Ezekiel 14:20 kjv
Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
Ezekiel 14:20 nkjv
even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness."
Ezekiel 14:20 niv
as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.
Ezekiel 14:20 esv
even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness.
Ezekiel 14:20 nlt
As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, they wouldn't be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved by their righteousness.
Ezekiel 14 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 24:16 | "Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children... Each shall be put to death for his own sin." | Law: individual punishment for personal sin. |
| Jer 31:30 | "every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge." | New Covenant principle of individual guilt. |
| Eze 18:20 | "The soul who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity." | Extensive teaching on individual responsibility. |
| Rom 2:6 | "He will render to each one according to his works." | NT: personal judgment for one's deeds. |
| 2 Cor 5:10 | "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done..." | NT: individual accountability at judgment. |
| Gal 6:5 | "For each will have to bear his own load." | Each person carries their own spiritual burden. |
| Rev 20:12 | "...and the dead were judged from what was written in the books, according to what they had done." | Final judgment based on individual actions. |
| Jer 15:1 | "Then the LORD said to me, 'Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me, my heart would not go out to this people...'" | God refusing intercession from exemplary prophets. |
| Gen 18:23-33 | Abraham intercedes for Sodom, but it depends on finding a small number of righteous people. | Example of limited intercession not averting full judgment for widespread sin. |
| Eze 7:8-9 | "Now I will soon pour out my wrath upon you... my eye will not spare you, nor will I have pity." | God's unchangeable decree of judgment. |
| Psa 95:10-11 | "For forty years I loathed that generation... 'Therefore I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter my rest."'" | God's solemn oath concerning a determined judgment. |
| Heb 3:17-19 | "And with whom was he provoked for forty years?... So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief." | Consequences of God's sworn judgment for disobedience. |
| Prov 11:4 | "Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death." | Only personal righteousness provides salvation. |
| Isa 59:16 | "He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede..." | Lament for lack of a powerful intercessor. |
| Gen 6:9 | "Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God." | Noah's personal righteousness highlighted. |
| Gen 7:1 | "Then the LORD said to Noah, 'Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me...'" | Noah's family saved through him, but by God's grace on Noah's righteousness. |
| Job 1:1 | "There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright..." | Job's exemplary righteousness. |
| Dan 6:21-23 | "My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths... because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm." | Daniel's personal righteousness results in his deliverance. |
| 1 Pet 3:20 | "...in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water." | Noah's preservation from judgment. |
| 2 Pet 2:5, 7-8 | "...but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood... and rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct..." | God consistently rescues the righteous from judgment. |
| Gen 19:15-16 | "Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city... and the LORD being merciful to him." | Lot and his daughters saved from Sodom's judgment. |
| Eze 9:4-6 | "...put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations... Do not touch any who have the mark." | Individual sparing within judgment based on individual contrition. |
Ezekiel 14 verses
Ezekiel 14 20 Meaning
Ezekiel 14:20 declares God's absolute determination to bring judgment upon a profoundly wicked land. Even if three paragons of righteousness – Noah, Daniel, and Job – were present, their exceptional piety would not be sufficient to avert the divine wrath from the land, nor could they save their own unrighteous children. Their righteousness would secure salvation only for themselves, highlighting the principle of individual accountability before God when His judgment is fully set.
Ezekiel 14 20 Context
Ezekiel chapter 14 begins with elders of Israel coming to Ezekiel, seeking a word from the Lord. However, God immediately reveals to Ezekiel that these elders have idols in their hearts and are placing stumbling blocks of iniquity before themselves. God declares He will answer them "according to his idolatry" (Eze 14:4). The chapter then describes four severe judgments God will bring upon a rebellious land: sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague (Eze 14:12-20). The central theme is that these judgments, once determined, are inescapable for the land and its wicked inhabitants, regardless of any righteous individuals dwelling within it. Even the presence of exceptionally righteous figures will not deter the divine decree or provide protection for the unrighteous, including their own families. This stern declaration is directed towards a people in Babylonian exile who are still clinging to sin and false hopes, resisting God's sovereign hand of judgment.
Ezekiel 14 20 Word analysis
- Though Noah, Daniel, and Job:
- Noah: (Hebrew: נוֹחַ, Noach). An Old Testament patriarch, declared righteous by God in an utterly corrupt world (Gen 6:9). He saved his immediate family by building the ark according to divine instruction. His inclusion signifies one saved from universal judgment through unique personal obedience and faith.
- Daniel: (Hebrew: דָּנִיֵּאל, Daniyel). A prophet living either contemporary with or immediately prior to Ezekiel. Known for his unwavering integrity, wisdom, and devotion to God in a pagan court, even facing a lion's den (Dan 6). His righteousness allowed his personal deliverance. His presence here is remarkable, elevating him to legendary status, making the point highly relevant and impactful to Ezekiel's audience who knew him.
- Job: (Hebrew: אִיּוֹב, Iyyov). A man from the land of Uz, portrayed as blameless and upright, fearing God and turning away from evil (Job 1:1, 8). He suffered immense personal loss and affliction but remained steadfast in his faith, illustrating unwavering righteousness through trial.
- Trio Significance: These three men represent distinct historical periods and trials, yet all exemplify profound personal righteousness and preservation by God from severe external threats or judgment. Their collective mention emphasizes that if even these could not avert judgment for others, no one could.
- were in it: Refers to "the land" or "that country" mentioned earlier in the chapter (Eze 14:13, 15, 17, 19) upon which God's four-fold judgments (sword, famine, wild beasts, pestilence) are decreed.
- as I live: (Hebrew: חַי אָנִי, chai ani). A powerful, solemn divine oath. God uses His own existence as the guarantee of the absolute truth and certainty of His declaration. It indicates an irreversible and unchangeable divine decree.
- declares the Lord GOD: (Hebrew: נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, neum Adonai YHVH). A frequent prophetic formula, underscoring that this message originates from God Himself, not merely human opinion. Adonai signifies 'Lord' (master); YHVH (often translated 'LORD' in capitals) is God's personal covenant name. This emphasizes both His sovereign authority and covenant faithfulness, even in judgment.
- they could deliver neither son nor daughter: (Hebrew: יַצִּילוּ בֵּן וּבַת, yatzilu ben u'vat). Highlights the boundary of personal righteousness in the face of widespread, determined judgment. Even profound parental love and influence cannot save their unrighteous children when God's decree against a sinful land is firm. It challenges the assumption of automatic generational salvation based on familial connection to the righteous.
- they would deliver only themselves: (Hebrew: רַק אֶת נַפְשָׁם, rak et nafsham). Nafsham literally means 'their soul' or 'their life'/'their very selves.' This reinforces the concept of individual salvation. Each person stands accountable before God for their own deeds. Their righteousness benefits them alone in this context of judgment, directly countering the cultural expectation of corporate solidarity overriding personal sin in judgment.
- by their righteousness: (Hebrew: בְּצִדְקָתָם, b'tzidkatam). Refers to their personal moral integrity, upright conduct, and faithful obedience before God. It is the condition and means by which they are personally delivered. This does not imply merit-based salvation apart from God's grace, but that genuine, obedient faith is demonstrated in righteousness which God then honors.
Ezekiel 14 20 Bonus section
- Polemics against Collective Security: This verse directly confronts a prevailing cultural and theological expectation among ancient Israelites that the presence of a few righteous individuals, or the concept of covenant solidarity, would always mitigate or prevent a universal judgment. While God often demonstrated corporate blessing and corporate judgment (e.g., Achan's sin in Joshua 7), Ezekiel 14:20 places a distinct boundary on this principle, emphasizing that in severe, determined judgment against widespread idolatry and sin, individual responsibility becomes paramount.
- The Shock of Daniel's Inclusion: Including Daniel, a contemporary figure of exemplary piety potentially still alive, elevates his status alongside ancient legends like Noah and Job. For Ezekiel's audience in exile, Daniel's presence was a tangible link. The statement's force is heightened: "Not even your celebrated righteous man who lives among you now could save his kin from this judgment." It drives home the immediacy and severity of God's unyielding decree for the present situation.
- God's Impeccable Justice: This declaration underscores God's absolute justice. His refusal to let the righteousness of the few save the wicked many highlights that His holiness demands an accounting for individual sin. This also speaks to the profound grief He experiences over humanity's stubbornness, leading to such an irrevocable decision.
Ezekiel 14 20 Commentary
Ezekiel 14:20 serves as an emphatic culmination to God's stern pronouncement of judgment against a rebellious land and its idol-worshipping inhabitants. It utterly shatters any false hope that the presence of even the most esteemed righteous individuals—Noah, Daniel, and Job, heroes of faith across time and trials—could possibly intervene to spare a land consumed by sin or save their own unrepentant family members. The solemn divine oath "As I live" solidifies the irreversible nature of this judgment. This verse forcefully pivots from concepts of corporate solidarity to a crucial emphasis on individual accountability before God. It affirms that while the righteous are delivered, their righteousness cannot be vicariously applied to others for salvation from specific divine wrath, compelling each person to pursue a genuine relationship with God for their own deliverance. It foreshadows the ultimate reality of individual judgment based on one's relationship with Christ.