Ezekiel 18:22-32

22 I shall not have mind of all his wickednesses which he wrought; he shall live in his rightfulness which he wrought. (I shall not remember all his wickednesses which he did; he shall live in his righteousness, or because of his righteous deeds, which he hath done.)

23 Whether the death of the wicked man is of my will, saith the Lord God, and not that he be converted from his ways, and live? (Is the death of the wicked person my desire, saith the Lord God, and not, rather, that he be turned from his evil ways, and so live?)

24 Forsooth if a just man turneth away himself from his rightfulness, and doeth wickedness by all his abominations, which a wicked man is wont to work, whether he shall live? All his rightfulnesses which he did, shall not be had in mind; in his trespassing by which he trespassed, and in his sin which he sinned, he shall die in those. (And if a just person turneth himself away from his righteousness, and doeth wickedness with all his abominations, which a wicked person is wont to do, shall he live? Nay! All his righteousness which he did, shall not be remembered; and in the trespassing by which he trespassed, and in the sin in which he sinned, in those he shall die.)

25 And ye said, The way of the Lord is not even. Therefore, the house of Israel, hear ye, whether my way is not even, and not more, your ways be depraved? (And ye said, The way of the Lord is not equal, or not fair. And so, O house of Israel, hear ye, is not my way equal, or fair, and not only that, but that your ways be depraved?)

26 For when a rightful man turneth away himself from his rightfulness, and doeth wickedness, he shall die in it; he shall die in the unrightfulness which he wrought. (For when a righteous person turneth himself away from his righteousness, and doeth wickedness, he shall die in it; he shall die in the unrighteousness which he hath done.)

27 And when a wicked man turneth away himself from his wickedness which he wrought, and doeth doom and rightfulness, he shall quicken his soul. (And when a wicked person turneth himself away from his wickedness which he hath done, and doeth what is just and right, he shall quicken his soul, that is, he shall save his own life.)

28 For he beholding and turning away himself from all his wickednesses which he wrought, [he] shall live in life, and shall not die. (For by considering and then turning himself away from all of the wickednesses which he hath done, he shall live, and shall not die.)

29 And the sons of Israel say, The way of the Lord is not even. Whether my ways be not even, ye house of Israel, and not more, your ways be depraved? (And the Israelites say, The way of the Lord is not equal, or not fair. Is not my way equal, or fair, ye house of Israel, and not only that, but that your ways be depraved? Yea!)

30 Therefore, thou house of Israel, I shall deem each man by his ways, saith the Lord God. Turn ye together, and do ye penance for all your wickednesses, and wickedness shall not be to you into falling. (And so, O house of Israel, I shall judge each person by their ways, saith the Lord God. Altogether turn ye, and do ye penance for all your wickednesses, and wickedness shall not be to you into falling.)

31 Cast away from you all your trespassings, by which ye trespassed, and make ye a new heart and a new spirit to you (and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit), and then why shall ye die, the house of Israel?

32 For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God (For I do not desire the death of anyone who dieth); turn ye again, and live ye.

Ezekiel 18:22-32 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.