Ezekiel 18:3

3 I live -- an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Ye have no more the use of this simile in Israel.

Ezekiel 18:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 18:3

[As] I live, saith the Lord God
This is a form of an oath; the Lord here swears by his life, by himself, because he could swear by no greater, ( Hebrews 6:13 ) ; and it expresses how displeased he was with the above proverb, and how much he resented it, as well as the certainty of what follows; which, it might be depended on, would be assuredly done, since the Lord not only said it, but swore unto it: ye shall not have [occasion] any more to use this proverb in Israel;
signifying that he would no longer defer the execution of his judgments, but immediately bring them upon them; so that or the future there would be no use of the proverb; no occasion to make mention of it in the next generation; and, moreover, that he would make it so manifest to themselves and others, by his dealings with them, that it should be seen, and known, and acknowledged by all, that it was for their own sins and transgressions that they were visited and corrected.

Ezekiel 18:3 In-Context

1 `And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying:

2 `What -- to you, ye -- using this simile Concerning the ground of Israel, saying: Fathers do eat unripe fruit, And the sons' teeth are blunted?

3 I live -- an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Ye have no more the use of this simile in Israel.

4 Lo, all the souls are Mine, As the soul of the father, So also the soul of the son -- they are Mine, The soul that is sinning -- it doth die.

5 And a man, when he is righteous, And hath done judgment and righteousness,