New English Translation
Ezekiel 14:20
20Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, they could not save their own son or daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness.
Ezekiel 14:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
- New International Version (NIV)as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.
- English Standard Version (ESV)even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness.
- New King James Version (NKJV)even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”
Context of Ezekiel 14:20
18Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, they could not save their own sons or daughters – they would save only their own lives. 19“Or suppose I were to send a plague into that land, and pour out my rage on it with bloodshed, killing both people and animals. Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, they could not save their own son or daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness. 21“For this is what the sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send my four terrible judgments – sword, famine, wild animals, and plague – to Jerusalem to kill both people and animals! 22Yet some survivors will be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their behavior and their deeds, you will be consoled about the catastrophe I have brought on Jerusalem – for everything I brought on it.
Read all of Ezekiel 14Ezekiel 14:20 word by word
וְנֹ֨חַ דָּנִיֵּ֣אל וְאִיּוֹב֮ בְּתוֹכָהּ֒ חַי־אָ֗נִי נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה אִם־בֵּ֥ן אִם־בַּ֖ת יַצִּ֑ילוּ הֵ֥מָּה בְצִדְקָתָ֖ם יַצִּ֥ילוּ נַפְשָֽׁם׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Though Noahנֹחַnôach · NoahH5146
- Danielדָּנִיֵּאל, דָּנִאֵלdânîyê'l dâni'êl · DanielH1840
- and Jobאִיּוֹב'îyôb · JobH347
- in itתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- I liveחַיchay · aliveH2416
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
- they shall deliverנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337
- neither sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- norאִם'im · ifH518
- daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- their own soulsנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- by their righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
Cross-references for Ezekiel 14:20
- Ezekiel 14:14Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the sovereign Lord.
- Daniel 1:1In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem and laid it under siege.
- 2 Kings 23:36Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah, from Rumah.
- 2 Kings 8:1Now Elisha advised the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “You and your family should go and live somewhere else for a while, for the Lord has decreed that a famine will overtake the land for seven years.”
- 2 Kings 24:6He passed away and his son Jehoiachin replaced him as king.
- Ezekiel 18:20The person who sins is the one who will die. A son will not suffer for his father’s iniquity, and a father will not suffer for his son’s iniquity; the righteous person will be judged according to his righteousness, and the wicked person according to his wickedness.
- Job 5:19He will deliver you from six calamities; yes, in seven no evil will touch you.
- Psalms 33:18Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers, those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness
- Isaiah 3:10Tell the innocent it will go well with them, for they will be rewarded for what they have done.
- Hosea 10:12Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap unfailing love. Break up the unplowed ground for yourselves, for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers deliverance on you.
- Zephaniah 2:3Seek the Lord’s favor, all you humble people of the land who have obeyed his commands! Strive to do what is right! Strive to be humble! Maybe you will be protected on the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.
- Acts 10:35but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him.
- 1 John 2:29If you know that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by him.
- 1 John 3:7Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 14:20
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12-23Verses 12-23 Ezekiel 14:12 Or, “When a land” - the case is first put in a general form, and then ism brought with increased force home to Jerusalem - “sinneth against me by trespassing grievously,” and I stretch out “mine hand upon it,” and break the staff of bread “thereof,” and send famine “upon it and” cut off “man and beast: though these three men” etc. Ezekiel 14:14 Noah, Daniel, and Job - Three striking instances of men who, for their integrity…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-23Verses 12-23 National sins bring national judgments. Though sinners escape one judgment, another is waiting for them. When God's professing people rebel against him, they may justly expect all his judgments. The faith, obedience, and prayers of Noah prevailed to the saving of his house, but not of the old world. Job's sacrifice and prayer in behalf of his friends were accepted, and Daniel had prevailed for the saving his companions and the wise men of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-20Israel had not been treated unfairly. God did not judge Israel without reason. If any nation sinned against the Lord in this way, that nation would face the same result. However, this passage clearly speaks about Israel. The words used to describe their sin also describe breaking the covenant (the binding promises between God and his people). Israel had broken this covenant. Because of that, the nation would rightly experience the covenant curses (the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2115-21. The argument is cumulative. He first puts the case of the land sinning so as to fall under the judgment of a famine (Eze 14:13); then (Eze 14:15) "noisome beasts" (Le 26:22); then "the sword"; then, worst of all, "pestilence." The three most righteous of men should deliver only themselves in these several four cases. In Eze 14:21 he concentrates the whole in one mass of condemnation. If Noah, Daniel, Job, could not deliver the land, when deserving…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 14:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 14
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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