Ezekiel 18:7
in Ezekiel 18He 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and hath not wronged any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath taken nought by robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
KJV
And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
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This verse in Ezekiel 18
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThe tenth is: He gives his bread to the hungry. From this we are taught that alms should not be given to the satiated, but to the hungry; and not to those who belch from fullness, but to those who suffer from emptiness. For in bread is contained all food. And it is significantly said, his: so that we do not turn bread acquired from rapine, usury, and ill-gotten gain into mercy; for the redemption of a man's soul (Prov. XIII, 7) is his own riches.
This site's exposition
But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
on Ezekiel 18:5-9
The just man is described by a list of concrete acts rather than abstract virtue, no idols, no adultery, restoring the debtor's pledge, feeding the hungry, refusing usury, walking in God's statutes, and the verdict follows plainly, he is just, he shall surely live. Henry notes the list draws directly on the law's own social ethics, so that righteousness here is never merely ritual but reaches into ordinary dealings between neighbors. Wesley reads the specificity as deliberate, giving the exiles a concrete standard rather than a vague appeal to character.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
He holds the eleventh place: And covered the naked with clothing. This statement, according to the explanation of the previous verse, should be discussed in two ways: that we give clothing to the naked, as the Savior says: I was naked and you clothed me (Matthew 25), and that we give the clothing of Christ to the naked in faith and virtues, of whom it is written: For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27). He was naked in this garment, not having a wedding garment, and was thrown out of the banquet. Concerning this nudity, the Lord speaks to Jerusalem: But you were naked and filled with confusion (or shame).
(Verse 5, 6 and following) And if a man is just and does judgment and justice, does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not violate his neighbor's wife, does not approach a menstruating woman, does not oppress anyone, gives back a pledge to a debtor, does not commit robbery, gives his bread to the hungry, covers the naked with clothing, does not lend at interest or take any increase, turns his hand away from iniquity, does justice between man and man, walks in my statutes, and keeps my judgments, to do truth: this man is just, he shall surely live, says the Lord God.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Oppression and violence were the sins of the old world, that brought the deluge, and are sins of which still God is and will be the avenger. Nay, he is one that has not lent his money upon usury, nor taken increase (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And hath not oppressed any,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
5. Hath not oppressed any - Has not used his power or influence to oppress, pain, or injure another. 6. Hath restored to the debtor his pledge - Has carefully surrendered the pawn or pledge when its owner came to redeem it. As the pledge is generally of more worth than that for which it is pledged, an unprincipled man will make some pretense to keep it; which is highly abominable in the sight of God. 7. Hath spoiled none by violence - Either by robbery or personal insult. For a man may be spoiled both ways.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
After duties of justice come those of benevolence. It is not enough to refrain from doing a wrong to our neighbor, we must also do him good. The bread owned by a man, though "his," is given to him, not to keep to himself, but to impart to the needy.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאִישׁ֙ | veish | and anyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יוֹנֶ֔ה | yoneh | he oppressed | H3238 → | 20 times |
| חֲבֹלָת֥וֹ | chavolato | pledge his | H2258 → | 4 times |
| חוֹב֙ | chov | a debt | H2326 → | |
| יָשִׁ֔יב | yashiv | he returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| גְּזֵלָ֖ה | gezelah | robbery | H1500 → | 6 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִגְזֹ֑ל | yigzol | he robbed | H1497 → | 30 times |
| לַחְמוֹ֙ | lachmo | food his | H3899 → | 298 times |
| לְרָעֵ֣ב | leraev | to [the] hungry | H7457 → | |
| יִתֵּ֔ן | yiten | he gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| וְעֵירֹ֖ם | veeirom | and [the] naked | H5903 → | 10 times |
| יְכַסֶּה־ | yekhaseh- | he covered | H3680 → | 152 times |
| בָּֽגֶד׃ | baged | clothing | H899 → | 217 times |
וְאִישׁ֙and anyone
veishH376 →1663 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יוֹנֶ֔הhe oppressed
yonehH3238 →20 times
חֲבֹלָת֥וֹpledge his
chavolatoH2258 →4 times
חוֹב֙a debt
chovH2326 →
יָשִׁ֔יבhe returned
yashivH7725 →1056 times
גְּזֵלָ֖הrobbery
gezelahH1500 →6 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִגְזֹ֑לhe robbed
yigzolH1497 →30 times
לַחְמוֹ֙food his
lachmoH3899 →298 times
לְרָעֵ֣בto [the] hungry
leraevH7457 →
יִתֵּ֔ןhe gave
yitenH5414 →2011 times
וְעֵירֹ֖םand [the] naked
veeiromH5903 →10 times
יְכַסֶּה־he covered
yekhaseh-H3680 →152 times
בָּֽגֶד׃clothing
bagedH899 →217 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
Ezekiel 33:15if he restores a pledge, makes restitution for what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without practicing iniquity—then he will surely live; he will not die.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 20:11
And I gave them My statutes and made known to them My ordinances—for the man who does these things will live by them.
- Luke 19:8
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”
- Exodus 22:1–4
“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.
- Ezekiel 20:11
Through
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.
it leads to
- 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…
- 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…
- 2 Kings 21:11
“Since Manasseh king of Judah has committed all these abominations, acting more wickedly than the Amorites who preceded him, and with his idols has caused Judah to sin,
- Amos 4:1
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, who say to your husbands, “Bring us more to drink.”
- Ezekiel 8:6
Through
Exodus 22:26If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,
it leads to
- Proverbs 20:16
Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
- Proverbs 20:16
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.