John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 18:4
Behold, all souls are mine ,.... By creation; they being the immediate produce of his power; hence he is called "the Father of spirits", Hebrews 12:9 , or the souls of men; these he has an apparent right unto; a property in; a dominion over; they are accountable to him, and will be judged impartially by him: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine ; and therefore must be thought to have as great a respect and affection for the one as for the other; for the soul... 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