Ezekiel43:11

Translation

(Oh that

they would become ashamed of all they have done.)

Make known to them the design of the temple – its arrangement, its exits and entrances – its entire design and all its regulations, its entire structure and all its laws. Write these down while in their sight so that they may be faithful to its design and put to practice all its regulations.

Paraphrase

(My desire is that they will see the truths I have woven into the temple and become ashamed of all that they have done.) So, make known to them the design which reveals the purpose for the temple, how it is laid out to connect them to me, its

emphasis on coming to me in the proper way and leaving a different person, every aspect of its purpose with its

accompanying instructions, all the life-lessons this physical structure can teach, and all the teaching methods that go with it. Give them a copy that they know has not been altered, so they will live according to the purpose it exhibits, and obey all its instructions.

Footnotes

1

What I have rendered as “Oh that” is often translated “if” or “when.” But it can mean “Lo,” short for “look,” or it can mean “Oh that!” which is what I have chosen for this passage.

2

It seems best to make this a parenthetical clause. Some have translated it as an “if…then” statement, “if they are ashamed…make known to them…” But I think God wanted the prophet to make this known to them regardless of their response. Its proclamation was tied to the first part as one body of truth. It was not two sections, the second of which would be delivered if they were ashamed sufficiently. It was all together with a parenthetical wish thrown in the middle.