Ezequiel 18:15-25

15 no comiere sobre los montes, ni alzare sus ojos a los ídolos de la Casa de Israel; la mujer de su prójimo no violare

16 ni oprimiere a nadie; la prenda no empeñare, ni cometiere robos; al hambriento diere de su pan, y cubriere de vestido al desnudo

17 apartare su mano de oprimir al pobre, usura ni aumento no recibiere; hiciere según mis derechos, y anduviere en mis ordenanzas, éste no morirá por la iniquidad de su padre; de cierto vivirá

18 Su padre, por cuanto hizo agravio, despojó violentamente al hermano, e hizo en medio de su pueblo lo que no es bueno, he aquí que él morirá por su iniquidad

19 Y si dijereis: ¿Por qué el hijo no llevará la iniquidad de su padre? Porque el hijo hizo juicio y justicia, guardó todas mis ordenanzas, y las hizo, de cierto vivirá

20 El alma que pecare, esa morirá; el hijo no llevará la iniquidad del padre, ni el padre llevará la iniquidad del hijo; la justicia del justo será sobre él, y la impiedad del impío será sobre él

21 Mas el impío, si se apartare de todos sus pecados que hizo, y guardare todas mis ordenanzas, e hiciere juicio y justicia, de cierto vivirá; no morirá

22 Todas sus rebeliones que cometió, no le serán recordadas; por su justicia que hizo vivirá

23 ¿Quiero yo por ventura la muerte del impío? Dijo el Señor DIOS. ¿No vivirá, si se apartare de sus caminos

24 Mas si el justo se apartare de su justicia, y cometiere maldad, e hiciere conforme a todas las abominaciones que el impío hizo; ¿vivirá él? Todas las justicias que hizo no vendrán en memoria; por su rebelión con que prevaricó, y por su pecado con que cometió, por ellos morirá

25 Y si dijereis: No es derecho el camino del Señor, oíd ahora, Casa de Israel: ¿No es derecho mi camino? ¿No son vuestros caminos torcidos

Ezequiel 18:15-25 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.