1God disalloweth the parable of sour grapes: 5he sheweth his dealing with a just man, 10with the wicked son of a just father, 14and with the just son of a wicked father: 19he declareth that the treatment of both son and father shall be according to their respective deserts: 21and that the wicked, if he repent, shall live; 24but he that revolteth from his righteousness shall die: 25he defendeth the equity of his dealings: 31and exhorteth to repentance.
1THE word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
21What mean ye, that ye use this 2proverb concerning 3the land of Israel, saying, 4The fathersa have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s 5teeth are set on edge?
1 That is, what reason do ye have to use this proverb? As if He said: I have given you no cause for it.
2 See Ezek. 12 on verse 22.
3 That is, of the inhabitants of the land. See Gen. 6 on verse 11.
4 That is, the fathers have sinned, and the children must suffer the punishment. Thus the Jews have accused the Lord most impudently of injustice.
a Jer. 31:29.
5 That is, our teeth.
3As I live, saith the Lord GOD, 6ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
6 He denies strongly, and with an oath, that they would not have occasion in time to come to use this blasphemous proverb; for, they would be suddenly assailed with such horrible plagues, that everyone might judge, yea their own consciences might bear witness, that they were plagued for their own sins.
4Behold, all 7souls 8are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it 9shall die.
7 That is, persons. See Gen. 12 on verse 5.
8 That is, belong to Me, namely, because I am their Creator and Preserver. God concludes from this that He can wrong no man with punishments, because He has done all of them good in creating them, and still does them good in preserving them; but that He only punishes those who sin, and that not because He hates His creatures, but because He hates sin, and is a just and righteous Judge against him who commits it.
9 That is, shall bear the punishment of its sin, namely, either in this life, or in the life to come.
5¶But if a man be just, and 10do that which is lawful and right,
10 That is, lives according to the commandments of the first and second table, either in public or in private life. See Gen. 18 on verse 19.
6And hath not 11eaten upon the mountains,b neither hath lifted up his eyes 12to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath 13defiled his neighbour’sc wife, neither hath 14come near to 15a menstruousd woman,
11 Namely, of what is offered to idols, and consequently has no fellowship with idolatry. For, upon the mountains, as also in the groves and under the green trees, they had their altars whereon they offered sacrifices unto idols, 1 Kings 11:7; Isa. 65:7; Hosea 4:13, of which they then also did eat a part, and squandered with their friends, Deut. 32:38; Judges 9:27; Psalm 106:28; 1 Cor. 8:1, 4, etc.
b Isa. 57:7; 65:7.
12 Namely, to give them religious honor, because they commonly stand in high places. Also verse 15. The contrary is, to lift up one’s eyes unto God, Who is in heaven, Psalm 123:1.
13 Namely, by adultery. See of this manner of speech, thus fully set down, Ezek. 23:17.
c Lev. 18:20.
14 That is, to know her. See Gen. 20 on verse 4.
15 That is, who was to be separated from the carnal copulation with her husband, when she had her monthly courses, upon pain of death. See Lev. 15:24; 18:19; 20:18, with the annotations.
d Lev. 18:19.
7And hath not oppressede any, but hath restored to 16the debtor his pledge,f17hath spoiled none by violence, hath giveng his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
e Exod. 22:21; Lev. 19:13; 25:14.
16 See hereof the law Exod. 22:26, 27.
f Exod. 22:26; Deut. 24:12.
17 That is, takes not from anyone what is his, either by open robbery and violence or under a pretence and color of law. See of the same manner of speech verses 12, 16, 18; Ezek. 22:29.
g Deut. 15:7; Isa. 58:7; Mat. 25:35.
8He that hath not given forth upon 18usury,h neither hath taken any 19increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed 20true judgment between man and man,
18 See of these words usury and increase Lev. 25 on verse 36.
h Exod. 22:15; Lev. 25:35, 36.
19 See of these words usury and increase Lev. 25 on verse 36.
20 Hebr. doth right or judgment of truth between the man, towards the man, that is, judges and deals rightly between the one and the other, which must not only be done by those who are in public office and authority, but also in private life.
9Hath walked in 21my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, 22to deal truly; he is just, he shall 23surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
21 Compare 1 Kings 11:33 and the annotations.
22 Hebr. to do truth or faithfulness. See Prov. 12 on verse 22.
23 Hebr. living live, that is, be saved both in soul and body. Also verses 17, 19 and 21.
10¶If he beget a son that is a 24robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like 25to any one of 26these things,
24 See Psalm 17 on verse 4.
25 That is, neighbor. See 2 Chron. 11 on verse 4.
26 Hebr. out one of these things, namely, which are forbidden. Other: who doth unto his brother something else but, etc. Namely, of these good deeds which are mentioned immediately before. Or, of the statutes and judgments of God, whereof mention is made in the previous verse.
11And that doeth not 27any of those duties, but even 28hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,
27 Namely, which are commanded. Other, doth none of those things.
28 See on verse 6.
12Hath oppressed the poor and needy, 29hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and 30hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed 31abomination,
29 Hebr. spoileth spoils, that is, does much violence to take away much from his neighbor. Compare verses 7 and 18.
30 See on verse 6.
31 By abomination is very often understood idolatry in Holy Scripture. See Ezek. 8:6 and the annotation. For which cause the idols are also called abominations, 2 Kings 23:13, and idols of abominations, Ezek. 16:36.
13Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall 32surely die; 33his blood shall be upon him.
32 Hebr. shall dying be put to death, or, be put to death with death, namely, either here in body by means of men, or hereafter in God’s judgment in body and soul.
33 Hebr. bloods, that is, he himself is the cause of his own death. See Lev. 20 on verse 9.
14¶Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,
1534That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife,
34 See on verse 6.
16Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden 35the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,
35 Hebr. pledgeth no pledge; to pledge signifies here not to take a pledge, but to keep the pledge and not restore it, as may be gathered out of the contrast in the 7th verse, where it is stated: hath restored to the debtor his pledge.
17That hath taken off his 36hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, 37he shall surely live.
36 Understand the hand which does violence and wrong, that is, which withdraws his hand from doing violence and wrong to the poor; which in verse 8 is called: withdrawn his hand from iniquity.
37 Hebr. shall living live.
18As for his father, because he 38cruelly oppressed, spoiled 39his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
38 That is, has cruelly oppressed, namely, with violence or deceit. See Prov. 14 on verse 31.
39 That is, his neighbor, as verse 10. Hebr. of the brother’s spoil.
19¶Yet say 40ye, 41Why?i doth not the son bear the 42iniquity of the father? 43When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
40 Namely, the Jews, who use the aforementioned proverb, verse 2, accusing God falsely that He punishes the children for their father’s offences; ye, I say, answer me thus: Why?, etc. This the prophet prevents that which the wicked Jews answered upon his doctrine earlier.
41 These are the words of the Jews, as if they said: Why dost thou say that, namely that the son does not bear the iniquity of his father, seeing the contrary appears to us: who are punished with war for our father’s sake?
i Deut. 24:16; 2 Kings 14:6; 2 Chron. 25:4.
42Iniquity is here taken for the punishment of iniquity; also in the sequel. See Lev. 5 on verse 1. Hebr. doth not the son bear in or of the iniquity, etc., and so in the sequel.
43 This is a reply and a rejoinder, which God gives by His prophet to the Jews, showing that the godly man is not punished for the wicked man’s sake, but that the wicked bears his own punishment.
2044The soul that sinneth, it shall die. 45The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: 46the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and 47the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
44 See on verse 4.
45 Understand this of such a son who does not follow the iniquity of his father. Otherwise the threatenings, which we read in Exod. 20:5 and Deut. 5:9, remain firm and steadfast.
46 That is, the gracious recompense of righteousness and of good works shall betide him. Concerning the word righteousness, compare Gen. 30:33 and the annotation. Likewise see Psalm 24:5; 85:13; 112:9; Isa. 58:8.
47 That is, the just punishment which the wicked deserves shall come upon him. See verse 19 on the word iniquity.
21But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and 48do that which is lawful and right, he shall 49surely live, he shall not die.
48 See on verse 5.
49 Hebr. living live.
2250All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto 51him: 52in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
50 That is, none of his transgressions shall be remembered. See of the manner of speech 1 Kings 11 on verse 34.
51 Or, against him. See Psalm 79 on verse 8. The sense is: that his transgressions shall not move the Lord to punish him. It is spoken of God after the manner of men. Also Isa. 64:9; Jer. 14:10; Heb. 10:17. Compare Ezek. 3 on verse 20.
52 Understand not that his righteousness deserves this by its own worth or value, but because God, of His free grace for His Son’s sake, is pleased to reward it, Rom. 4:4.
23Havej I 53any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: 54and not that he should return from his 55ways, and 56live?
j Ezek. 33:11.
53 Hebr. delighting delight. This question implies a strong negation. The meaning is this: He by no means delights, nor is moved by any delight to slay the wicked; for, though He has decreed to punish the impenitent, yet His end is properly not the destruction of His creature, but the revelation or manifestation of His justice, Rom. 9:17. On the other hand here the speech is properly of the death of the wicked who repents, and not of those who never repent, as the precedent and subsequent words do show; as if God said: Ye think that I take such delight in killing and destroying, as I even will not spare the wicked who repents, nor observe a delight in his repentance; but that is blasphemy, and this is far from Me.
54 Namely, that I have pleasure and delight in this? This question implies a strong affirmation, that the repentance and conversion of the wicked is so pleasing unto God that he who is converted shall surely live, and that He has no desire or delight at all to slay the wicked person who is converted. Compare verse 32; Ezek. 33:11. Other, do I not delight therein that he return, etc. In Ezek. 33:11 the Hebrew words are stated somewhat different than here.
55 Namely, wicked ways, that is, wicked life, which is called a wicked way, 1 Kings 13:33; 2 Kings 17:13; Jonah 3:10, etc.
56 That is, escape My judgments and be saved.
24¶But when the 57righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall 58not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
57 See Ezek. 3 on verse 20.
58 That is, shall not move God to reward them, and to free him from punishment. See Ezek. 3 on verse 20. Compare Acts 10:4.
25¶Yet 59ye say, 60Thek way of the Lord 61is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways 62unequal?
59 Namely, ye, rebellious Jews.
60 That is, the manner of action which God uses in governing man. See of the word way also used in Deut. 32 on verse 4; Psalm 25 on verse 10. Likewise compare Prov. 6 on verse 6.
k Ezek. 33:17, 20.
61 That is, not fitted and squared to the demand of justice. Other, not made straight, or even, or weighed right. They wanted to say, that God kept no equality between the punishments and the sins, and that He punished one man more grievously than He did another, and that He pardoned one man’s sins, and did not pardon another man’s sins, etc. These were horrible blasphemies.
62 That is, not as they ought to be, nor rightly weighed in the balance of justice.
26When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in 63them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
63 Namely, his wicked ways, whereof mention is made in the previous verse.
27Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save 64his soul alive.
64 That is, himself, namely, by faithfully persevering in the way which leads unto life. For, it is the will of God, that those, to whom he, for Christ’s sake graciously promises the crown of righteousness, would come to it by the way of righteousness, Eph. 1:4; 2:10; Titus 2:11, 12, 13, 14.
28Because he 65considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
65 That is, is careful that he does not continue in his sins, of which he is sensible and confesses. See the similar signification of the word considering, verse 14; 1 Kings 12:16.
29Yet saith the house of Israel, 66The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
66 See on verse 25.
30Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to 67his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent,l and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your 68ruin.
67 See Gen. 6 on verse 12.
l Mat. 3:2.
68 That is, an occasion of your ruin and destruction. Compare Ezek. 7:19 and the annotation.
31 ¶ 69Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and 70make you a newm heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
69 This command and what follows show what we are bound to do, and not what we of ourselves are able to do, but ought to pray that we may be able to do it by His grace Who commands it, Psalm 51:10; Jer. 31:18; John 15:5.
70 Compare Eph. 4:23.
m Jer. 32:39; Ezek. 11:19; 36:26.
32For 71In have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and 72live ye.
71 That is, have no delight that any man should die and perish in his impenitency, but that he, being converted, should live. Compare verse 23.
n Ezek. 33:11.
72 This command contains in itself a strong promise, that they shall surely live who do sincerely turn unto God from the heart. See Psalm 37 on verse 3; Prov. 3 on verse 25.