Ezekiel 33:15
in Ezekiel 33if 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
KJV
If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
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This verse in Ezekiel 33
Commentary
9 notes on this verseHere is a particular message sent to those who yet remained in the land of Israel, and (which is very strange) grew secure there, and confident that they should take root there again, to tell them that their hopes would fail them because they persisted in their sins,
This site's exposition
righteous man will not deliver him
on Ezekiel 33:12-16
The chapter restates the argument of chapter 18: past righteousness cannot cover a present fall, and past wickedness cannot condemn a present turning. Verses 14 to 16 give the case of a wicked man. The Lord says, “None of the sins he has committed will be held against him”.
This site's exposition
if he restores a pledge
The pledge law of Exodus 22:26-27 required a poor man's cloak returned by sunset. Leviticus 6:1-5 required stolen goods repaid with a fifth added. The statutes of life recall Leviticus 18:5, where the man who keeps them will live by them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Versed 10ff.) Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them: 'Our transgressions and sins are upon us, and we waste away because of them. How then can we live?' 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 turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?'
We are taught that we ought not obstinately stick to our determination, but that we should with gentle pity soften down the threats which derived from some necessity.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Remember God, that He too might always remember you; and when He has kept you in His memory and preserved you safe to the end, you will receive every blessing from Him. Do not forget Him, your mind being distracted with futile concerns, lest He …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He repents not of his repentance, nor returns to the commission of those gross sins which he before allowed himself in. [3.] He that does thus repent and return shall escape the ruin he was running into, and his former sins shall be no prejudice to his acceptance with God. Let him not pine away in his iniquity, for, if he confess and forsake it, he shall find mercy.
If the wicked restore the pledge,....
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)
proposed
give again that he had robbed-- (Lu 19:8). statutes of life--in the obeying of which life is promised (Le 18:5). If the law has failed to give life to man, it has not been the fault of the law, but of man's sinful inability to keep it (Ro 7:10, 12; It becomes life-giving through Christ's righteous obedience to it (2Co 3:6).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
the pledge the pledge that I commanded [one] to return at sunset.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| חֲבֹ֨ל | chavol | a pledge | H2258 → | 4 times |
| יָשִׁ֤יב | yashiv | he will return | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| רָשָׁע֙ | rasha' | a wicked [person] | H7563 → | 263 times |
| גְּזֵלָ֣ה | gezelah | robbery | H1500 → | 6 times |
| יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם | yeshalem | he will repay | H7999 → | |
| בְּחֻקּ֤וֹת | bechukot | in [the] statutes of | H2708 → | 104 times |
| הַֽחַיִּים֙ | hachaiyim | <the> life | H2416 → | 498 times |
| הָלַ֔ךְ | halakh | he walks | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| לְבִלְתִּ֖י | levilti | to not | H1115 → | 112 times |
| עֲשׂ֣וֹת | asot | to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| עָ֑וֶל | ʾavel | unrighteousness | H5766 → | 54 times |
| חָי֥וֹ | chayo | certainly <live> | H2421 → | 282 times |
| יִֽחְיֶ֖ה | yichyeh | he will live | H2421 → | 282 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָמֽוּת׃ | yamut | he will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
חֲבֹ֨לa pledge
chavolH2258 →4 times
יָשִׁ֤יבhe will return
yashivH7725 →1056 times
רָשָׁע֙a wicked [person]
rasha'H7563 →263 times
גְּזֵלָ֣הrobbery
gezelahH1500 →6 times
יְשַׁלֵּ֔םhe will repay
yeshalemH7999 →
בְּחֻקּ֤וֹתin [the] statutes of
bechukotH2708 →104 times
הַֽחַיִּים֙<the> life
hachaiyimH2416 →498 times
הָלַ֔ךְhe walks
halakhH1980 →1546 times
לְבִלְתִּ֖יto not
leviltiH1115 →112 times
עֲשׂ֣וֹתto do
asotH6213 →2628 times
עָ֑וֶלunrighteousness
ʾavelH5766 →54 times
חָי֥וֹcertainly <live>
chayoH2421 →282 times
יִֽחְיֶ֖הhe 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
Luke 19:8But 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.”
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 12:6
Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”
- Numbers 5:7
and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution, add a fifth to its value, and give all this to the one he has wronged.
- Luke 18:22–23
On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
- Luke 12:33
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
- Leviticus 6:1–6
And the LORD said to Moses,
- 2 Samuel 12:6
Through
Psalms 119:93I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have revived me.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:50
This is my comfort in affliction, that Your promise has given me life.
- Psalms 119:16
I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
- Psalms 119:50
Through
Ezekiel 18:7He 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.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 18:16
He does not oppress another, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
- Ezekiel 18:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ezekiel
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Ezekiel; Isaac of Nineveh, ASCETICAL HOMILIES 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 17:25; 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.