Ezekielchapter 18

A.The sour grapes proverb ends: all souls are minevv. 1-4

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge’? 3 As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4 Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

B.The just man, his violent son, and the grandson who turnsvv. 5-18

5 Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right: 6 He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period. 7 He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. 8 He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men. 9 He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live, declares the Lord GOD. 10 Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things, 11 though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife. 12 He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations. 13 He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head. 14 Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise: 15 He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. 16 He does not oppress another, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. 17 He withholds his hand from harming the poor and takes no interest or usury. He keeps My ordinances and follows My statutes. Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live. 18 As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.

C.Righteousness cannot be inherited or bankedvv. 19-24

19 Yet you may ask, ‘Why shouldn’t the son bear the iniquity of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will surely live. 20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him. 21 But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live? 24 But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.

D.Turn and live — I take no pleasure in deathvv. 25-32

25 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed. 27 But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are My ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 30 Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. 31 Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!

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Chapter summary

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The proverb 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge' is abolished: 'all souls are mine… the soul that sinneth, it shall die.' Three generations make the case (a righteous man, his violent son, his righteous grandson) and each stands or falls on his own doing. Righteousness is spelled out in deeds: no oppression, the pledge restored, bread to the hungry, no usury. The wicked who turns from all his sins shall surely live; the righteous who turns away shall die. 'Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?… and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?' Make you a new heart and a new spirit: why will ye die?

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Prophecy · Ezekiel — Ezekiel overview

A. 1–4 The sour grapes proverb ends: all souls are mine
B. 5–18 The just man, his violent son, and the grandson who turns
C. 19–24 Righteousness cannot be inherited or banked
D. 25–32 Turn and live — I take no pleasure in death

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Ezekiel 1813 verses
- Ezekiel 18:4Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
- Ezekiel 18:6He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period.
- Ezekiel 18:7He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
- Ezekiel 18:8He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.
- Ezekiel 18:11though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife.
- Ezekiel 18:12He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations.
- Read Ezekiel 18: 7 more there →
Ezekiel 336 verses
- Ezekiel 33:11Say to them: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’
- Ezekiel 33:14But if I tell the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and he turns from his sin and does what is just and right—
- Ezekiel 33:16None of the sins he has committed will be held against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live.
- Ezekiel 33:17Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just.
- Ezekiel 33:18If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die for it.
- Ezekiel 33:19But if a wicked man turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live because of this.
- Read Ezekiel 33 →
Exodus 222 verses
- Exodus 22:25If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.
- Exodus 22:26If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,
- Read Exodus 22 →
Proverbs 212 verses
- Proverbs 21:3To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.
- Proverbs 21:16The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
- Read Proverbs 21 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Ezekiel 202 verses
- Ezekiel 20:11And I gave them My statutes and made known to them My ordinances—for the man who does these things will live by them.
- Ezekiel 20:18In the wilderness I said to their children: ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.
- Read Ezekiel 20 →
Ezekiel 82 verses
- Ezekiel 8:6“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see what they are doing—the great abominations that the house of Israel is committing—to drive Me far from My sanctuary? Yet you will see even greater abominations.”
- Ezekiel 8:17“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and continually provoke Me to anger? Look, they are even putting the branch to their nose!
- Read Ezekiel 8 →
2 Peter 31 verse
- 2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
- Read 2 Peter 3 →
Jeremiah 311 verse
- Jeremiah 31:29“In those days, it will no longer be said: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.’
- Read Jeremiah 31 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.