Ezekiel 18:6

6 He does not feast in the mountains before Israel’s idols or worship them. He does not commit adultery or have intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period.

Ezekiel 18:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 18:6

[And] hath not eaten upon the mountains
Where temples and altars were built for idols, and sacrifices offered up to them; and where feasts were kept to the honour of them, and the sacrifices to them eaten; see ( Ezekiel 6:13 ) ; for otherwise it was not unlawful to eat common food on mountains, as well as on other places; but here it denotes idolatrous practices; and the Targum is,

``and hath not served idols on the mountains:''
neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel;
their "dunghill gods" F4 as the word signifies; as not to the idols of the Gentiles, so not to those of Israel, as the calves at Dan and Bethel; these he does not worship, nor pray unto, or invoke, nor even give a pleasant and favourable look unto; but turned from them with abhorrence and contempt: neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife;
been guilty of adultery, by lying with another man's wife; or by marrying one divorced, not having committed fornication; which divorces were common among the Jews, and marrying such so divorced, ( Matthew 19:19 ) ; neither hath come near to a menstruous woman:
a woman in her monthly courses, even his own wife; who, according to the law, was set apart for her uncleanness for a certain term of time; during which she was not to be touched, nor anything she sat or lay upon; and all conjugal acts to be abstained from, ( Leviticus 15:19-24 ) ( 18:19 ) ( 20:18 ) .
FOOTNOTES:

F4 (ylwlg la) "ad stercoreos deos", Junius & Tremellius, Polanus; "ad stercora", Piscator, Cocceius.

Ezekiel 18:6 In-Context

4 For all people are mine to judge—both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins is the one who will die.
5 “Suppose a certain man is righteous and does what is just and right.
6 He does not feast in the mountains before Israel’s idols or worship them. He does not commit adultery or have intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period.
7 He is a merciful creditor, not keeping the items given as security by poor debtors. He does not rob the poor but instead gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for the needy.
8 He grants loans without interest, stays away from injustice, is honest and fair when judging others,

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. The Hebrew term (literally round things ) probably alludes to dung; also in 18:12, 15 .
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