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Ezekiel 14:16

in Ezekiel 14

then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only should be delivered, but the land should be desolate.

KJV

Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.

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This verse in Ezekiel 14

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

In Eze 14:21 he concentrates the whole in one mass of condemnation. If Noah, Daniel, Job, could not deliver the land, when deserving only one judgment, "how much more" when all four judgments combined are justly to visit the land for sin, shall these three righteous men not deliver it.

This site's exposition

if I send wild beasts through the land

on Ezekiel 14:15-16

The refrain returns with an exact change, for the three men “could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered.” Righteousness is personal and cannot be transferred, and the Lord’s oath, “as surely as I live,” stands behind the sentence.

This site's exposition

as surely as I live

Each of the three men could deliver only himself, and the oath of the LORD stands behind the rule. Ezekiel 18 builds a whole chapter on it. Jerome cites Deuteronomy 24:16, where each man dies for his own sin.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Jerome

Commentary on Ezekiel · Written before 420.

proposed

(Verse 12, 13 and following) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting treacherously, I will stretch out my hand (some versions add 'upon it') and break its staff of bread, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast. And if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver their own souls by their righteousness, declares the Lord of hosts.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Though these three men were in it,....

The words behind it

20 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת[the] three

    sheloshetH7969 →432 times

  • הָאֲנָשִׁ֣יםthe men

    haanashimH582 →566 times

  • הָאֵלֶּה֮<the> these

    haelehH428 →746 times

  • בְּתוֹכָהּ֒[will be] in [the] midst of it

    betokhahH8432 →418 times

  • חַי־[by] [the] life

    chai-H2416 →498 times

  • אָ֗נִיof me

    ʾaniH589 →874 times

  • נְאֻם֙[the] utterance of

    neumH5002 →376 times

  • אֲדֹנָ֣י[the] Lord

    ʾadonaiH136 →440 times

  • יְהוִ֔הYahweh

    yahwehH3069 →306 times

  • אִם־if

    ʾim-H518 →1069 times

  • בָּנִ֥יםsons

    banimH1121 →4930 times

  • וְאִם־and if

    veim-H518 →1069 times

  • בָּנ֖וֹתdaughters

    banotH1323 →588 times

  • יַצִּ֑ילוּthey will deliver

    yatziluH5337 →212 times

  • הֵ֤מָּהthey

    hemahH1992 →553 times

  • לְבַדָּם֙to alone them

    levadamH905 →200 times

  • יִנָּצֵ֔לוּthey will be delivered

    yinatzeluH5337 →212 times

  • וְהָאָ֖רֶץand the land

    vehaaretzH776 →2504 times

  • תִּהְיֶ֥הit will be

    tihyehH1961 →3559 times

  • שְׁמָמָֽה׃a desolation

    shemamahH8077 →57 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

13 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Ezekiel 14:14then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.6 worksGenesis 19:29So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, He remembered Abraham, and He brought Lot out of the catastrophe that destroyed the cities where he had lived.3 worksEzekiel 14:20then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves.3 worksEzekiel 18:20The 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.2 worksEzekiel 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?’2 worksGenesis 18:23–33Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?2 works
The other 7 cross-references, with their words ▾
Ezekiel 14:18then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered.2 worksNumbers 14:28–29So tell them: As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you exactly as I heard you say.2 worksJames 5:16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.2 worksHebrews 11:7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.2 worksActs 27:24and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’2 worksMatthew 18:19–20Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.2 worksJob 22:20‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 33:11

    Say 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.…

    it leads to

    • 1 Timothy 2:4

      who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

    • Ezekiel 18:23

      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?

    • 2 Peter 3:9

      The 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.

    • Isaiah 55:6–7

      Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.

    • Acts 3:19

      Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,

  • Through

    Ezekiel 18:20

    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…

    it leads to

    • 2 Kings 14:6

      Yet he did not put the sons of the murderers to death, but acted according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Fathers must not…

    • Deuteronomy 24:16

      Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.

    • Ezekiel 18:4

      Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies1

About Ezekiel

Ezekiel’s Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Ezekiel’s Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Ezekiel: the study guide →Read Ezekiel 14 →

This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel.

Read on in Ezekiel 14 →