Ezekiel 18:13

13 If he has exacted usury Or taken increase-- Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, He shall surely die; His blood shall be upon him.

Ezekiel 18:13 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 18:13

Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase
Contrary to the law of God; (See Gill on Ezekiel 18:8); shall he then live?
by virtue of his father's righteousness and goodness, free from calamities, and in the quiet possession of the land of Israel, and the good things of it: he shall not live;
but go into captivity, and be destitute of the good things of life he has enjoyed; and, without repentance, shall never have eternal life: he hath done all these abominations;
before mentioned; theft, murder, idolatry, adultery, oppression of the poor, and usury, sins against both tables of the law: he shall surely die;
the death of affliction, or undergo temporal punishment; and not only die corporeally, but eternally too, if grace prevent not: "in dying he shall die" F6; as in the Hebrew text; he shall die both the first and second death; his father's goodness shall not save him from either: his blood shall be upon him;
or "bloods" F7; the innocent blood he has shed, which he must answer for being guilty of, and shall not escape righteous judgment, and his own blood, the destruction of himself; he shall be the cause of his own ruin, and bring just punishment on his own head.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 (tmwy twm) "moriendo morietur", Pagninus, Montanus.
F7 (wymd) "sanguines ejus", Montanus.

Ezekiel 18:13 In-Context

11 And does none of those duties, But has eaten on the mountains Or defiled his neighbor's wife;
12 If he has oppressed the poor and needy, Robbed by violence, Not restored the pledge, Lifted his eyes to the idols, Or committed abomination;
13 If he has exacted usury Or taken increase-- Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, He shall surely die; His blood shall be upon him.
14 "If, however, he begets a son Who sees all the sins which his father has done, And considers but does not do likewise;
15 Who has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbor's wife;
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.