Wherever you dwell: New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh takes this clause with the previous sentence, saying “and scatter your bones around your altars 7 in all your settlements.” This is possible, but most other translations follow Revised Standard Version by attaching this clause to what follows; for example, New Century Version has “In all the places you live,” Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie say “Wherever you live,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “In all Israel.” The pronoun you refers to the people of Israel.

Your cities shall be waste and your high places ruined: Cities may be rendered “towns” (New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The Hebrew verb rendered be waste (charav) is very similar in meaning to the one translated “become desolate” (shamam) in verse 4. The original meaning of both these verbs is “deserted” or “uninhabited,” that is, “where no one lives or goes,” but they can sometimes have the extended meaning of “destroyed” or “ruined.” The two words are often used together in Ezekiel. Possible renderings for be waste are “be destroyed” (Good News Translation), “lie in ruins” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), and “become empty” (New Century Version). For high places, see the comments on Ezek 6.3. The Hebrew verb rendered be … ruined (yasham) comes from the same root as the one translated “become desolate” in verse 4 (see the comments there). Here it may be rendered “be deserted” or “be destroyed.” God is the one who will cause these things to happen. Languages that require active verbs here may render the first half of this verse as “Wherever you live, I will make your cities into ruins and will destroy your shrines of worship.” Your cities and your high places is literally “the cities” and “the high places.” Revised Standard Version adds the pronoun your to make clear what places God has in mind. Here God may be talking to the people of Israel, or to the mountains and the other areas of Israel again (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). A model that views the land of Israel as the addressee is “Wherever the people of Israel live, I will leave the cities in ruin and destroy the shrines of worship.”

So that your altars will be waste and ruined: Here Ezekiel gives the reason why the cities and shrines will be destroyed by God and deserted. New Century Version says “your altars will become lonely ruins.” Be waste renders the same Hebrew verb (charav) as in the first half of the verse. Instead of be … ruined, the Hebrew text has “be made guilty” (see the Revised Standard Version footnote), which means “be desecrated” or “be made unclean” in this context. The Hebrew word for “be made guilty” (ʾasham) is very similar to the one for be … ruined (yasham). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends following the Hebrew text, saying “be desecrated.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and La Bible Pléiade follow this reading. There is probably a play on words here with the true meaning being an ambiguous mixture between the two readings. Therefore either meaning is acceptable. Translators may render this clause as “so that your altars will be ruined and no longer sacred [or, fit for worship]” or “so that your altars will be destroyed and in ruins.”

Your idols broken and destroyed: Idols renders the same Hebrew word as in verses 4-5. Once again New Jerusalem Bible says “foul idols.” Broken means they will be “smashed to pieces” (Good News Translation; see Ezek 6.4). The Hebrew verb rendered destroyed means “bring to an end.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “annihilated,” that is, cease to exist. Translators may render this clause as “your idols will be destroyed and will no longer be usable” or “I will destroy your idols so that they can no longer be used.”

Your incense altars cut down: For incense altars, see Ezek 6.4. The Hebrew verb rendered cut down is a strong word, which may be translated “chopped down.” This clause may be translated “I will chop down your stands for burning incense.”

And your works wiped out: Everything the Israelites made to worship their false gods will be totally destroyed. New Century Version renders your works as “the things you made.” The Hebrew verb translated wiped out is a very strong word meaning “obliterate,” “blot out,” or “totally destroy” (see Gen 7.23; Deut 25.6; Jdg 21.17; Psa 109.13-14). This clause may be translated “I will totally destroy all the religious objects that you’ve made.”

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 .