Ezekiel 18
Expanded Bible
God Is Fair
18 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “What do you mean by ·using [quoting; repeating] this ·saying [proverb] about the land of Israel:
‘The ·parents [fathers] have eaten sour grapes,
and ·that caused the children to grind their teeth from the sour taste [T the children’s teeth are set on edge; C the children suffer for their parents’ sins; Jer. 31:29–30]’?
3 “As surely as I live, says the Lord God, you will not use this ·saying [proverb] in Israel anymore. 4 Every ·living thing [soul] belongs to me. The ·life [soul] of the ·parent [father] is mine, and the ·life [soul] of the child is mine. The ·person [soul] who sins is the one who will die.
5 “Suppose a ·person [man] is good and does what is ·fair [just] and right. 6 He does not eat ·at the mountain places of worship [L upon the mountains; C at pagan worship sites]. He does not ·look for help [L lift his eyes] to the idols of [L the house of] Israel. He does not ·have sexual relations with [L defile] his neighbor’s wife or ·with [L come near; C a euphemism for sexual relations] a woman during her time of ·monthly bleeding [impurity; Lev. 18:19]. 7 He does not ·mistreat [oppress] anyone but returns what was given ·as a promise for a loan [in pledge; as collateral]. He does not rob other people. He gives bread to the hungry and ·clothes to those who have none [L covers the naked with clothing]. 8 He does not lend money for interest or profit [Ex. 22:25; Ps. 15:5]. He keeps his hand from doing wrong. He ·judges fairly [practices true justice] between one person and another. 9 He ·lives by [L walks in] my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements] and obeys my ·laws [judgments] faithfully. Whoever does these things is ·good [righteous] and will surely live, says the Lord God.
10 “But suppose this person ·has [bears; begets] a ·wild [violent] son who ·murders people [L sheds blood] and who does any of these other things. 11 (But the father himself has not done any of these things.) This son eats ·at the mountain places of worship [upon the mountains; v. 6]. He ·has sexual relations with [L defiles] his neighbor’s wife. 12 He ·mistreats [oppresses] the poor and needy. He steals and refuses to return what was ·promised for a loan [given in pledge/as collateral; v. 7]. He ·looks for help [L lifts up his eyes] to idols. He does ·things which I hate [detestable/abominable things]. 13 He lends money for interest and profit [v. 8]. Will this son live? No, he will not live! He has done all these ·hateful [detestable; abominable] things, so he will surely be put to death. ·He will be responsible for his own death [L His blood will be upon himself].
14 “Now suppose this son has a son who has seen all his father’s sins, but after seeing them does not do those things. 15 He does not eat ·at the mountain places of worship [L upon the mountains; v. 6]. He does not ·look for help [L lift his eyes] to the idols of [L the house of] Israel. He does not ·have sexual relations with [L defile] his neighbor’s wife [v. 6]. 16 He does not ·mistreat [oppress] anyone or keep something promised ·for a loan [in pledge; as collateral] or steal. He gives bread to the hungry and ·clothes to those who have none [L covers the naked with clothing; v. 7]. 17 He keeps his hand from doing wrong. He does not take interest or profit when he lends money [v. 8]. He obeys my ·laws [rules; judgments] and ·lives by [walks in] my ·rules [statutes]. He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father ·took other people’s money unfairly [practiced extortion/fraud] and robbed his ·brother [or countryman] and did what was wrong among his people. So he will die for his own sin.
19 “But you ask, ‘Why is the son not punished for the father’s ·sin [iniquity; guilt]?’ The son has done what is ·fair [just] and right. He obeys all my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements], so he will surely live. 20 The person who sins is the one who will die. A ·child [son] will not be punished for a ·parent’s [father’s] ·sin [iniquity; guilt], and a ·parent [father] will not be punished for a ·child’s [son’s] ·sin [iniquity; guilt]. ·Those who do right [The righteous] will enjoy the results of their ·own goodness [righteousness]; ·evil people [the wicked] will suffer the results of their ·own evil [wickedness].
21 “But suppose the wicked ·stop doing all [turn away from] the sins they have done and obey all my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements] and do what is ·fair [just] and right. Then they will surely live; they will not die. 22 None of their ·sins [transgressions] will be ·held [L remembered] against them. Because they have done what is ·right [righteous], they will live. 23 ·I do not really want the wicked to die [L Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked…?], says the Lord God. ·I [Do I not…?] want them to ·stop [turn from] their ·bad ways [L ways] and live.
24 “But suppose ·good people [the righteous] ·stop doing good [turn from righteousness] and do wrong and do the same ·hateful [detestable; abominable] things the wicked do. Will they live? All their ·good [righteous] acts will ·be forgotten [L not be remembered], because they became unfaithful. They have sinned, so they will die because of their sins.
25 “But you say, ‘·What the Lord does [L The way of the Lord] isn’t ·fair [just].’ Listen, ·people [L house] of Israel. ·I am fair [L Is my way unjust?]. It is what you do that is not ·fair [just]! 26 When ·good people [the righteous] ·stop [turn from] doing good and do wrong, they will die because of it. They will die, because they did wrong. 27 When the wicked ·stop being wicked [turn from wickedness] and do what is ·fair [just] and right, they will save their ·lives [souls]. 28 Because they thought about it and ·stopped [turned from] doing all the sins they had done, they will surely live; they will not die. 29 But the ·people [L house] of Israel still say, ‘·What the Lord does [L The way of the Lord] isn’t ·fair [just].’ ·People [L House] of Israel. ·I am fair [L Is my way unjust?]. It is what you do that is not ·fair [just].
30 “So I will judge you, ·people [L house] of Israel; I will judge each of you ·by what you do [L according to your ways], says the Lord God. ·Change your hearts [Repent] and ·stop all [turn from] your ·sinning [transgressions] so sin will not ·bring your ruin [be your downfall/stumbling block]. 31 ·Get rid of [Throw away] all the ·sins [transgressions; offenses] you have done, and ·get [make] for yourselves a new heart and a new ·way of thinking [spirit]. Why ·do you want to [should you] die, ·people [L house] of Israel? 32 I ·do not want anyone to die [L take no pleasure/delight in anyone’s death], says the Lord God, so ·change your hearts and lives so you may [L repent and] live.
Ezekiel 18
1599 Geneva Bible
18 2 He showeth that every man shall bear his own sin. 21 To him that amendeth, salvation is promised. 24 Death is prophesied to the righteous, which turneth back from the right way.
1 The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,
2 What mean ye that ye speak this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, [a]The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?
3 As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall use this proverb no more in Israel.
4 Behold, all souls are mine, both the soul of the father, and also the soul of the son are mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
6 And hath not eaten [b]upon the mountains, neither hath lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath (A)defiled his neighbor’s wife, neither hath [c]lain with a (B)menstruous woman,
7 Neither hath oppressed any, but hath restored the pledge to his debtor: he that hath spoiled none by violence, (C)but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,
8 And hath not given forth upon (D)usury, neither hath taken any increase, but hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, and hath executed true judgment between man and man,
9 And hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments to deal truly, he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.
10 ¶ If he beget a son, that is a [d]thief, or a shedder of blood, if he do anyone of these things,
11 Though he do not all these things, but either hath eaten upon the mountains, or defiled his neighbor’s wife,
12 Or hath oppressed the poor and needy, or hath spoiled by violence, or hath not restored the pledge, or hath lifted up his eyes unto the idols, or hath committed abomination,
13 Or hath given forth upon usury, or hath taken increase, shall he live? he shall not live: seeing he hath done all these abominations, [e]he shall die the death, and his blood shall be upon him.
14 ¶ But if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins, which he hath done, and feareth, neither doeth such like,
15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor hath defiled his neighbor’s wife,
16 Neither hath oppressed any, nor hath withheld the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,
17 Neither hath withdrawn his hand from the afflicted, nor received usury nor increase, but hath executed my judgments, and hath walked in my statutes, he shall not die in the iniquity of his father, but he shall surely live.
18 His father, because he cruelly oppressed and spoiled his brother by violence, and hath not done good among his people, lo, even he dieth in his iniquity.
19 Yet say ye, Wherefore shall not the son bear the iniquity of the father? because the son hath executed judgment and justice, and hath kept all my statutes, and done them, he shall surely live.
20 (E)The same soul that sinneth, shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son, but the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
21 But if the wicked will return from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my [f]statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, and shall not die.
22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be [g]mentioned unto him, but in his [h]righteousness that he hath done, he shall live.
23 [i]Have I any desire that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God? [j]or shall he not live, if he return from his ways?
24 But if the righteous turn away from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and do according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? all his [k]righteousness that he hath done, shall not be mentioned: but in his transgression that he hath committed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not [l]equal: hear now, O house of Israel. Is not my way equal? or are not your ways unequal?
26 For when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and commiteth iniquity, he shall even die for the same, he shall even die for his iniquity that he hath done.
27 Again, when the wicked turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, and shall not die.
29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? or are not your ways unequal?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, everyone according to his ways, saith the Lord God: return therefore, and cause others to turn away from all your transgressions: so iniquity shall not be your destruction.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed and make [m]you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
32 For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: cause therefore one another to return, and live ye.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 18:2 The people murmured at the chastisings of the Lord, and therefore used this proverb, meaning, that their fathers had sinned, and their children were punished for their transgressions, read Jer. 31:29.
- Ezekiel 18:6 If he hath not eaten of the flesh that hath been offered up to idols, to honor them thereby.
- Ezekiel 18:6 Hebrew, come near.
- Ezekiel 18:10 Or, a cruel man.
- Ezekiel 18:13 He showeth how the son is punished for his father’s fault: that is, if he be wicked as his father was, and doth not repent, he shall be punished as his father was, or else not.
- Ezekiel 18:21 He joineth the observation of the commandments with repentance: for none can repent in deed, except he labor to keep the Law.
- Ezekiel 18:22 Or, not laid to his charge.
- Ezekiel 18:22 That is, in the fruits of his faith which declare that God doth accept him.
- Ezekiel 18:23 He speaketh this to commend God’s mercy to poor sinners, who rather is ready to pardon than to punish, as his long suffering declareth, Ezek. 33:11. Albeit God in his eternal counsel appointed the death and damnation of the reprobate, yet the end of his counsel was not their death only, but chiefly his own glory. Also because he doth not approve sin, therefore it is here said that he would have them to turn away from it, that they might live.
- Ezekiel 18:23 Or, rather that he may return from his ways, and live.
- Ezekiel 18:24 That is, the false opinion that the hypocrites have of their righteousness.
- Ezekiel 18:25 In punishing the father with the children.
- Ezekiel 18:31 He showeth that man cannot forsake his wickedness, till his heart be changed, which is only the work of God.
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Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
