Discovery BoxEzekiel 18:23-32
Context18:23 Do I actually delight in the death of the wicked, declares the sovereign Lord? Do I not prefer that he turn from his wicked conduct and live?
18:24 “But if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing according to all the abominable practices the wicked carry out, will he live? All his righteous acts will not be remembered; because of the unfaithful acts he has done and the sin he has committed, he will die. 1
18:25 “Yet you say, ‘The Lord’s conduct 2 is unjust!’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my conduct unjust? Is it not your conduct that is unjust? 18:26 When a righteous person turns back from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing, he will die for it; 3 because of the wrongdoing he has done, he will die. 18:27 When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life. 18:28 Because he considered 4 and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die. 18:29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?
18:30 “Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct, 5 O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent 6 and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity. 7 18:31 Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! 8 Why should you die, O house of Israel? 18:32 For I take no delight in the death of anyone, 9 declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
[18:24] 1 tn Heb “because of them he will die.”
[18:26] 3 tn Heb “for them” or “because of them.”
[18:30] 6 tn The verbs and persons in this verse are plural whereas the individual has been the subject of the chapter.
[18:30] 7 tn Or “leading to punishment.”
[18:31] 8 sn In Ezek 11:19, 36:26 the new heart and new spirit are promised as future blessings.
