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Ezekiel 18:5-9
New English Translation
Ezekiel 18:5-9
New English Translation
5 “Suppose a man is righteous. He practices what is just and right, 6 does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains[a] or pray to the idols[b] of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, does not approach a woman for marital relations[c] during her period, 7 does not oppress anyone, but gives the debtor back whatever was given in pledge,[d] does not commit robbery,[e] but gives his bread to the hungry and clothes the naked, 8 does not engage in usury or charge interest,[f] but refrains[g] from wrongdoing, promotes true justice[h] between men, 9 and follows my statutes and observes my regulations by carrying them out.[i] That man[j] is righteous; he will certainly live,[k] declares the Sovereign Lord.
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- Ezekiel 18:6 tn Heb “on the mountains he does not eat.” The mountains are often mentioned as the place where idolatrous sacrifices were eaten (Ezek 20:28; 22:9; 34:6).
- Ezekiel 18:6 tn Heb “does not lift up his eyes.” This refers to looking to idols for help.
- Ezekiel 18:6 tn The expression קָרַב אֶל (qarav ʾel) means “draw near to” or “approach,” but is also used as a euphemism for the intended purpose of sexual relations (Lev 18:14; Deut 22:14; Isa 8:3).
- Ezekiel 18:7 tn Heb “restores to the debtor his pledge.” The root occurs in Exod 22:25 in reference to restoring a man’s garment as a pledge before nightfall.
- Ezekiel 18:7 tn The Hebrew term refers to seizure of property, usually by the rich (Isa 3:14; 10:2; Mic 2:2; see Lev 5:21, 22 HT [6:2, 3 ET]).
- Ezekiel 18:8 sn This law was given in Lev 25:36.
- Ezekiel 18:8 tn Heb, “turns back his hand.”
- Ezekiel 18:8 tn Heb “justice of truth.”
- Ezekiel 18:9 tc The MT reads לַעֲשׂוֹת אֱמֶת (laʿasot ʾemet, “to do with integrity”), while the LXX reads “to do them,” presupposing לַעֲשׂוֹת אֹתָם (laʿasot ʾotam). The ם (mem) and ת (tav) have been reversed in the MT. The LXX reflects the original, supported by similar phrasing in Ezekiel 11:20; 20:19.
- Ezekiel 18:9 tn Heb “he.”
- Ezekiel 18:9 tn Heb “living, he will live.” The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
Ezekiel 18:5-9
New International Version
Ezekiel 18:5-9
New International Version
5 “Suppose there is a righteous man
who does what is just and right.
6 He does not eat at the mountain(A) shrines
or look to the idols(B) of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife
or have sexual relations with a woman during her period.(C)
7 He does not oppress(D) anyone,
but returns what he took in pledge(E) for a loan.
He does not commit robbery(F)
but gives his food to the hungry(G)
and provides clothing for the naked.(H)
8 He does not lend to them at interest
or take a profit from them.(I)
He withholds his hand from doing wrong
and judges fairly(J) between two parties.
9 He follows my decrees(K)
and faithfully keeps my laws.
That man is righteous;(L)
he will surely live,(M)
declares the Sovereign Lord.
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