Ezekiel 18:23

Ezekiel 18:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
• New International Version (NIV)Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

Context of Ezekiel 18:23

21“But if the wicked person turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all my statutes, and does what is just and right, he will certainly live; he will not die. 22None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. He will live because of the righteousness he has practiced. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Instead, don’t I take pleasure when he turns from his ways and lives? 24But when a righteous person turns from his righteousness and acts unjustly, committing the same detestable acts that the wicked do, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. He will die because of the treachery he has engaged in and the sin he has committed. 25“But you say, ‘The Lord’s way isn’t fair.’ Now listen, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair? Instead, isn’t it your ways that are unfair?

Ezekiel 18:23 word by word

הֶחָפֹ֤ץ אֶחְפֹּץ֙ מ֣וֹת רָשָׁ֔ע נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה הֲל֛וֹא בְּשׁוּב֥וֹ מִדְּרָכָ֖יו וְחָיָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Have I any pleasureחָפֵץchâphêts · to delight inH2654
• that the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• should dieמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
• Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
• not that he should returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
• from his waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• and liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421

Cross-references for Ezekiel 18:23

• Ezekiel 18:32For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “So repent and live!
• Ezekiel 33:11Tell them, ‘As I live — this is the declaration of the Lord God — I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel?’
• Lamentations 3:33For he does not enjoy bringing affliction or suffering on mankind.
• Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart; my compassion is stirred!
• 1 Timothy 2:4who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
• 2 Peter 3:9The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
• Exodus 34:6The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: The Lord — the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth,
• Job 33:27He will look at men and say, “I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved.
• Psalms 147:11The Lord values those who fear him, those who put their hope in his faithful love.
• Jeremiah 31:20Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to me, a delightful child? Whenever I speak against him, I certainly still think about him. Therefore, my inner being yearns for him; I will truly have compassion on him. This is the Lord’s declaration.
• Micah 7:18Who is a God like you, forgiving iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not hold on to his anger forever because he delights in faithful love.
• Luke 15:4“What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it?
• Luke 15:23Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast,
• James 2:13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 18:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? - No! That is foreign to him whose name is love, and whose nature is mercy. On the contrary he "wills that he should return from his evil ways and live." And if God can have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, he cannot have made a decree to abandon him to the evil of his nature, and then damn him for what he could not avoid: for as God can do nothing with which he is not pleased, so he can decree…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-29Verses 21-29 The wicked man would be saved, if he turned from his evil ways. The true penitent is a true believer. None of his former transgressions shall be mentioned unto him, but in the righteousness which he has done, as the fruit of faith and the effect of conversion, he shall surely live. The question is not whether the truly righteous ever become apostates. It is certain that many who for a time were thought to be righteous, do so, while Ezek…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-24God does not want wicked people to die. He made Ezekiel a watchman to guide the wicked toward a godly life and to warn the righteous not to stray (Ezekiel 3:16–19; 33:1–9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2421-24. Two last cases, showing the equity of God: (1) The penitent sinner is dealt with according to his new obedience, not according to his former sins. (2) The righteous man who turns from righteousness to sin shall be punished for the latter, and his former righteousness will be of no avail to him. he shall surely live--Despair drives men into hardened recklessness; God therefore allures men to repentance by holding out hope [Calvin]. To threats the…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 18:23

• Children
• Death
• God Continued...
• Judgment
• Penitent
• Repentance
• Responsibility
• Seekers
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Cruelly
• Live
• Accountability
• Conversion
• Ezekiel
• Prophecy; Prophets
• Resurrection
• Salvation

Commentaries on Ezekiel 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings