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 sin he has committed and observes all my statutes and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 22None of the sins he has committed will be held against him; because of the righteousness he has done, he will live. Do I actually delight in the death of the wicked, declares the sovereign Lord? Do I not prefer that he turn from his wicked conduct and live? 24“But if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing according to all the abominable practices the wicked carry out, will he live? All his righteous acts will not be remembered; because of the unfaithful acts he has done and the sin he has committed, he will die. 25“Yet you say, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my conduct unjust? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?

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 delight in the death of anyone, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
• Ezekiel 33:11Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! Why should you die, O house of Israel?’
• Lamentations 3:33For he is not predisposed to afflict or to grieve people. ל (Lamed)
• Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart! All my tender compassions are aroused!
• 1 Timothy 2:4since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
• 2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
• Exodus 34:6The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness,
• Job 33:27That person sings to others, saying: ‘I have sinned and falsified what is right, but I was not punished according to what I deserved.
• Psalms 147:11The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love.
• Jeremiah 31:20Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children. They are the children I take delight in. For even though I must often rebuke them, I still remember them with fondness. So I am deeply moved with pity for them and will surely have compassion on them. I, the Lord, affirm it!
• Micah 7:18There is no other God like you! You forgive sin and pardon the rebellion of those who remain among your people. You do not remain angry forever, but delight in showing loyal love.
• Luke 15:4“Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it?
• Luke 15:23Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate,
• James 2:13For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But 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