a robber. Ref to Pentateuch (Exodus 22:2 .Leviticus 19:13; Leviticus 19:13 ), a shedder of blood. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 9:6 . Exodus 21:12 .Numbers 35:31; Numbers 35:31 ). App-92 . read more
"If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth any one of these things, and that doeth not any of those duties, but hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife, hath wronged the poor and needy, hath taken by robbery, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he... read more
10-13. The second case is that of an impious son of a pious father. His pious parentage, so far from excusing, aggravates his guilt. robber—or literally, "a breaker," namely, through all constraints of right. doeth the like to any one—The Hebrew and the parallel ( :-) require us to translate rather, "doeth to his brother any of these things," namely, the things which follow in :-, &c. [MAURER]. read more
The illustrations 18:5-18Three cases illustrate this principle: a father doing right (Ezekiel 18:5-9), his son doing evil (Ezekiel 18:10-13), and his grandson doing right (Ezekiel 18:14-18). In each case Ezekiel described the individual’s actions and the Lord’s responses. read more
The case of the wicked son 18:10-13Such a righteous person might have an unrighteous son who violently shed the blood of others. This son might do all the bad things that his father avoided doing and might fail to do all the good things that his father did. He would die for his own sins; the responsibility for his death would be his own. read more
God’s Equity vindicatedThe popular view of Israel’s calamities, as expressed in a current proverb, was that they were the punishment of the sins of former generations. Though there was a measure of truth in this, the proverb was used in a false and mischievous sense. It led the present generation to ignore their own sin, to doubt the justice of God’s providence, to despair of escape from the working of a blind fate. Ezekiel, consequently, emphasised in the strongest way the truths of individual... read more
(10) That doeth the like to any one of these things.—The prophet now enters upon the consideration of the second case, that of the son of a righteous father who takes to wicked courses, and it is shown that he shall be dealt with according to his own personal character. It is not necessary that he should be wholly given over to evil or have committed all the sins enumerated, but if he show the alienation of his heart from God by choosing to do any of those things which He has forbidden, he must... read more
Ezekiel 18:2 There is no doubt about the sins of the fathers falling upon the generation in the case of an illegitimate child. No book has ever been written, no law has ever been made there is not one dissentient voice in the chorus of rebuke, not one hand to help, or one lamp to lead the way, when a love-child is cast into the world. There must be thousands of these nameless ocean-tramps cast away on the broad sea of existence; overloaded, until their water-line has vanished, with their... read more
THE RELIGION OF THE INDIVIDUALEzekiel 18:1-32IN the sixteenth chapter, as we have seen, Ezekiel has asserted in the most unqualified terms the validity of the principle of national retribution. The nation is dealt with as a moral unit, and the catastrophe which closes its history is the punishment for the accumulated guilt incurred by the past generations. In the eighteenth chapter he teaches still more explicitly the freedom and the independent responsibility of each individual before God. No... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 18:1-32
Each person is responsible (18:1-32)Many of the exiles complained that it was unjust that they should suffer because of the sins of the previous generation. True, the present captivity had resulted from the continuing decay of the nation over several generations, but the exiles could not deny that they too had sinned. There could be no excuses. They are individually responsible for their wrongdoings and they are punished accordingly (18:1-4).Examples of sins are then given. These include... read more