Deuteronomy 24:16

16 Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.

Deuteronomy 24:16 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
English Standard Version (ESV)
16 "Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.
New Living Translation (NLT)
16 “Parents must not be put to death for the sins of their children, nor children for the sins of their parents. Those deserving to die must be put to death for their own crimes.
The Message Bible (MSG)
16 Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their parents. Each person shall be put to death for his own sin.
American Standard Version (ASV)
16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
16 Parents must never be put to death for the crimes of their children, and children must never be put to death for the crimes of their parents. Each person must be put to death for his own crime.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
16 "Fathers are not to be put to death for [their] children or children for [their] fathers; each person will be put to death for his own sin.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
16 Parents must not be put to death because of what their children do. And children must not be put to death because of what their parents do. People must die because of their own sins.

Deuteronomy 24:16 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 24:16

The fathers shall not be put to death for the children
By the civil magistrates, for sins committed by them of a capital nature, and which are worthy of death:

neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers;
for sins committed by them that deserve it:

every man shall be put to death for his own sin:
which is but just and reasonable; see ( Ezekiel 18:4 ) ; which is no contradiction to ( Exodus 20:5 ) ; that respects what God himself would do, this what Israel, or the civil magistrates in it, should do; this is a command on Israel, as Aben Ezra observes; that the declaration of the sovereign Being, who is not bound by any law. Jarchi interprets these words differently, as that the one should not be put to death by the testimony of the other; and it is a rule with the Jews,

``that an oath of witness is taken of men, and not of women; of those that are not akin, and not of those that are nearly related F16:''

on which one of the commentators observes F17 that such that are near akin are not fit to bear testimony, because it is written, "the father shall not be put to death for the children"; that is, for the testimony of the children. Jarchi indeed mentions the other sense, for the sins of the children, which has been given, and is undoubtedly the true sense of the text. The Targum of Jonathan gives both;

``fathers should not be put to death, neither by the testimony, nor for the sins of the children; and children shall not be put to death, neither by the testimony, nor for the sins of fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin by proper witnesses.''


FOOTNOTES:

F16 Misn. Shebuot, c. 4. sect. 1.
F17 Bartenora in ib.

Deuteronomy 24:16 In-Context

14 Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns.
15 Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.
16 Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.
17 Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.
18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Numbers 26:11; 2 Kings 14:6; 2 Chronicles 25:4; Jeremiah 31:29-30; Ezekiel 18:20
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