Ezekiel 18:2

18:2 “What do you mean by quoting this proverb concerning the land of Israel,

“‘The fathers eat sour grapes

And the children’s teeth become numb?’ ¹ 

Ezekiel 20:21

20:21 “‘But the children ²  rebelled against me, did not follow my statutes, did not observe my regulations by carrying them out (the one who obeys ³  them will live by them), and desecrated my Sabbaths. I decided to pour out ⁴  my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the wilderness.

[18:2]  ¹ tn This word only occurs here and in the parallel passage in Jer 31:29-30 in the Qal stem and in Eccl 10:10 in the Piel stem. In the latter passage it refers to the bluntness of an ax that has not been sharpened. Here the idea is of the “bluntness” of the teeth, not from having ground them down due to the bitter taste of sour grapes but to the fact that they have lost their “edge,” “bite,” or “sharpness” because they are numb from the sour taste. For this meaning for the word, see W. L. Holladay, Jeremiah (Hermeneia), 2:197.

[20:21]  ² tn Heb “sons.”

[20:21]  ³ tn Or “carries them out.”

[20:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “and I said/thought to pour out.”