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?
• 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?
• New Living Translation (NLT)“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.

Context of Ezekiel 18:23

21"But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. 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? 24But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die. 25"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

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 have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live."
• Ezekiel 33:11Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?
• Lamentations 3:33for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men.
• Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.
• 1 Timothy 2:4who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
• 2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
• Exodus 34:6The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
• Job 33:27He sings before men and says: 'I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me.
• Psalms 147:11but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
• Jeremiah 31:20Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he my darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord.
• Micah 7:18Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.
• Luke 15:4"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
• Luke 15:23And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
• James 2:13For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no 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
• 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