# the word of Yahweh came

This is an idiom that is used to introduce something that God told his prophets or his people. See how you translated this in [Ezekiel 3:16](../03/16.md). AT: "Yahweh spoke this message" or "Yahweh spoke these words" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])

# Now you, son of man, will you judge? Will you judge the city of blood?

This rhetorical question functions as a command. AT. "Son of man, go and judge. Go and judge the city of blood." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# son of man

"son of a human being" or "son of humanity." God calls Ezekiel this to emphasize that Ezekiel is only a human being. God is eternal and powerful, but humans are not. See how you translated this in [Ezekiel 2:1](../02/01.md). AT: "mortal person" or "human"

# the city of blood

The word "blood" is a metonym for murder. AT: "the city where many people murder their neighbors" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# her ... herself

The word "her" refers to Jerusalem. Cities were often thought of as a woman. This continues through verse 32. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])

# This is a city that pours ... her midst

Here the "city" represents the people who live there. AT: "The people who live in this city pour ... its midst" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# that pours out blood in her midst

The word "blood" is a metonym for murder. AT: "where many people murder their neighbors" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# so that her time may come

This refers to the time when Yahweh will destroy them. AT: "so that the time of her destruction may come" or "so that the time may come for her to be destroyed" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# unclean

A person who God considers spiritually unacceptable or defiled is spoken of as if the person were physically unclean. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/wordofgod]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/sonofman]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/judge]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/blood]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/know]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/abomination]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/lordyahweh]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/falsegod]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/clean]]