Ezequiel 18:7-17

7 el hombre que no oprime a nadie, sino que devuelve al deudor su prenda; que no comete robo, sino que da su pan al hambriento y cubre al desnudo con ropa,

8 que no presta dinero a interés ni exige con usura, que retrae su mano de la maldad y hace juicio verdadero entre hombre y hombre,

9 que anda en mis estatutos y mis ordenanzas obrando fielmente, ése es justo; ciertamente vivirádeclara el Señor DIOS.

10 Pero si engendra un hijo violento que derrama sangre y que hace cualquiera de estas cosas a un hermano

11 (aunque él mismo no hizo ninguna de estas cosas), que también come en los santuarios de los montes y amancilla a la mujer de su prójimo,

12 oprime al pobre y al necesitado, comete robo, no devuelve la prenda, que levanta sus ojos a los ídolos y comete abominación,

13 que presta a interés y exige con usura; ¿vivirá? ¡No vivirá! Ha cometido todas estas abominaciones, ciertamente morirá; su sangre será sobre él.

14 Mas he aquí, si engendra un hijo que observa todos los pecados que su padre ha cometido, y viéndolo no hace lo mismo,

15 no come en los santuarios de los montes, ni levanta sus ojos a los ídolos de la casa de Israel, ni amancilla a la mujer de su prójimo,

16 que no oprime a nadie, ni retiene la prenda, ni comete robo, sino que da su pan al hambriento y cubre al desnudo con ropa,

17 que retrae su mano del pobre , no cobra interés ni usura, cumple mis ordenanzas y anda en mis estatutos, ése no morirá por la iniquidad de su padre, ciertamente vivirá.

Ezequiel 18:7-17 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. La versin gr. (Sept.) dice: de la maldad como en el vers. 8