8); He will bring you to love and serve Me with all your heart. (Romans 8:14)
Comments:
Gesenius says (p531) that in this verse, a final [or purpose] clause is introduced by אֵת אֲשֶׁר.
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). Subjunctive is a probably a more familiar term.
On the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, see Smeaton (p74), Flavel, Owen, Pohle.
Ezekiel 36:28
וִישַׁבְתֶּ֣ם בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם וִהְיִ֤יתֶם לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וְאָ֣נֹכִ֔י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃
and you will live in the land which I gave to your fathers, and you will be for Me, and I will be for you for a God.
Paraphrase: Then you will live in the land as you did before. The promise I made to your fathers will be realized. (Genesis 12:7; 26:3; 28:13; Numbers 33:53) Your heart will be for Me and Me alone. Idols will hold no attraction for you anymore. From your side, you will be like a new bride who adores her husband and follows him everywhere. (Jeremiah 2:2) On my part, I will be your husband (Isaiah 54:5) and will care and provide for you every step of the way. Just as an eagle stirs up its nest and hovers over its young; she spreads her wings and catches them, so will I carry you on My wings and cover you with my feathers. (Deuteronomy 32:11) I will guard you as one would guard the pupil of His eye. (Deuteronomy 32:10)
Comments:
Ezekiel 36:29
וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִכֹּ֖ל טֻמְאֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְקָרָ֤אתִי אֶל־הַדָּגָן֙ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֣י אֹת֔וֹ וְלֹא־אֶתֵּ֥ן עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם רָעָֽב׃
and I will rescue you from all your impurities and I will call to the grain and I will cause it to multiply and I will not give to you famine.
Paraphrase: As your God, I will rescue you from the consequences of your impurity. Your defiling of My land calls for punishment; instead, I will cleanse away your sin and never mention it again. Then I will call out to the seeds which you will plant and tell them to rise up out of the soil and to bear a bumper crop. Famine will be unheard of.
Comments:
Ezekiel 36:30
וְהִרְבֵּיתִי֙ אֶת־פְּרִ֣י הָעֵ֔ץ וּתְנוּבַ֖ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה לְמַ֗עַן אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹ֣א תִקְח֥וּ ע֛וֹד חֶרְפַּ֥ת רָעָ֖ב בַּגּוֹיִֽם׃
and I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field in in order that you might not receive again ridicule of famine by the nations.
Paraphrase: I will also cause fruit trees to grow an abundantly (Ezekiel 47:12) and to provide a rich harvest. The field crops will also be abundant and and provide plenty for everyone. Never again will the surrounding nations ridicule you because you are experiencing a drought or famine. It will be abundantly clear that the God of Israel is the real Sovereign of heaven and earth.
Comments:
Spurrell writes (p181) that לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר is a stronger conjunction than כִּי. He says that it always introduces intent. We had a similar construction in v27 only without the לְמַעַן.
Ezekiel 36:31
וּזְכַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־דַּרְכֵיכֶ֣ם הָרָעִ֔ים וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־טוֹבִ֑ים וּנְקֹֽטֹתֶם֙ בִּפְנֵיכֶ֔ם עַ֚ל עֲוֺנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעַ֖ל תּוֹעֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
and you will remember your evil ways and your wicked practices, which were not good, and you will detest your face on account of your depravity and on account of your sins.
Paraphrase: At times, you will reflect back on all what you did against me in those days of your rebellion. (Psalm 51:3) Then you will see clearly how terrible your ingratitude was and just how low you had 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 hate yourself when you think of it. 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!” (Psalm 51:11) “Woe is me!” you will lament. (Isaiah 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) How different you see these actions now! Once you were so proud of your achievements; now you wonder how you ever did such things.
Comments:
Ezekiel 36:32
לֹ֧א לְמַעַנְכֶ֣ם אֲנִֽי־עֹשֶׂ֗ה נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה יִוָּדַ֖ע לָכֶ֑ם בּ֧וֹשׁוּ וְהִכָּלְמ֛וּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֖ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ס
Not for your sake, I am doing. It is an utterance of Lord YHWH. Be it known to you! Be ashamed and be humiliated for 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 and reputation 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 with shame and embarrassment since it is your sin which made this action of mine necessary. Your proper place is to abhor yourself and to repent in dust and ashes (Job 42:6) and to resolve on a new course of life.
Comments:
Ezekiel 36:33
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה בְּיוֹם֙ טַהֲרִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִכֹּ֖ל עֲוֺנֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהֽוֹשַׁבְתִּי֙ אֶת־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים וְנִבְנ֖וּ הֶחֳרָבֽוֹת׃
Thus says Lord YHWH, “In the day, I purified you from all your depravity, and I will populate the cities, and they will rebuild the ruins.
Paraphrase: Now listen to what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying. “My dear people, I will purify you from all your wickedness; and when I do this, I will then cause you to return to your land. You will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them.
Comments:
The nifal of בָּנָה means to rebuild.
Ezekiel 36:34
וְהָאָ֥רֶץ הַנְּשַׁמָּ֖ה תֵּֽעָבֵ֑ד תַּ֚חַת אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיְתָ֣ה שְׁמָמָ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־עוֹבֵֽר׃
and the land, being desolate, will be worked instead of being desolate to the eyes of every passerby.
Paraphrase: You will return to your fields again and instead of their being a desolate wasteland, they will now be full of grain and fruit. The harvest will be plentiful.
Comments:
For תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר see BDB (left column #3a p1066).
Ezekiel 36:35
וְאָמְר֗וּ הָאָ֤רֶץ הַלֵּ֙זוּ֙ הַנְּשַׁמָּ֔ה הָיְתָ֖ה כְּגַן־עֵ֑דֶן וְהֶעָרִ֧ים הֶחֳרֵב֛וֹת וְהַֽנְשַׁמּ֥וֹת וְהַנֶּהֱרָס֖וֹת בְּצוּר֥וֹת יָשָֽׁבוּ׃
and they will say, “This desolate land has become as the garden of Eden, and the cities, dry, desolate, and ruined, are fortified and are inhabited.”
Paraphrase: Now the astonished nations will comment with surprise. “Look!” they say, “The land of Israel has become like the garden of Eden. It is the most beautiful, well-watered, and prospering land on earth. There is nothing like it for beauty. The cities used to be ghost-towns and were in ruins, but look at them now! They are strong and well-fortified. They are flourishing with many residents. Families and children (Zechariah 8:5) and people of all types are coming and going.”
Comments:
Ezekiel 36:36
וְיָדְע֣וּ הַגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽשָּׁאֲרוּ֮ סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶם֒ כִּ֣י׀ אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֗ה בָּנִ֙יתִי֙ הַנֶּ֣הֱרָס֔וֹת נָטַ֖עְתִּי הַנְּשַׁמָּ֑ה אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִֽׂיתִי׃ס
and the nations which are left surrounding you will know that I am YHWH; I have rebuilt the ruined places, I have planted the desolate places; I am YHWH; I spoke and I will do.
Paraphrase: The nations will then see with their own eyes. They will see that I am YHWH and that I am the Great Sovereign of heaven and earth. They will see that I have brought my people back to their land. They will see the desolate land bearing fruit and bringing forth abundant harvests showing clearly that the gods of the nations are no gods at all. (Isaiah 37:19) “Surely the God of this people is the greatest of all the kings of earth.” they will remark. (Psalm 86:8) I am YHWH; I have promised to do this, and I will surely do it.
Comments:
Ezekiel 36:37
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה ע֗וֹד זֹ֛את אִדָּרֵ֥שׁ לְבֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לָהֶ֑ם אַרְבֶּ֥ה אֹתָ֛ם כַּצֹּ֖אן אָדָֽם׃
Thus says Lord YHWH, yet this I will be inquired by the house of Israel to do for them; I will cause them, the people, to increase as a flock.
Paraphrase: Now listen carefully, My people. All this I will surely do for you, not because you have done anything to deserve it, certainly not. I will do it for the sake of My own Name and reputation. Let me clarify something, however. Do not think that because I am going to do this for you that you have nothing at all to do but to wait for it to happen. On the contrary, it is My will that you should be in prayer for this blessing and ask Me earnestly to do it. Previously, I had refused to even listen to your inquiries because your idolatry was so blatant. (Ezekiel 14:3; 20:3) Now, however, things have changed. Because of the new heart which I have given you and because of My Spirit dwelling within you, now your prayers are like sweet smelling incense. (Proverbs 15:8) I am glorified by such prayers (Daniel 9:3); it is My pleasure to receive them. It is My delight to come down and to pour out the richest blessings on you. I will surely cause you to flourish and to multiply greatly like a flock of sheep when it is healthy and well provided for. As we sing so often, “So the nations will fear the Name of the LORD And all the kings of the earth Your glory. For the LORD has built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory. He has regarded the prayer of the destitute and has not despised their prayer.” (Psalm 102:15-17)
Comments:
Gesenius (§51c) and most modern translations take the nifal as having a permissive meaning: I will let Myself be inquired of…
Gill (p212): …for though God has promised and will perform, yet He expects that His people will apply to Him for it; it is our duty to put the Lord in mind of His promises, to plead them with Him, and pray unto Him for the fulfilment of them.
Brooks (p222): Now gracious promises are God’s bonds [covenants], and He loves to see His people put them in suit [a legal petition]. God expects that we should be His remembrancers, and that we should pray over His promises. When He had promised great things to his people concerning justification, sanctification, and preservation, he subjoins, ‘Yet, I will for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it,’ Ezek. 36:37. God looks that we should spread His gracious promises before Him, as Hezekiah did Sennacherib’s letter. God is never better pleased than when His people importune Him in His own words, and urge Him with arguments taken from His own promises.
Ezekiel 36:38
כְּצֹ֣אן קָֽדָשִׁ֗ים כְּצֹ֤אן יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ בְּמ֣וֹעֲדֶ֔יהָ כֵּ֤ן תִּהְיֶ֙ינָה֙ הֶעָרִ֣ים הֶחֳרֵב֔וֹת מְלֵא֖וֹת צֹ֣אן אָדָ֑ם וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ס
As the flocks of My holiness, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed times; thus the ruined cities will be a full flock of men and they will know that I am YHWH.
Paraphrase: Just like on those days when there is a feast in Jerusalem and the streets are packed with animals meant for sacrifice, so will My people multiply in their cities. The towns will flourish and grow with people coming and going constantly. Then My people will know and rejoice in the fact that I am the Great Sovereign of heaven and earth; the Great King YHWH.
Comments: