Ezekiel 18:26
in Ezekiel 18If 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth therein; in his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
KJV
When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
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This verse in Ezekiel 18
Commentary
11 notes on this verseHere is, (1.) The character of an apostate, that turns away from his righteousness. He never was in sincerity a righteous man (as appears by that of the apostle, 1 John ii. 19 , If they had been of us, they would, no doubt, have continued with us ), but he passed for a righteous man.
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
he will die for this
The righteous man of verse 24 returns as the answer to the complaint that the way of the Lord is unjust. Henry reads his righteousness as never sincere, citing 1 John 2:19, and Clarke reads a real fall from holiness. The iniquity he committed is his own.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"When the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live. They shall not die." …
(Verse 26.) For when the righteous turns away from his righteousness and does iniquity, he shall die in them. In the iniquity which he has done, he shall die. This can also be understood: The righteous first, the people of Israel, turned away from their righteousness, because they abandoned the author of righteousness, and they committed iniquity by denying the Son of God. In the sin and wickedness which he has done, he shall die: not in many, but in one, killing the heir in order to destroy the inheritance.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
No: All his righteousness that he has done, though ever so much applauded by men, shall not be mentioned so as to be either a credit or a comfort to him; the righteousness of an apostate is forgotten, as the wickedness of a penitent is. Under the law, if a Nazarite was polluted he lost all the foregoing days of his separation ( Num. vi.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
), 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,
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Observe, (1.) What is required to denominate a man a true convert, how he must be qualified that he may be entitled to this act of indemnity. [1.] The first step towards conversion is consideration (
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3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness,.... This is repeated for the further confirmation of it, and to raise their attention to it; to make it more plain and manifest to them, and to fix it upon their minds: and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them: or, "he shall die for them" (m); both for his turning away from his righteousness, and for his committing iniquity: for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die; in both respects.
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
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בְּשׁוּב־ | beshuv- | when turns away | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| צַדִּ֧יק | tzadik | [the] righteous | H6662 → | 206 times |
| מִצִּדְקָת֛וֹ | mitzidkato | from righteousness his | H6666 → | 157 times |
| וְעָ֥שָׂה | veasah | and he will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| עָ֖וֶל | ʾavel | injustice | H5766 → | 54 times |
| וּמֵ֣ת | umet | and he will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם | ʾaleihem | on them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בְּעַוְל֥וֹ | beavlo | for injustice his | H5766 → | 54 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֖ה | ʾasah | he has done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| יָמֽוּת׃ ס | yamut | he will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
בְּשׁוּב־when turns away
beshuv-H7725 →1056 times
צַדִּ֧יק[the] righteous
tzadikH6662 →206 times
מִצִּדְקָת֛וֹfrom righteousness his
mitzidkatoH6666 →157 times
וְעָ֥שָׂהand he will do
veasahH6213 →2628 times
עָ֖וֶלinjustice
ʾavelH5766 →54 times
וּמֵ֣תand he will die
umetH4191 →839 times
עֲלֵיהֶ֑םon them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
בְּעַוְל֥וֹfor injustice his
beavloH5766 →54 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֖הhe has done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
יָמֽוּת׃ סhe will die
yamutH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Fulgentius of Ruspe, LETTER 7:10; 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 and Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel.