And you, son of man: For son of man (International Children’s Bible “human being”),

Will you judge, will you judge the bloody city?: Although the Hebrew text has a question here and many translations render it as a question, it is best to translate it as a very strong command (compare 20.4); for example, Moffatt has “arraign, arraign the bloody city” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “get ready to judge the city of murderers!” The verb judge is repeated for emphasis. In this context the Hebrew word for judge means “bring a charge against” (so Revised English Bible). This word often means “punish” in the book (see, for example, 7.3), but clearly Ezekiel is not being asked to do that. Rather, he is to present the sins of Jerusalem in the way that someone brings charges against a criminal in a court of law. The bloody city is Jerusalem. This phrase is literally “city of the bloods,” which refers to the murders that have occurred in Jerusalem. New Jerusalem Bible says “the blood-stained city,” and Good News Translation has “the city that is full of murderers.” Even though both Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie identify the city as Jerusalem, it is better not to do so and instead to follow Good News Translation. The first half of this verse may be rendered “Human being, get ready to bring charges, yes, get ready to charge that murderous city!”

Declare to her all her abominable deeds may be rendered “make clear to her all the disgusting things she has done” (Good News Translation) or “tell her about all her detestable actions.” For abominable deeds, which refer primarily to the worship of false gods, see 5.9.

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 .