Yet your people say: Again God quotes what the Israelites are saying. Yet renders well the Hebrew waw conjunction (literally “And”), since it introduces a surprising response of the people. Other good connectors here are “But” (New Jerusalem Bible) and “In spite of that” (New International Reader’s Version).
The way of the Lord is not just: This quotation is the same as in 18.25 (see the comments there). The people feel that it is unfair for God to disregard all the good things a person has done, even though that person has later turned to evil, and they also feel it is wrong for God not to punish wicked people, just because they have turned away from evil. The way of the Lord refers to the way God treats people. It may be rendered “What the Lord does” (similarly Good News Translation). The Lord does not render the personal name of God but the Hebrew word ʾadonai, which means “chief” or “boss.” The Hebrew expression rendered not just refers to something that does not measure up against a standard. Some translations say “unfair” (Contemporary English Version) or “not fair” (New Century Version, New King James Version , New American Bible), which fits perfectly in the people’s charge against God, but is less appropriate for the later part of the verse. “Isn’t right” (Good News Translation) fits both parts of the verse better. Translators may use indirect discourse here by beginning this verse with “However, your people accuse me of not doing the right thing” (similarly Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).
When it is their own way that is not just is God’s answer to the people’s accusation that he doesn’t do what is right (compare 18.25). The emphatic Hebrew expression here (literally “And they, their way is not right”) challenges and contradicts the people’s belief. They are the ones who do what is wrong. When is better translated “But” (Contemporary English Version, New International Reader’s Version, New Century Version) or “No” (Good News Translation). This clause may be rendered “But in fact, it is what they do that is not right.”
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 .