Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 18

Verse 1

The word = And the word.

the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .

Verse 2

the land = the soil. Hebrew. 'admatk . See note on Ezekiel 11:17 . The fathers, &c. Compare Jeremiah 31:29 , Jeremiah 31:30 .

children's = sons.

Verse 3

saith the Lord GOD = [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle.

the Lord God . See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .

any more . This refers to a future time, which has not yet come (Jeremiah 31:29 , Jeremiah 31:30 ). Till then it is otherwise (Ezekiel 21:3 .Lamentations 5:2; Lamentations 5:2 ), and has been since Genesis 3:0 . Compare Romans 5:12-21 .

Verse 4

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .

souls = persons. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .

sinneth. Descendants were not punished for the sins of their ancestors, unless they persevered in their ancestors' sins. Compare Exodus 20:5 .Matthew 23:30-32 . Here Hebrew. chata', App-44 .

die . Die and live in this chapter are used in the sense of Ezekiel 8:18 .

Verse 5

man. Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .

Verse 6

eaten , &c. Implies sacrificing and partaking of the idolatrous feast. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 12:2 compared with verses: Ezekiel 18:11 , Ezekiel 18:15 ). App-92 .

hath lifted up his eyes, he. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for worship.

defiled , Be. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 18:20 ; Leviticus 20:10 ).

come near . Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 18:19 ; Leviticus 20:18 ).

Verse 7

hath not oppressed , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 22:21 .Leviticus 25:14 .Deuteronomy 23:10; Deuteronomy 23:10 ). App-92 .

hath restored , he. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 22:26 . Deuteronomy 24:6 , Deuteronomy 24:10 , Deuteronomy 24:12 , Deuteronomy 24:13 ). App-92 .

hath given his bread , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 15:7 , Deuteronomy 15:8 ).

Verse 8

hath not given forth , &c. Ref'. to Pentateuch (Exodus 22:25 , Leviticus 25:36 , Leviticus 25:37 . Deuteronomy 23:19 ). App-92 .

iniquity = trickery. Hebrew. 'aval . App-44 . Not the same word as in verses: Ezekiel 18:17 , Ezekiel 18:18 , Ezekiel 18:19 , Ezekiel 17:20 , Eze 17:30 .

hath executed, he. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 19:15 , Leviticus 19:35 .Deuteronomy 1:16 , Deuteronomy 1:17 ; Deuteronomy 16:18-20 ). App-92 .

Verse 9

Hath walked , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 18:5 .Deuteronomy 4:1 ; Deuteronomy 5:1 ; Deuteronomy 5:6 , Deuteronomy 5:1 , Deuteronomy 5:2 ; Deuteronomy 10:12 , Deuteronomy 10:13 ; Deuteronomy 11:1 ).

he shall surely live . Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 18:5 ),

live . See note on Leviticus 18:5 .

Verse 10

a robber. Ref to Pentateuch (Exodus 22:2 .Leviticus 19:13; Leviticus 19:13 ), a shedder of blood. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 9:6 . Exodus 21:12 .Numbers 35:31; Numbers 35:31 ). App-92 .

Verse 13

his blood shall be upon him. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 20:9 , Leviticus 20:11 , Leviticus 20:12 , Leviticus 20:13 , Leviticus 20:16 , Leviticus 20:27 ). App-92 .

Verse 15

hath not, &c. Some codices, with two early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and bath not", &c.

Verse 17

the poor = the oppressed. The Septuagint reads "injustice", as in Ezekiel 18:8 .

iniquity. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 . Not the same word as in or. Eze 8:24 , Eze 8:26 .

Verse 18

people = peoples

Verse 20

The son , he. Reference to Pentateuch ( Deu 24:26 ). App-92 .

the righteous = a righteous one.

wickedness . . . the wicked . Hebrew. rasha'. App-44 .

the wicked = a lawless one. Hebrew text margin, with some codices and three early printed editions, read lawless ones".

Verse 21

all his sins . Hebrew text reads "any sin of his"; but the margin, some codices, and two early printed editions, read "all his sins".

he shall not die, Note the Figure of speech Pleonasm ( App-6 ), here, Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and not die".

Verse 22

transgressions. Heb, pasha'. App-44 .

mentioned unto = remembered against, No "purgatory "here.

Verse 23

Have I any pleasure. ? Answered in Ezekiel 18:32 .

ways. Many codiecs, with eight early printed editions, read plural; but others, with Aramaean, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "way" (singular)

saith the Lord GOD = [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle.

Verse 24

righteousness. So Hebrew text; but margin, with scone codices and one early printed edition, read plural = "none of his righteous acts The Hebrew verb is plural

trespass. trespassed. Hebrew. ma' al. App-44 .

Verse 25

the LORD. This is one of the 134 places where the Sopherim say that they changed " Jehovah " of the primitive text to " Adonai ". See App-32 .

equal , See note on "pondereth", Proverbs 21:2 , unequal. Note the Figure of speech Anticategoria ( App-6 ).

Verse 31

whereby , &c. The = Septuagint reads "which ye have committed against Me".

heart. spirit . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for all that is of the spirit, and not of the flesh. Compare Luke 1:44 , Luke 1:47 . John 4:24 . "The flesh profiteth nothing" (John 6:63 ).

spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-49 .

Verse 32

I have no pleasure. This is the answer to the question in Ezekiel 18:23 .