John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 18:7
And hath not oppressed any ,.... By fraud or force, particularly the poor, to the great grief and hurt of them: but hath restored to the debtor his pledge ; which was pawned; not embezzling it, or keeping it beyond the time fixed by the law of God, Deuteronomy 24:12 ; hath spoiled none by violence ; has not committed theft and robbery, or done injury to any man's person and property: hath given his bread to the hungry ; which was his own; what he had laboured for, and come by... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 18:1-9
Evil manners, we say, beget good laws; and in like manner sometimes unjust reflections occasion just vindications; evil proverbs beget good prophecies. Here is, I. An evil proverb commonly used by the Jews in their captivity. We had one before (Ezek. 12:22) and a reply to it; here we have another. That sets God's justice at defiance: ?The days are prolonged and every vision fails; the threatenings are a jest.? This charges him with injustice, as if the judgments executed were a wrong: ?You use... read more