Ezekiel 18:31

31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel?

Ezekiel 18:31 in Other Translations

31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?

31 Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel?

31 Clean house. No more rebellions, please. Get a new heart! Get a new spirit! Why would you choose to die, Israel?

31 Throw off all the transgressions you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, house of Israel?

Ezekiel 18:31 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 18:31

Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have
transgressed
As unprofitable and pernicious, to be abhorred and abstained from, and to be cast off, as loads and burdens upon them. Kimchi interprets it of the punishment of their sins, which might be cast off, or escaped, by repentance; perhaps it is best to interpret it of the casting away of their idols, by which they transgressed; see ( Ezekiel 20:7 Ezekiel 20:8 ) ; and make you a new heart and a new spirit;
which the Lord elsewhere promises to give, and he does give to his own elect; (See Gill on Ezekiel 11:19); and if here to be understood of a regenerated heart and spirit, in which are new principles of light, life, and love, grace and holiness, it will not prove that it is in the power of man to make himself such a heart and spirit; since from God's command, to man's power, is no argument; and the design of the exhortation is to convince men of their want of such a heart; of the importance of it: and which, through the efficacious grace of God, may be a means of his people having it, seeing he has in covenant promised it to them. The Targum renders it,

``a fearing heart, and a spirit of fear;''

that is, a heart and spirit to fear, serve, and worship the Lord, and not idols; and so the amount of the exhortation is, yield a hearty reverential obedience to the living God, and not to dumb idols; or that they would be hearty and sincere in their national repentance and reformation they are here pressed unto: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
which is to be understood, not of an eternal death; since the deaths here spoken of was now upon them, what they were complaining of, and from which they might be recovered, ( Ezekiel 18:2 Ezekiel 18:23 ) ; but temporal calamity and affliction, as in ( 2 Corinthians 1:10 ) ( 11:23 ) ; and so in the following words.

Ezekiel 18:31 In-Context

29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.

31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel?

32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

Cross References

• 1. S Judges 6:8
• 2. Psalms 51:10
• 3. Jeremiah 27:13
• 4. S Isaiah 1:16-17; S Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 36:26