Ezekiel 18:21-29

21 1"But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does 2what is just and right, 3he shall surely live; he shall not die.
22 4None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live.
23 5Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
24 6But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? 7None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for 8the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
25 9"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?
26 10When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die.
27 Again, 11when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life.
28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
29 Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

Ezekiel 18:21-29 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 11

  • 1. See ver. 27
  • 2. ver. 5, 19
  • 3. ver. 9
  • 4. Ezekiel 33:16
  • 5. ver. 32; Ezekiel 33:11; 1 Timothy 2:4, 6; 2 Peter 3:9; [Titus 2:11]
  • 6. Ezekiel 3:20; Ezekiel 33:12, 13, 18
  • 7. [2 Peter 2:20, 21]
  • 8. See Ezekiel 14:13
  • 9. Ezekiel 33:17, 20
  • 10. [See ver. 24 above]
  • 11. ver. 21; Ezekiel 33:19; [Ezekiel 13:22; Ezekiel 33:11, 12]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.