Ezekiel 18:1-2

Amplified Bible

18 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, ²“What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel,

‘^[a]The fathers eat sour grapes [they sin],
But the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

Ezekiel 18:2 This proverb is generally interpreted to mean that the subsequent generations suffer (‘the children’s teeth are set on edge’) for the sins of their ancestors (‘the fathers eat sour grapes’). The Israelites were using this well-known proverb as an excuse to blame their forefathers for their suffering and misfortune instead of acknowledging their guilt and taking personal responsibility for their sin.