Ezekiel 18:2-20

2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: “ ‘The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

3 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.

4 For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.

5 “Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right.

6 He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or have sexual relations with a woman during her period.

7 He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked.

8 He does not lend to them at interest or take a profit from them. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between two parties.

9 He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD.

10 “Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things^[a]

11 (though the father has done none of them): “He eats at the mountain shrines. He defiles his neighbor’s wife.

12 He oppresses the poor and needy. He commits robbery. He does not return what he took in pledge. He looks to the idols. He does detestable things.

13 He lends at interest and takes a profit. Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.

14 “But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:

15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.

16 He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked.

17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor and takes no interest or profit from them. He keeps my laws and follows my decrees. He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live.

18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.

19 “Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live.

20 The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.

Ezekiel 18:2-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 18

This chapter contains an answer to an objection of the Jews to the dealings of God with them in a providential way. The objection is expressed in a proverb of common use among them, and complained of as being without cause, Eze 18:1,2; however, for the future, no occasion should be given them to use it; for, though God could justify his proceedings upon the foot of his sovereignty, all souls being his; yet he was determined none but the sinner himself should suffer, Eze 18:3,4; and puts various cases for the illustration and vindication of his proceedings; as that a just man, who is described by his proper characters, as abstaining from several sins specified, and doing what is right and good, should surely live, Eze 18:5-9; but that the son of such a just man, being the reverse of his father's character, should surely die, Eze 18:10-13; and again, the son of such a wicked man, observing the heinousness of his father's sins, and abstaining from them, though his father should die in his iniquities, he should not die for them, but live, Eze 18:14-18; by which it appears that the dealings of God with the Jews were not according to the proverb used by them, but quite agreeable to his resolution; that the sinner, be he a father or a son, shall die for his own sins; and that the righteous man's righteousness shall be upon him, and the wicked man's sin upon him, and accordingly both shall be dealt with, Eze 18:19,20; which is further illustrated by a wicked man's turning from his sinful course, and doing righteousness, and living in that righteousness he has done; which is more agreeable to God that he should live, and not die in sin, Eze 18:21-23; and by a righteous man turning from his righteousness, and living a vicious life, and dying in it, Eze 18:24; from both which instances this conclusion follows, that God is to be justified; and that his ways are equal, and the Jews' ways were unequal, and their complaint unjust, Eze 18:25; and the same instances are repeated in a different order, and the same conclusion formed, Eze 18:26-29; upon which the Lord determines to judge them according to their own ways, their personal actions, good or bad; and exhorts them to repentance and reformation; and closes with a pathetic expostulation, with them, Eze 18:30-32.

Cross References

• 1. S Job 21:19; Isaiah 3:15; Jeremiah 31:29; Lamentations 5:7
• 2. S Psalms 49:4
• 3. S 2 Kings 14:6; S Proverbs 13:21
• 4. ver 20; S Genesis 18:23; S Exodus 17:14; S Job 21:20; Isaiah 42:5; Ezekiel 33:8; S Romans 6:23
• 5. S Ezekiel 6:2; Ezekiel 22:9
• 6. Deuteronomy 4:19; S Ezekiel 6:13; Ezekiel 20:24; Amos 5:26
• 7. S Leviticus 12:2; S Leviticus 15:24
• 8. Exodus 22:21; Malachi 3:5; James 5:4
• 9. S Exodus 22:26; Deuteronomy 24:12
• 10. S Exodus 20:15
• 11. S Job 22:7
• 12. Deuteronomy 15:11; S Ezekiel 16:49; S Matthew 25:36; Luke 3:11
• 13. S Exodus 18:21; Exodus 22:25; S Leviticus 25:35-37; Deuteronomy 23:19-20
• 14. S Jeremiah 22:3; Zechariah 8:16
• 15. S Leviticus 19:37
• 16. Habakkuk 2:4
• 17. S Leviticus 18:5; S Ezekiel 11:12; Ezekiel 20:11; Amos 5:4
• 18. Exodus 21:12; Ezekiel 22:6
• 19. Ezekiel 22:9
• 20. S Exodus 22:22; S Job 24:9; Amos 4:1
• 21. S Exodus 22:27
• 22. 2 Kings 21:11; Isaiah 59:6-7; S Jeremiah 22:17; Ezekiel 8:6,17; S Ezekiel 16:49; Habakkuk 2:6
• 23. Exodus 22:25
• 24. S Leviticus 20:9; Ezekiel 33:4-5; Hosea 12:14
• 25. 2 Chronicles 34:21; S Proverbs 23:24
• 26. Ezekiel 22:9
• 27. S Psalms 24:4
• 28. Isaiah 58:7
• 29. S Exodus 22:27; Psalms 41:1; Isaiah 58:10; S Ezekiel 16:49
• 30. S Psalms 1:2
• 31. Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9; Jeremiah 15:4; Zechariah 1:3-6
• 32. S Numbers 15:31
• 33. Deuteronomy 24:16; S 1 Kings 8:32; 2 Kings 14:6; Isaiah 3:11; S Ezekiel 7:27; S Ezekiel 14:14; S Matthew 16:27; John 9:2; Romans 2:9

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "things to a brother"