Although God decided not to completely destroy the people he had led out of Egypt, he punished them in a different way—he did not allow them to reach the goal of the Promised Land.

Moreover renders the same emphatic Hebrew connector as in verse 12, but here it introduces a contrast, so it is better translated “Instead” (Contemporary English Version), “However” (Revised English Bible), or “But” (New Living Translation).

I swore to them in the wilderness …: For I swore, see Ezek 20.5; for the wilderness, see verse 10.

That I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands: See Ezek 20.6. In some languages the verb bring is better rendered “lead” (Contemporary English Version) or “take” (Good News Translation) to avoid misunderstanding. It does not mean toward the readers.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .