Ezekiel 33:15-25

15 he returns collateral, makes restitution for what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without practicing iniquity-he will certainly live; he will not die.
16 None of the sins he committed will be held against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.[a]
17 "But your people say: The Lord's way isn't fair, even though it is their own way that isn't fair.
18 When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die on account of this.
19 But when a wicked person turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live because of this.
20 Yet you say: The Lord's way isn't fair. I will judge each of you according to his ways, house of Israel."[b]

The News of Jerusalem's Fall

21 In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth [month], on the fifth [day] of the month, a fugitive from Jerusalem came to me and reported, "The city has been taken!"
22 Now the hand of the Lord had been on me the evening before the fugitive arrived, and He opened my mouth before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened and I was no longer mute.[c]

Israel's Continued Rebellion

23 Then the word of the Lord came to me:
24 "Son of man, those who live in the[d] ruins in the land of Israel are saying: Abraham was only one person,[e] yet he received possession of the land.[f] But we are many; the land has been given to us as a possession.[g]
25 Therefore say to them: This is what the Lord God says: You eat [meat] with blood [in it],[h] raise your eyes to your idols, and shed blood. Should you then receive possession of the land?[i]

Ezekiel 33:15-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 33

This chapter treats of the prophet's duty, and the people's sins; contains a vindication of the justice of God; a threatening of destruction to those who remained in the land after the taking of the city; and a detection of the hypocrisy of the prophet's hearers. The duty of a watchman in general is declared, Eze 33:1-6, an application of this to the prophet, Eze 33:7: the sum of whose business is to warn the wicked man of his wickedness; and the consequence of doing, or not doing it, is expressed, Eze 33:8,9, an objection of the people, and the prophet's answer to it, Eze 33:10,11, who is bid to acquaint them, that a righteous man trusting to his righteousness, and sinning, should not live; and that a sinner repenting of his sins should not die, Eze 33:12-16, the people's charge of inequality in the ways of God is retorted upon them, and removed from the Lord, and proved against them, Eze 33:17-20, then follows a prophecy, delivered out after the news was brought of the taking of the city, threatening with ruin those that remained in the land, confident of safety, and that for their sins, which are particularly enumerated, Eze 33:21-29, and the chapter is closed with a discovery of the hypocrisy of those that attended the prophet's ministry, Eze 33:30-33.

Footnotes 9

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