Ezekiel 33:18
in Ezekiel 33If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die for it.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die therein.
KJV
When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
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This verse in Ezekiel 33
Commentary
8 notes on this verseHence those who say that the way of the Lord is not just are argued against because their opinion is unjust, possessed of a very evil eye, and not at all new, but of those who have passed judgment in the past. To all of whom it is shown that the sinner should not despair of salvation if he repents; nor should the righteous person place confidence in his righteousness if he negligently loses what he had earnestly sought after.
This site's exposition
The way of the Lord is not just
on Ezekiel 33:17-20
The people's complaint that the Lord's way is unjust returns a second time, and the Lord turns the charge back on them. Verse 20 closes the exchange, “I will judge each of you according to his ways”. Wesley notes the prophet answers the same complaint twice in the one book.
This site's exposition
he will die for it
Verses 18 and 19 compress the case of verses 12 to 16 into two short rules for the righteous and the wicked. They repeat almost word for word the answer given at 18:26-27. The complaint had not changed, so neither did the answer.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(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?'
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Here 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,
), suggesting that God was partial in his proceedings, that with him there was respect of persons and that he was more severe against sin and sinners than there was cause. Here is a satisfactory answer given to both these cavils. Those that despaired of finding mercy with God are here answered with a solemn declaration of God's readiness to show mercy,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The way that thou art in leads to destruction. The wages of thy sin is death, and thy iniquity will shortly be thy ruin." It was said to the righteous man, Thou shalt surely live, for his encouragement to proceed and persevere in the way of righteousness; but he made an ill use of it, and was emboldened by it to commit iniquity.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
When the righteous turneth from his righteousness,.... This and what is said in the following verse are clear instances of the equality, justness, and goodness of the ways of God; and are again repeated, if possible, to make it clear and plain to them that their charge and complaint were groundless; See Gill on Eze 18:24, Eze 18:26.
The words behind it
7 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 back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| צַדִּ֥יק | tzadik | a righteous [person] | H6662 → | 206 times |
| מִצִּדְקָת֖וֹ | mitzidkato | from righteousness his | H6666 → | 157 times |
| וְעָ֣שָׂה | veasah | and he will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| עָ֑וֶל | ʾavel | unrighteousness | H5766 → | 54 times |
| וּמֵ֖ת | umet | and he will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| בָּהֶֽם׃ | bahem | in them |
בְּשׁוּב־when turns back
beshuv-H7725 →1056 times
צַדִּ֥יקa righteous [person]
tzadikH6662 →206 times
מִצִּדְקָת֖וֹfrom righteousness his
mitzidkatoH6666 →157 times
וְעָ֣שָׂהand he will do
veasahH6213 →2628 times
עָ֑וֶלunrighteousness
ʾavelH5766 →54 times
וּמֵ֖תand he will die
umetH4191 →839 times
בָּהֶֽם׃in them
bahem
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
Hebrews 10:38But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
it leads to
- Galatians 3:11
Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
- Habakkuk 2:4
Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright—but the righteous will live by faith—
- Romans 1:17
For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
- Psalms 85:8
I will listen to what God the LORD will say; for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints; He will not let them return to folly.
- Hebrews 6:4–6
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
- Galatians 3:11
Through
Ezekiel 3:20Now if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die in his…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 18:24
But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of…
- Ezekiel 18:26
If 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.
- Ezekiel 33:12–13
Therefore, son of man, say to your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man will not deliver him in the day of his transgression; neither will the wickedness of the wicked man cause him…
- Ezekiel 18:24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Patrick Fairbairn, Ezekiel and the Book of His Prophecy and Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible.