And I will judge you as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged: Women who break wedlock are adulterers, and women who shed blood are murderers. Thus God will impose on the girl the same penalties that apply to adulterers and murderers, namely, death (see Lev 20.10; 24.17). Good News Translation says “I will condemn you for adultery and murder,” and New Century Version has “I will punish you as women guilty of adultery or as murderers are punished.” Another possible model is “I will punish you as people punish women who are guilty of adultery or murder.”

And bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy clearly indicates that the girl will die because of her sins. Bring upon you the blood means “punish you with death” (Good News Translation). The Hebrew word for wrath has the idea of a burning emotion inside a person, and the word for jealousy refers to a very strong, intense emotion that can be positive or negative (see the comments on 5.13). In English the word “jealous” has the idea of marital suspicion. In this context, where God is judging his unfaithful wife, such a meaning might be appropriate, but it is far better to interpret these two words of emotion as both referring to intense anger here. They may be combined by saying “burning rage” or “fierce anger” (Contemporary English Version).

A model for this verse is:

• When I judge you, I will give you the same sentence as those women who commit adultery and murder. I will sentence you to death in my burning rage.

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 .