Ezekiel 18:12

12 oppresses the 1poor and needy, 2commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and 3commits abomination,

Ezekiel 18:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 18:12

Hath oppressed the poor and needy
Who are weak, and have none to help them, and stand by them, and so are oppressed by such a man. This serves to explain the clause, in ( Ezekiel 18:7 ) ; hath spoiled by violence;
his neighbour's goods; taken them away from him by force: hath not restored the pledge;
to the borrower before sunset, but kept it for his own use; taking the advantage of the poverty of him that borrowed of him: and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols;
whether of the Gentiles, or of the house of Israel: hath committed abomination;
either idolatry, the sin just before mentioned, which was an abomination to the Lord; or else approaching to a menstruous woman, since this follows the other in ( Ezekiel 18:6 ) ; and is not mentioned, unless it is designed here; and so Kimchi interprets it; but Jarchi understands it of the abominable and detestable sin of sodomy: it may regard any and every sin that is abominable in the sight of God.

Ezekiel 18:12 In-Context

10 "Then he may have a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother
11 (though he himself did not do any of these things ), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and defiles his neighbor's wife,
12 oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and commits abomination,
13 he lends money on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.
14 "Now behold, he has a son who has observed all his father's sins which he committed, and observing does not do likewise.

Cross References 3

  • 1. Amos 4:1; Zechariah 7:10
  • 2. Isaiah 59:6, 7; Jeremiah 22:3, 17; Ezekiel 7:23; Ezekiel 18:7, 16, 18
  • 3. 2 Kings 21:11; Ezekiel 8:6, 17
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