New King James Version
Ezekiel 14:20
20even 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.”
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 Living Translation (NLT)As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved by their righteousness.
Context of Ezekiel 14:20
18even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered. 19“Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast, 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.” 21For thus says the Lord God: “How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it? 22Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and you will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon 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
People and places in Ezekiel 14:20
Cross-references for Ezekiel 14:20
- Ezekiel 14:14Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord God.
- Daniel 1:1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
- 2 Kings 23:36Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zebudah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.
- 2 Kings 8:1Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the Lord has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years.”
- 2 Kings 24:6So Jehoiakim rested with his fathers. Then Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
- Ezekiel 18:20The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
- Job 5:19He shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.
- Psalms 33:18Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,
- Isaiah 3:10“Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, For they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
- Hosea 10:12Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
- Zephaniah 2:3Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the Lord’s anger.
- Acts 10:35But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
- 1 John 2:29If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
- 1 John 3:7Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries