Ezekiel 18

God Deals Justly with Individuals

1Then the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to me, sayingH559, 2“1WhatH4100 do you mean by usingH4911 thisH2088 proverbH4912 concerningH5921 the landH127 of IsraelH3478, sayingH559, ‘2The fathersH1 eatH398 the sourH1155 grapesH1155, But the children’sH1121 teethH8127 3are setH6949 on edgeH6949’? 3As I liveH2416,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 4GodH3068, “you are surelyH518 not going to useH4911 thisH2088 proverbH4912 in IsraelH3478 anymoreH5750. 4BeholdH2005, 5allH3605 6soulsH5315 are Mine; the 7soulH5315 of the fatherH1 as well as the 8soulH5315 of the sonH1121 is Mine. The 9soulH5315 who 10sinsH2398 will dieH4191.

5“But ifH3588 a manH376 is righteousH6662 and practicesH6213 justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6666, 6and does not 11eatH398 at the mountainH2022 shrines or 12liftH5375 up his eyesH5869 to the idolsH1544 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, or 13defileH2930 his neighbor’sH7453 wifeH802 or approachH7126 a womanH802 during her menstrualH5079 periodH5079-- 7if a manH376 does not oppressH3238 anyone, but 14restoresH7725 to the debtorH2326 his pledgeH2260, 15does not commitH1497 robberyH1500, but 16givesH5414 his breadH3899 to the hungryH7457 and coversH3680 the nakedH5903 with clothingH899, 8if he does not lendH5414 money on 17interestH5392 or takeH3947 18increaseH8636, if he keepsH7725 his handH3027 from iniquityH5766 and 19executesH6213 trueH571 justiceH4941 betweenH996 manH376 and manH376, 9if he walksH1980 in 20My statutesH2708 and My ordinancesH4941 so as to dealH6213 faithfullyH571--21he is righteousH6662 and will surelyH2421 22liveH2421,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068.

10“Then he may 23haveH3205 a violentH6530 sonH1121 who shedsH8210 bloodH1818 and who doesH6213 anyH4480H259 of theseH428 thingsH428 to a brotherH251 11(though he himselfH1931 did not doH6213 anyH3605 of theseH428 thingsH428), that is, he evenH1571 eatsH398 at the mountainH2022 shrines, and 24defilesH2930 his neighbor’sH7453 wifeH802, 12oppressesH3238 the 25poorH6041 and needyH34, 26commitsH1497 robberyH1500, does not restoreH7725 a pledgeH2258, but liftsH5375 up his eyesH5869 to the idolsH1544 and 27commitsH6213 abominationH8441, 13he 28lendsH5414 money on interestH5392 and takesH3947 increaseH8636; will he liveH2421? He will not liveH2421! He has committedH6213 allH3605 theseH428 abominationsH8441, he will surelyH4191 be putH4191 to deathH4191; his 29bloodH1818 will be 30on his own head.

14“Now beholdH2009, he 31hasH3205 a sonH1121 who has observedH7200 allH3605 his father’sH1 sinsH2403 whichH834 he committedH6213, and 32observingH7200 does not doH6213 likewiseH2004. 15He does not eatH398 at the mountainH2022 shrines or liftH5375 up his eyesH5869 to the idolsH1544 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, or defileH2930 his neighbor’sH7453 wifeH802, 16or oppressH3238 anyoneH376, or retainH2254 a pledgeH2258, or commitH1497 robberyH1500, but he 33givesH5414 his breadH3899 to the hungryH7457 and coversH3680 the nakedH5903 with clothingH899, 17he keepsH7725 his handH3027 from 34the poorH6041, does not takeH3947 interestH5392 or increaseH8636, but executesH6213 My ordinancesH4941, and walksH1980 in My statutesH2708; 35he will not dieH4191 for his father’sH1 iniquityH5771, he will surelyH2421 liveH2421. 18As for his fatherH1, becauseH3588 he practicedH6231 extortionH6233, robbedH1497 his brotherH251 and didH6213 whatH834 was not goodH2896 amongH8432 his peopleH5971, beholdH2009, he will dieH4191 for his iniquityH5771.

19“Yet you sayH559, ‘36WhyH4069 should the sonH1121 not bearH5375 the punishmentH5771 for the father’sH1 iniquityH5771?’ When the sonH1121 has practicedH6213 37justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6666 and has observedH8104 allH3605 My statutesH2708 and doneH6213 them, he shall surelyH2421 liveH2421. 20The personH5315 who 38sinsH2398 will dieH4191. The 39sonH1121 will not bearH5375 the punishmentH5771 for the father’sH1 iniquityH5771, norH3808 will the fatherH1 bearH5375 the punishmentH5771 for the son’sH1121 iniquityH5771; the 40righteousnessH6666 of the righteousH6662 will be upon himself, and the wickednessH7564 of the wickedH7563 will be upon himself.

21“But ifH3588 the 41wickedH7563 manH7563 turnsH7725 from allH3605 his sinsH2403 whichH834 he has committedH6213 and observesH8104 allH3605 My statutesH2708 and practicesH6213 justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6666, he shall surelyH2421 liveH2421; he shall not dieH4191. 2242AllH3605 his transgressionsH6588 whichH834 he has committedH6213 will not be rememberedH2142 against him; because of his 43righteousnessH6666 whichH834 he has practicedH6213, he will liveH2421. 2344Do I haveH2654 anyH2654 pleasureH2654 in the deathH4194 of the wickedH7563,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “45ratherH3808 thanH3808 that he should 46turnH7725 from his waysH1870 and liveH2421?

24“But when a righteousH6662 manH6662 47turnsH7725 awayH7725 from his righteousnessH6666, commitsH6213 iniquityH5766 and doesH6213 according to allH3605 the abominationsH8441 that a wickedH7563 manH7563 doesH6213, will he liveH2421? 48AllH3605 his righteousH6666 deedsH6666 whichH834 he has doneH6213 will not be rememberedH2142 for his 49treacheryH4604 whichH834 he has committedH4603 and his sinH2403 whichH834 he has committedH2398; for them he will dieH4191. 25Yet you sayH559, ‘50The wayH1870 of the LordH136 is not rightH8505.’ HearH8085 nowH4994, O houseH1004 of IsraelH3478! Is 51My wayH1870 not rightH8505? Is it not your waysH1870 that are not rightH8505? 26When a righteousH6662 manH6662 turnsH7725 awayH7725 from his righteousnessH6666, commitsH6213 iniquityH5766 and diesH4191 becauseH5921 of it, for his iniquityH5766 whichH834 he has committedH6213 he will dieH4191. 27Again, when a wickedH7563 manH7563 turnsH7725 awayH7725 52from his wickednessH7564 whichH834 he has committedH6213 and practicesH6213 justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6666, he will saveH2421 his lifeH5315. 28Because he consideredH7200 and turnedH7725 awayH7725 from allH3605 his transgressionsH6588 whichH834 he had committedH6213, he shall surelyH2421 liveH2421; he shall not dieH4191. 29But the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 saysH559, ‘The wayH1870 of the LordH136 is not rightH8505.’ Are My waysH1870 not rightH8505, O houseH1004 of IsraelH3478? Is it not your waysH1870 that are not rightH8505?

30“ThereforeH3651 I will judgeH8199 you, O houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, eachH376 according to his conductH1870,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068. “53RepentH7725 and turnH7725 awayH7725 from allH3605 your transgressionsH6588, so that iniquityH5771 may not becomeH1961 a stumblingH4383 blockH4383 to you. 3154CastH7993 awayH7993 from you allH3605 your transgressionsH6588 whichH834 you have committedH6586 and makeH6213 yourselves a 55newH2319 heartH3820 and a newH2319 spiritH7307! For whyH4100 will you dieH4191, O houseH1004 of IsraelH3478? 32For I haveH2654 56noH3808 pleasureH2654 in the deathH4194 of anyone who diesH4191,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068. “Therefore, repentH7725 and liveH2421.”