Ezekiel 14:20

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

18As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved. 19“Or suppose I were to pour out my fury by sending an epidemic into the land, and the disease killed people and animals alike. 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. 21“Now this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How terrible it will be when all four of these dreadful punishments fall upon Jerusalem—war, famine, wild animals, and disease—destroying all her people and animals. 22Yet there will be survivors, and they will come here to join you as exiles in Babylon. You will see with your own eyes how wicked they are, and then you will feel better about what I have done to Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 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 Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, their righteousness would save no one but themselves, says the Sovereign Lord.
• Daniel 1:1During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
• 2 Kings 23:36Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother was Zebidah, the daughter of Pedaiah from Rumah.
• 2 Kings 8:1Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other place, for the Lord has called for a famine on Israel that will last for seven years.”
• 2 Kings 24:6When Jehoiakim died, his son Jehoiachin became the next king.
• Ezekiel 18:20The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness.
• Job 5:19From six disasters he will rescue you; even in the seventh, he will keep you from evil.
• Psalms 33:18But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.
• Isaiah 3:10Tell the godly that all will be well for them. They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned!
• Hosea 10:12I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
• Zephaniah 2:3Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you— protect you from his anger on that day of destruction.
• Acts 10:35In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.
• 1 John 2:29Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.
• 1 John 3:7Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ 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

• Animals
• Intercession
• Job
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Daniel
• God
• Job
• Noah
• Daniel, Book of
• Lothing
• Job, Book of
• Resurrection
• Salvation

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