He will slay with the sword your daughters on the mainland: See Ezek 26.6. Although Nebuchadnezzar is the subject here, he will not do this alone—the soldiers of his army will do it for him. This clause may be rendered “His army will kill with their swords [or, in battle] the people who live in your villages on the shore across from the island.”

He will set up a siege wall against you: A siege wall is a wooden tower or earthen mound built outside a city wall so that soldiers can shoot arrows over the wall into the city (see 4.2). This clause may be rendered “They will build towers to attack you.”

And throw up a mound against you means they will pile up dirt against the city wall as a ramp (see 4.2). Translators may say “and they will build a mound of dirt against your walls in order to attack you.”

And raise a roof of shields against you is literally “and he will raise a shield on you.” Revised Standard Version understands this clause to refer to the Roman military practice called the Tortoise. When Roman soldiers attacked a city wall, they interlocked their shields above their heads for protection against the arrows and spears of the enemy. This technique was only invented later—the Babylonians did not use it. Rather, the Babylonians set up large shields to protect their archers as they shot arrows at those who were defending a city. Revised English Bible renders a roof of shields as “a screen of shields,” Contemporary English Version has “rows of shields,” and Good News Translation says “a solid wall of shields.” Translators may also say “rows of shields for the soldiers to stand behind for protection [or, so that they will not be shot with arrows or spears].” Against you means against Tyre. Some translators may need to expand this phrase slightly to “ready to attack you.”

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 .