Ezekiel 18:28
in Ezekiel 18Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
KJV
Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
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This verse in Ezekiel 18
Commentary
11 notes on this verseYou see my just sentence and you dare to accuse me of injustice? You yourselves needed to be accused; you actually prefer injustice in the face of such an obvious example of justice by your own judge.
This site's exposition
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal.
on Ezekiel 18:25-29
The exiles complain that God's way is unequal, and the answer, repeated twice, turns the charge back on the objectors, are not your ways unequal? Fairbairn reads the doubled exchange as evidence the complaint was a live grievance among the exiles, worth answering fully rather than dismissing in one line.
This site's exposition
Because he considered
The man considers first, then turns. Henry reads considering as a change in the heart and turning from all transgression as a change in the life. Theodoret has God asking how the people dare call such a sentence unjust.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Verse 27, 28.) And when the wicked turns away from his wickedness that he has done and does judgment and righteousness, he shall keep himself alive. For he considers and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
God's justice promises scourges to those without hope but mercy to those who hope in him.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
When he considers he must turn away from his wickedness, which denotes a change in the disposition of the heart; he must turn from his sins and his transgression, which denotes a change in the life; he must break off from all his evil courses, and, wherein he has done iniquity, must resolve to do so no more, and this from a principle of hatred to sin.
), because it is a matter of vast importance, a matter of life and death, of life and death eternal. A fair invitation given to wicked people, to turn from their wickedness. Assurance is here given us that, if the wicked will turn, he shall surely live,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Whereas it was said, The soul that sins it shall die, yet let not those that have sinned despair but that the threatened death may be prevented if they will but turn and repent in time. When David penitently acknowledges, I have sinned, he is immediately assured of his pardon: " The Lord has taken away thy sin, thou shalt not die ( 2 Sam. xii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Because he considereth,....
But, behold, a miracle of mercy; the day of grace and divine patience is yet lengthened out; and therefore, though God will at last judge every one according to his ways, yet he waits to be gracious, and closes all with a call to repentance and a promise of pardon upon repentance. Here are four necessary duties that we are called to, all amounting to the same:-- 1.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The two last instances repeated in inverse order. God's emphatic statement of His principle of government needs no further proof than the simple statement of it. in them--in the actual sins, which are the manifestations of the principle of "iniquity," mentioned just before.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּרְאֶ֣ה | vaiyireh | and he saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| וַיָּ֔שָׁב | vaiyashov | and he turned away | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| מִכָּל־ | mikol | from all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| פְּשָׁעָ֖יו | peshaav | transgressions his | H6588 → | 93 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֑ה | ʾasah | he had done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| חָי֥וֹ | chayo | certainly <live> | H2421 → | 282 times |
| יִחְיֶ֖ה | yichyeh | he will live | H2421 → | 282 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָמֽוּת׃ | yamut | he will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
וַיִּרְאֶ֣הand he saw
vaiyirehH7200 →1300 times
וַיָּ֔שָׁבand he turned away
vaiyashovH7725 →1056 times
מִכָּל־from all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
פְּשָׁעָ֖יוtransgressions his
peshaavH6588 →93 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֑הhe had done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
חָי֥וֹcertainly <live>
chayoH2421 →282 times
יִחְיֶ֖הhe will live
yichyehH2421 →282 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יָמֽוּת׃he will die
yamutH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 32:29If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.
it leads to
- Psalms 81:13
If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,
- Deuteronomy 5:29
If only they had such a heart to fear Me and keep all My commandments always, so that it might be well with them and with their children forever.
- Hosea 14:9
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in…
- Luke 19:41–42
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it
- Luke 12:20
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’
- Psalms 81:13
Through
Ezekiel 18:14Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise:
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 34:21
“Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah concerning the words in the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD…
- Proverbs 23:24
The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
- Hosea 7:2
But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face.
- 2 Chronicles 34:21
Where this verse is studied
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Cassiodorus, EXPOSITIONS OF THE PSALMS 31:10; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON EZEKIEL 6:18.