There are men in you who slander to shed blood: Some people in Jerusalem told lies in court so that other people would be condemned and executed. Although the text has men here and in the next two clauses, the term refers to “people” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version), that is, men and women. Contemporary English Version provides a good model for this clause, saying “Some of your own people tell lies, so that others will be put to death” (similarly Good News Translation).

And men in you who eat upon the mountains: Eat upon the mountains refers to eating food sacrificed to false gods in the shrines on mountains (see 18.6). Good News Translation provides a good model here, saying “Some of them eat sacrifices offered to idols,” and so does New Century Version with “The people in you eat food offered to idols at the mountain places of worship.”

Men commit lewdness in your midst: The Hebrew word for lewdness is a general term for morally unacceptable and detestable actions, especially of a sexual nature (see 16.27, where it is rendered “lewd behavior”). New Century Version says “sexual sins.” This clause may be translated “they sin by having sex in ways [or, with people] that I have forbidden.” Again, the repetition of in you and in your midst stresses that the people were doing these sins inside the holy city.

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 .