And say, Thus says the Lord GOD: The traditional prophetic formula Thus says the Lord GOD emphasizes God’s message and gives it authority. Lord renders the Hebrew word ʾadonai, and GOD renders “Yahweh” (YHWH in Hebrew).

Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: Behold renders the emphatic Hebrew word hinneh. Here it highlights the following message of God’s judgment on Gog. I am against you is a common expression in Ezekiel when God is about to judge people (see the comments on 5.8). Here it may be rendered “I am your enemy” (New Living Translation). O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal (see the previous verse) is a vocative expression, showing that God is addressing him directly. In many languages the vocative is normally first in the sentence, for example, “O Gog, you chief leader of Meshech and Tubal, I am your enemy.” God’s direct address to Gog continues until the end of verse 9, which is evident from the second person pronouns referring to Gog. Good News Translation puts all of God’s words to Gog in verses 3b-9 into indirect speech, referring to Gog in the third person, so the vocative is out of place.

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 .