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

21But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all My laws and does what is lawful and right, he will surely live, he will not die. 22None of his transgressions that he committed will be remembered; because of his righteousness that he practiced, he will live. “Do I delight at all in the death of the wicked?” It is a declaration of Adonai. “Rather, should he not return from his ways, and live? 24But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity and does according to all the detestable acts that the wicked man does, will he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered; for his trespass that he trespassed and for his sin that he has sinned, for them he will die. 25“Yet you say, ‘Adonai’s way is unfair!’ Hear now, house of Israel! Is My way not fair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?

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 have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“so return, and live!”
• Ezekiel 33:11Say to them: ‘As I live’—it is a declaration of Adonai—‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Return, return from your evil ways. Why will you die, O house of Israel?’
• Lamentations 3:33For He does not afflict from His heart or grieve the sons of men.
• Hosea 11:8“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you as Zeboim? My heart is turning over within Me. My compassions are kindled.
• 1 Timothy 2:4He desires all men to be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth.
• 2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some consider slowness. Rather, He is being patient toward you—not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
• Exodus 34:6Then Adonai passed before him, and proclaimed, “Adonai, Adonai, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth,
• Job 33:27He sings to others, saying, ‘I have sinned and perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved.
• Psalms 147:11Adonai delights in those who revere Him, in those who trust in His lovingkindness.
• Jeremiah 31:20Erect road markers, set up signposts! Set your heart toward the highway, the way by which you traveled! Return, O virgin Israel, return to your cities.
• Micah 7:18Who is a God like You pardoning iniquity, overlooking transgression, for the remnant of His heritage? He will not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.
• Luke 15:4“Which man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until he finds it?
• Luke 15:23Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let’s celebrate with a feast!
• James 2:13For judgment is merciless to the one who does not show mercy. 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
• 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