My last post took for granted, as a starting point, that @Johann rendition of the sentence in the future is grammatically correct.
However, for the record, here is a list of the 57 translations to Ezekiel 18:31 available through Bible Gateway. None of them renders the renewal of the heart and spirit in the future. All of them render the renewal as an imperative. This in includes the Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB).
Well thank you-why consult the other translation when a prophetic future is mentioned?
The future tense used in Ezekiel 18:31 (v’natati lachem lev chadash v’ruach chadashah)
reflects a prophetic future, which is a common feature in biblical Hebrew. This grammatical and syntactical construction is used to express a divine promise or declaration of future action, often tied to the covenantal relationship between God and His people.
Prophetic Future in Biblical Hebrew
Divine Agency:
The speaker in the verse is God, addressing
His people. The prophetic future often involves God declaring what He will do to fulfill His purposes, indicating certainty and divine sovereignty.
The Vav-Consecutive with the Perfect Form:
The verb v’natati (וְנָתַתִּי), which is perfect in form but prefixed by the vav-consecutive (וְ), transforms the action into a future tense.
In prophetic language, this construction emphasizes the surety of fulfillment, as though the action has already been completed from God’s perspective.
Covenantal Renewal Context:
The promise of a "new heart" (lev chadash) and "new spirit" (ruach chadashah) is tied to themes of spiritual renewal and restoration.
This aligns with the prophetic tradition, where future declarations often concern Israel's return to righteousness, reconciliation with God, and the fulfillment of eschatological promises.
Prophetic Style and Imagery:
Ezekiel frequently uses symbolic and eschatological language to describe future events, especially restoration and divine intervention.
The "new heart" and "new spirit" metaphorically represent internal transformation, a key aspect of prophetic visions for Israel's future.
Interpretation as Prophetic Future
The verse's prophetic nature is reinforced by its context:
It forms part of a larger discourse on repentance, renewal, and individual responsibility (Ezekiel 18:30–32).
The promise of internal renewal is
forward-looking, emphasizing God’s intent to transform His people in a future era of restoration.
While the grammar (vav-consecutive with the perfect form) signals future action, the context and divine declaration classify it as a prophetic future, rooted in God's sovereign will and redemptive plan.
Septuagint Text of Ezekiel 18:31
ἀπόστρεψον ἀφ' ὑμῶν πάσας τὰς ἀνομίας ὑμῶν καὶ ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς καρδίαν καινὴν καὶ πνεῦμα καινόν.
Transliteration:
apostrepson aph' hymōn pasas tas anomias hymōn kai poiēsate heautois kardian kainēn kai pneuma kainon.
Translation:
"Turn away from all your iniquities, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit."
Analysis of Future Aspect in the LXX
Grammatical Shift in the LXX:
The Hebrew verb v'natati ("I will give") is rendered in the LXX
with an imperative form: ποιήσατε ("make"),
suggesting a command rather than a direct promise of God's future action.
The imperative (poiēsate) emphasizes the human role in the renewal process, calling for active repentance and transformation.
Future Tense Adjustments:
The LXX changes the original Hebrew emphasis from a divine future action (I will give) to a human responsibility (make for yourselves).
While this alters the nuance of the text, the underlying prophetic intent remains: the verse is still forward-looking, envisioning a transformation necessary for reconciliation with God.
Contextual Consistency:
The LXX aligns with the immediate exhortation in Ezekiel 18 for repentance and a changed heart, while the Hebrew MT places stronger emphasis on God's future intervention in granting the transformation.
Conclusion on the Future Aspect in the LXX
The LXX downplays the explicitly divine future promise found in the Hebrew text by rephrasing it as a call to human action, but the eschatological and prophetic implications remain. The prophetic future in the Hebrew emphasizes God’s sovereignty, while the LXX highlights human accountability, reflecting a subtle theological shift rather than a complete departure from the future-oriented vision of renewal.
J.
erforming an ACTION OR ACTIVITY that is done, as incompletely as the preceding action, in the future or present by a male or female person or thing that is speaking or writing this
