Ezekiel 18:17

17 turneth away his hand from the wrong of a poor man, taketh not usury and overabundance, that is, nothing more than he lent, and doeth my dooms, and goeth in my commandments; this son shall not die in the wickedness of his father, but he shall live in life. (turneth away his hand from doing wrong to the poor, taketh not usury and overabundance, that is, nothing more than he lent, and keepeth, or obeyeth, my laws, and goeth in my commandments; this son shall not die in the wickedness of his father, but he shall live.)

Ezekiel 18:17 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 18:17

[That] hath taken off his hand from the poor
When he perceived it lay heavy upon him, withdrew it from hurting him, and forbore to do it when it was in his power, and perhaps eased him of the hardships his father had laid upon him; which was very kind and humane: [that] hath not received usury nor increase; (See Gill on Ezekiel 18:8); hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes;
had not only negative, but positive holiness: not only abstained from things sinful, but did that which was just and right, both with respect to God and man; observed the worship of God, and did justice to mankind: he shall not die for the iniquity of his father;
or be punished for his father's sins, with sword, famine, pestilence, or captivity; shall not die a corporeal death, and much less eternal death, on that account: he shall surely live;
in his own land, and in the enjoyment of the good things of life; and having the grace and fear of God, and acting from gracious principles, with a view to the glory of God, he shall live eternally, though the son of a wicked man.

Ezekiel 18:17 In-Context

15 eateth not on hills, and raiseth not (up) his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; and defouleth not the wife of his neighbour (and defileth not his neighbour's wife),
16 and maketh not sorry a man, withholdeth not a wed, and ravisheth not raven, giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a cloth; (and maketh not any person sorrowful, withholdeth not a pledge, and robbeth not any spoils, but giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a cloak;)
17 turneth away his hand from the wrong of a poor man, taketh not usury and overabundance, that is, nothing more than he lent, and doeth my dooms, and goeth in my commandments; this son shall not die in the wickedness of his father, but he shall live in life. (turneth away his hand from doing wrong to the poor, taketh not usury and overabundance, that is, nothing more than he lent, and keepeth, or obeyeth, my laws, and goeth in my commandments; this son shall not die in the wickedness of his father, but he shall live.)
18 For his father made false challenge, and did violence to his brother, and wrought evil in the midst of his people, lo! he is dead in his wickedness. (Because his father oppressed, and did violence to his kinsman, and wrought evil in the midst of his people, lo! he shall die because of his wickedness.)
19 And ye say, Why beareth not the son the wickedness of the father? That is to say, for the son wrought doom and rightfulness, he kept all my commandments, and did those, he shall live in life. (And ye say, Why beareth not the son his father's wickedness? Because the son did what was just and right, he kept all my commandments, and did them, and so he shall live.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.