Ezekiel 18:1-7

1 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,

2 What is it, that ye turn a parable among you into this proverb, in the land of Israel, and say, [The] Fathers ate a bitter grape, and the teeth of (the) sons be on edge, either (be) astonied? (What is this proverb, that ye have in the land of Israel, when you say, The fathers ate bitter grapes, but the children's teeth be on edge, that is, they be astonished, or they be startled?)

3 I live, saith the Lord God, this parable shall no more be into a proverb to you in Israel. (As I live, saith the Lord God, this parable, or this saying, shall no longer be a proverb for you in Israel.)

4 Lo! all souls be mine; as the soul of the father, so and the soul of the son is mine (like the father's soul, so also the son's soul is mine). That soul that doeth sin, shall die.

5 And if a man is just, and doeth doom and rightfulness, (But if a man is righteous, and doeth what is just and right, or honest,)

6 (and) eateth not in [the] hills, and raiseth not his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; and defouleth not the wife of his neighbour, and nigheth not to a woman defouled with unclean blood;

7 and maketh not a man sorry, yieldeth the wed to the debtor, ravisheth nothing by violence, giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth a naked man with a cloth; (and maketh not a man sorrowful, but giveth back the pledge to the debtor, taketh nothing by force, giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth a naked person with a cloak;)

Ezekiel 18:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 18

This chapter contains an answer to an objection of the Jews to the dealings of God with them in a providential way. The objection is expressed in a proverb of common use among them, and complained of as being without cause, Eze 18:1,2; however, for the future, no occasion should be given them to use it; for, though God could justify his proceedings upon the foot of his sovereignty, all souls being his; yet he was determined none but the sinner himself should suffer, Eze 18:3,4; and puts various cases for the illustration and vindication of his proceedings; as that a just man, who is described by his proper characters, as abstaining from several sins specified, and doing what is right and good, should surely live, Eze 18:5-9; but that the son of such a just man, being the reverse of his father's character, should surely die, Eze 18:10-13; and again, the son of such a wicked man, observing the heinousness of his father's sins, and abstaining from them, though his father should die in his iniquities, he should not die for them, but live, Eze 18:14-18; by which it appears that the dealings of God with the Jews were not according to the proverb used by them, but quite agreeable to his resolution; that the sinner, be he a father or a son, shall die for his own sins; and that the righteous man's righteousness shall be upon him, and the wicked man's sin upon him, and accordingly both shall be dealt with, Eze 18:19,20; which is further illustrated by a wicked man's turning from his sinful course, and doing righteousness, and living in that righteousness he has done; which is more agreeable to God that he should live, and not die in sin, Eze 18:21-23; and by a righteous man turning from his righteousness, and living a vicious life, and dying in it, Eze 18:24; from both which instances this conclusion follows, that God is to be justified; and that his ways are equal, and the Jews' ways were unequal, and their complaint unjust, Eze 18:25; and the same instances are repeated in a different order, and the same conclusion formed, Eze 18:26-29; upon which the Lord determines to judge them according to their own ways, their personal actions, good or bad; and exhorts them to repentance and reformation; and closes with a pathetic expostulation, with them, Eze 18:30-32.