And make a desolation: Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation both follow the Septuagint here, but the Hebrew reads literally “Make the rattoq.” This is the only place in the Bible where the Hebrew word rattoq is used, so its meaning is not certain, but its root seems to mean “bind” or “tie up” with rope. So this clause may be a call to prepare plenty of rope to tie up the Israelite prisoners of war after the city of Jerusalem is defeated. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends this meaning, but all the commentaries warn that we cannot be certain. Nor is it clear who is commanded to do this. It does not fit the context for God to be ordering Ezekiel to do it. It is better to take it as a general order to some undefined person or people. A possible model for this clause is “Get ready the rope to tie up the prisoners.” If translators follow this interpretation, it will be necessary to follow Good News Translation and start a new paragraph at the beginning of this verse, not halfway through it as Revised Standard Version does.

Because the land is full of bloody crimes and the city is full of violence explains why God will punish the Israelites. It is because the people are always committing murder and treating others unfairly. Bloody crimes is literally “judgment of bloods,” which refers to the way wicked rulers use the laws and bend the rules to condemn their less powerful opponents to death just to get rid of them. As in verse 15, the city probably refers to all the cities of Israel (so Good News Translation), not just the city of Jerusalem. For the Hebrew word rendered violence, see verse 11. The last half of this verse may be rendered “For everywhere in the land the people are committing murder. Throughout the cities they treat other people unjustly [or, In the cities injustice is everywhere].”

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 .