Ezekiel 18

God Deals Justly with Individuals

1Then the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to me, sayingH559, 2“1WhatH4100 do you people mean by usingH4911 thisH2088 proverbH4912 aboutH5921 the landH127 of IsraelH3478, sayingH559, ‘2The fathersH1 eatH398 sourH1155 grapesH1155, 3But it is the children’sH1121 teethH8127 that have becomeH6949 bluntH6949’? 3As I liveH2416,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 4GodH3068, “you certainlyH518 are 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, 6if he does not 11eatH398 at the mountainH2022 shrines or 12raiseH5375 his eyesH5869 to the idolsH1544 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, or 13defileH2930 his neighbor’sH7453 wifeH802 or approachH7126 a womanH802 during her menstrualH5079 periodH5079-- 7and if 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, 8and if he does not 17lendH5414 money at 18interestH5392 or takeH3947 1920interestH8636, if he keepsH7725 his handH3027 from injusticeH5766 and 21executesH6213 trueH571 justiceH4941 betweenH996 oneH376 personH376 and anotherH376, 9if he walksH1980 in 22My statutesH2708 and keepsH8104 My ordinancesH4941 so as to dealH6213 faithfullyH571--23he is righteousH6662 and will certainlyH2421 24liveH2421,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068.

10“However, he may fatherH3205 a violentH6530 sonH1121 who shedsH8210 bloodH1818, and doesH6213 anyH4480 oneH259 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 25defilesH2930 his neighbor’sH7453 wifeH802, 12oppressesH3238 the 26poorH6041 and needyH34, 27commitsH1497 robberyH1500, does not restoreH7725 a pledgeH2258, but raisesH5375 his eyesH5869 to the idolsH1544 and 28commitsH6213 abominationH8441, 1329lendsH5414 money at interestH5392 and takesH3947 30interestH8636; will he liveH2421? He will not liveH2421! He has committedH6213 allH3605 theseH428 abominationsH8441, he shall certainlyH4191 be putH4191 toH4191 deathH4191; his 31bloodH1818 will be on himself.

14“Now beholdH2009, he has fatheredH3205 a sonH1121 who sawH7200 allH3605 his father’sH1 sinsH2403 whichH834 he committedH6213, but he has 32seenH7200 them and does not doH6213 likewiseH2004. 15He does not eatH398 at the mountainH2022 shrines or raiseH5375 his eyesH5869 to the idolsH1544 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478; he has not defiledH2930 his neighbor’sH7453 wifeH802, 16nor oppressedH3238 anyoneH376, nor retainedH2254 a pledgeH2258, nor committedH1497 robberyH1500; instead, he 33givesH5414 his breadH3899 to the hungryH7457 and coversH3680 the nakedH5903 with clothingH899, 17he keepsH7725 his handH3027 from 34the poorH6041, does not takeH3947 any kind of interestH5392H8636 on loans, but executesH6213 My ordinancesH4941, and walksH1980 in My statutesH2708; 35he will not dieH4191 for his father’sH1 guiltH5771, he will certainlyH2421 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 guiltH5771.

19“Yet you sayH559, ‘36WhyH4069 should the sonH1121 not sufferH5375 the punishment for the father’sH1 guiltH5771?’ When the sonH1121 has practicedH6213 37justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6666 and has keptH8104 allH3605 My statutesH2708 and doneH6213 them, he shall certainlyH2421 liveH2421. 20The personH5315 who 38sinsH2398 will dieH4191. A 39sonH1121 will not sufferH5375 the punishment for the father’sH1 guiltH5771, norH3808 will a fatherH1 sufferH5375 the punishment for the son’sH1121 guiltH5771; the 40righteousnessH6666 of the righteousH6662 will be upon himself, and the wickednessH7564 of the wickedH7563 will be upon himself.

21“But ifH3588 the 41wickedH7563 personH7563 turnsH7725 from allH3605 his sinsH2403 whichH834 he has committedH6213 and keepsH8104 allH3605 My statutesH2708 and practicesH6213 justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6666, he shall certainlyH2421 liveH2421; he shall not dieH4191. 2242AllH3605 his offensesH6588 whichH834 he has committedH6213 will not be rememberedH2142 against him; because of his 43righteousnessH6666 whichH834 he has practicedH6213, he will liveH2421. 2344Do I takeH2654 anyH2654 pleasureH2654 in the deathH4194 of the wickedH7563,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “45ratherH3808 thanH3808 that he would 46turnH7725 from his waysH1870 and liveH2421?

24“But when a righteousH6662 personH6662 47turnsH7725 awayH7725 from his righteousnessH6666, commitsH6213 injusticeH5766 and doesH6213 according to allH3605 the abominationsH8441 that the wickedH7563 personH7563 doesH6213, will he liveH2421? 48AllH3605 his righteousH6666 deedsH6666 whichH834 he has doneH6213 will not be rememberedH2142 for his 49treacheryH4603H4604 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, houseH1004 of IsraelH3478! Is 51My wayH1870 not rightH8505? Is it not your waysH1870 that are not rightH8505? 26When a righteousH6662 personH6662 turnsH7725 awayH7725 from his righteousnessH6666, commitsH6213 injusticeH5766 and diesH4191 becauseH5921 of it, for his injusticeH5766 whichH834 he has committedH6213 he diesH4191. 27But when a wickedH7563 personH7563 turnsH7725 awayH7725 52from his wickednessH7564 whichH834 he has committedH6213 and practicesH6213 justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6666, he will saveH2421 his lifeH5315. 28Since he understoodH7200 and turnedH7725 awayH7725 from allH3605 his offensesH6588 whichH834 he had committedH6213, he shall certainlyH2421 liveH2421; he shall not dieH4191. 29But the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 saysH559, ‘The wayH1870 of the LordH136 is not rightH8505.’ Are My waysH1870 not rightH8505, houseH1004 of IsraelH3478? Is it not your waysH1870 that are not rightH8505?

30“ThereforeH3651 I will judgeH8199 you, houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, eachH376 according to his conductH1870,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068. “53RepentH7725 and turnH7725 awayH7725 from allH3605 your offensesH6588, so that wrongdoingH5771 does not becomeH1961 a stumblingH4383 blockH4383 to you. 3154HurlH7993 awayH7993 from you allH3605 your offensesH6588 whichH834 you have committedH6586 and makeH6213 yourselves a 55newH2319 heartH3820 and a newH2319 spiritH7307! For whyH4100 should you dieH4191, houseH1004 of IsraelH3478? 32For I takeH2654 56noH3808 pleasureH2654 in the deathH4194 of anyone who diesH4191,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068. “Therefore, repentH7725 and liveH2421!”