Ezekiel 18:6
in Ezekiel 18He 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbor’s wife, neither hath come near to a woman in her impurity,
KJV
And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,
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This verse in Ezekiel 18
Commentary
9 notes on this verse1. Hath not eaten upon the mountains - Idolatrous worship was generally performed on mountains and hills; and those who offered sacrifices feasted on the sacrifice, and thus held communion with the idol. 2. Neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols - Has paid them no religious adoration; has trusted in them for nothing, and has not made prayer nor supplication before them. 3. Neither hath defiled his neighbor’s wife - Has had no adulterous connection with any woman; to which idolatrous feasts and worship particularly led.
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, and the verdict follows, he shall surely live. Henry notes the list draws on the law's social ethics, so righteousness here reaches into ordinary dealings between neighbors. Wesley reads the specificity as deliberate, giving the exiles a concrete standard.
This site's exposition
eat at the mountain
To eat at the mountain was to eat from a sacrifice offered on a high place. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown count a double sin, worship away from the place God chose in Deuteronomy 12:13 and 14, and worship given to idols. Clarke reads the meal as communion with the idol.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(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 Awakening3 voices
He has taken off his hand from the poor; where he found his father had put hardships upon poor servants, tenants, neighbours, he eased their burden. He did not say, "What my father has done I will abide by, and if it was a fault it was his and not mine;" as Rehoboam, who contemned the taxes his father had imposed.
Hath not eaten - Hath not committed idolatry, offering sacrifice, and eating of the things sacrificed to idols; whose temples and altars were on mountains, chap. 20. & 28.
And hath not eaten upon the mountains,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
A double sin: sacrificing elsewhere than at the temple, where only God sanctioned sacrifice (De 12:13, 14); and this to idols instead of to Jehovah. "Eaten" refers to the feasts which were connected with the sacrifices (see Ex 32:6; 10:7). lifted . . . eyes to--namely, in adoration (Ps 121:1).
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Eaten, upon the mountains - At the feast of idols, in contradiction to the command of Deu 12:17. Idols of the house of Israel - Idolatry was so popular that certain idols were counted as belonging to the people of Israel, of whom Yahweh was the true God.
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הֶֽהָרִים֙ | heharim | the mountains | H2022 → | 546 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אָכָ֔ל | ʾakhal | he has eaten | H398 → | 810 times |
| וְעֵינָיו֙ | veeinav | and eyes his | H5869 → | 887 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נָשָׂ֔א | nasa' | he has lifted up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| גִּלּוּלֵ֖י | gilulei | [the] idols of | H1544 → | 48 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֵ֤שֶׁת | ʾeshet | [the] wife of | H802 → | 781 times |
| רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ | reehu | neighbor his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| טִמֵּ֔א | time' | he has defiled | H2930 → | 162 times |
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אִשָּׁ֥ה | ʾishah | a woman | H802 → | 781 times |
| נִדָּ֖ה | nidah | menstruation | H5079 → | 29 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִקְרָֽב׃ | yikrav | he drew near | H7126 → | 280 times |
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הֶֽהָרִים֙the mountains
heharimH2022 →546 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
אָכָ֔לhe has eaten
ʾakhalH398 →810 times
וְעֵינָיו֙and eyes his
veeinavH5869 →887 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
נָשָׂ֔אhe has lifted up
nasa'H5375 →656 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
גִּלּוּלֵ֖י[the] idols of
giluleiH1544 →48 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
אֵ֤שֶׁת[the] wife of
ʾeshetH802 →781 times
רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙neighbor his
reehuH7453 →188 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
טִמֵּ֔אhe has defiled
time'H2930 →162 times
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
אִשָּׁ֥הa woman
ʾishahH802 →781 times
נִדָּ֖הmenstruation
nidahH5079 →29 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִקְרָֽב׃he drew near
yikravH7126 →280 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 4:19When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to…
it leads to
- Romans 1:25
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.
- Deuteronomy 17:3
and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden—
- 2 Kings 21:3
For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped…
- 2 Kings 17:16
They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served…
- Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
- Romans 1:25
Through
Ezekiel 6:13Then you will know that I am the LORD, when their slain lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, and under every green tree and leafy…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 20:28
When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, presented offerings that provoked Me, sent up…
- Hosea 4:13
They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.
- 1 Kings 14:23
They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
- Ezekiel 20:28
Where this verse is studied
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.