Ezekiel 18
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
2What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
3As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
4Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
5But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
6And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,
7And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
8He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
9Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
10If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things,
11And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,
12Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
13Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
14Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,
15That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife,
16Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,
17That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
18As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
19Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
20The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
21But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
23Have 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?
24But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
25Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
26When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
27Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
29Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
30Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
32For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- לֹאlôʼH380839× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH621327× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- חָיָהchâyâhH242117× in this chapter
to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive
- כֹּלkôlH360513× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- מוּתmûwthH419113× in this chapter
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
- שׁוּבshûwbH772513× in this chapter
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH83413× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- אֵתʼêthH85313× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- יִשְׂרָאֵלYisrâʼêlH34789× in this chapter
Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
- צְדָקָהtsᵉdâqâhH66669× in this chapter
rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity)
- אָבʼâbH18× in this chapter
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
- בֵּןbênH11218× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- דֶּרֶךְderekH18708× in this chapter
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
- בַּיִתbayithH10047× in this chapter
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
- אֲדֹנָיʼĂdônâyH1367× in this chapter
the Lord (used as a proper name of God only)
- הָיָהhâyâhH19617× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- אֵלʼêlH4137× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- מִשְׁפָּטmishpâṭH49417× in this chapter
properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style
- הוּאhûwʼH19316× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- אִישׁʼîyshH3766× in this chapter
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
- נֶפֶשׁnepheshH53156× in this chapter
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
- נָשָׂאnâsâʼH53756× in this chapter
to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
- עָוֺןʻâvônH57716× in this chapter
perversity, i.e. (moral) evil
- עַלʻalH59216× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- תָּכַןtâkanH85056× in this chapter
to balance, i.e. measure out (by weight or dimension); figuratively, arrange, equalize, through the idea of levelling (ment. estimate, test)
- יְהֹוִהYᵉhôvihH30695× in this chapter
{YHWH}
- כִּיkîyH35885× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- נְאֻםnᵉʼumH50025× in this chapter
an oracle
- אָמַרʼâmarH5595× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- צַדִּיקtsaddîyqH66625× in this chapter
just
- רָשָׁעrâshâʻH75635× in this chapter
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
- גָּזַלgâzalH14974× in this chapter
to pluck off; specifically to flay, strip or rob
- חֻקָּהchuqqâhH27084× in this chapter
{an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage)}
- אָכַלʼâkalH3984× in this chapter
to eat (literally or figuratively)
- נָתַןnâthanH54144× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- עֶוֶלʻevelH57664× in this chapter
(moral) evil
- פֶּשַׁעpeshaʻH65884× in this chapter
a revolt (national, moral or religious)
- אִשָּׁהʼishshâhH8024× in this chapter
a woman
- גְּזֵלָהgᵉzêlâhH15003× in this chapter
{robbery, or (concretely) plunder}
- גִּלּוּלgillûwlH15443× in this chapter
properly, a log (as round); by implication, an idol