Ezekiel 18:1 kjv
The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
Ezekiel 18:1 nkjv
The word of the LORD came to me again, saying,
Ezekiel 18:1 niv
The word of the LORD came to me:
Ezekiel 18:1 esv
The word of the LORD came to me:
Ezekiel 18:1 nlt
Then another message came to me from the LORD:
Ezekiel 18 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 1:4 | Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying... | Divine call and commissioning of a prophet |
| Zech 1:1 | In the eighth month...the word of the LORD came to Zechariah... | Standard prophetic introduction, emphasizing divine origin |
| Hag 1:1 | In the second year...the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet... | Asserts God's message delivered through His messenger |
| Joel 1:1 | The word of the LORD that came to Joel... | Designates the message as directly from God |
| Jon 1:1 | The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai... | Initiates a direct command and narrative from God |
| Zeph 1:1 | The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah... | Attribution of prophecy to God as the true source |
| Amos 3:7 | Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. | God's consistent practice of revealing His word to prophets |
| Num 12:6 | ...When there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, reveal myself...I speak to them in dreams. | God's various methods of communicating with prophets |
| Heb 1:1 | In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets... | Highlights God's historical pattern of speaking through prophets |
| 2 Pet 1:21 | For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. | Underscores the divine inspiration behind prophetic words |
| Is 55:11 | ...so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty... | Declares the power and unfailing effectiveness of God's Word |
| Jer 23:29 | "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" | Illustrates the immense authority and impact of God's Word |
| Ps 33:9 | For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. | God's creative power exerted through His spoken word |
| Deut 24:16 | Parents are not to be put to death for their children...each will die for their own sin. | Foundational OT principle of individual accountability, a key theme of Ezek 18 |
| Jer 31:29-30 | "In those days people will no longer say, 'The parents have eaten sour grapes...Instead, everyone will die for their own sin... | Direct rejection of the "sour grapes" proverb and affirmation of individual responsibility |
| Rom 14:12 | So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. | New Testament confirmation of individual spiritual accountability |
| Gal 6:5 | For each one should carry their own load. | NT teaching on personal responsibility for one's actions |
| Ezek 3:16 | At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me: | Another instance of this exact formula introducing God's message to Ezekiel |
| 1 Thess 2:13 | ...you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God... | Importance of receiving God's word as divine truth, not human |
| Luke 11:28 | But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!" | Emphasis on the blessing derived from hearing and obeying God's Word |
| Matt 4:4 | ...โMan shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.โ | Highlights the sustaining and life-giving power of God's word |
| 2 Tim 3:16 | All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness... | Broad statement on the divine origin and purpose of all Scripture |
Ezekiel 18 verses
Ezekiel 18 1 Meaning
Ezekiel 18:1 serves as a foundational declaration, announcing the direct and authoritative revelation of God's word to the prophet Ezekiel. This introductory phrase underscores that the subsequent message originates from YHWH Himself, not from human wisdom or speculation, thereby imbuing the ensuing discourse with ultimate divine authority and truth, particularly regarding His justice and individual accountability.
Ezekiel 18 1 Context
Ezekiel 18:1 initiates a crucial divine message to the Israelite exiles in Babylon. It immediately follows chapter 17, which contained a riddle and allegory detailing Judah's covenant faithlessness and subsequent divine judgment leading to their exile. A pervasive fatalism had taken hold among the exiles, expressed through the proverb, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (Ezek 18:2). They used this saying to attribute their suffering solely to the sins of past generations, thereby absolving themselves of any current culpability or need for repentance. This opening verse, "The word of the LORD came to me," signals a direct, authoritative intervention from God to dismantle this misconception, clarifying His just character and firmly establishing the principle of individual responsibility for sin.
Ezekiel 18 1 Word analysis
The word (
ืึฐืึทืจ, devar): More than just a spoken sound; it conveys a message, a command, an authoritative utterance. It inherently carries power and significance, frequently linked to divine action and purpose.of the LORD (
ืึฐืืึธื, YHWH): Refers to God's covenant name, underscoring His personal relationship with Israel and His unchanging, trustworthy character. It emphasizes that the message originates from the sovereign, faithful God of the covenant.came (
ืึทืึฐืึดื, vay'hi): "And it came to pass" or "and it happened." This common prophetic opener signals an event of divine communication. It emphasizes the active, intentional, and momentous arrival of the message.to me (
ืึตืึทื, elai): Explicitly specifies the direct recipient as Ezekiel. This highlights the personal and immediate nature of God's revelation to His chosen prophet, establishing him as the legitimate mouthpiece for YHWH's truth."The word of the LORD": This frequently used prophetic formula unequivocally establishes the divine origin and supreme authority of the ensuing message, differentiating it from human opinions, philosophical ponderings, or cultural proverbs. It lays a firm theological foundation, asserting the infallible truthfulness and reliability of the revelation, particularly important as it is about to challenge deep-seated human errors.
"came to me": This segment confirms that the divine word was specifically directed to Ezekiel. It underscores the prophet's unique role as a direct recipient and authentic channel of God's communication to His people. It indicates a direct and personal encounter with the divine, legitimizing Ezekiel as a credible messenger of God's truth to the disoriented exiles.
Ezekiel 18 1 Bonus section
- The phrase "The word of the LORD came to me" acts as a powerful polemic in itself, asserting God's direct voice over popular human wisdom or fatalistic sayings, particularly the proverb about sour grapes which Ezekiel is commanded to address immediately after this introductory verse.
- The consistent use of this formula throughout Ezekiel, along with similar phrases in other prophetic books, underlines the unique, revelatory nature of prophetic literature and distinguishes it sharply from other ancient Near Eastern literary forms or mere human philosophy.
- This verse sets the stage for Ezekiel 18's revolutionary concept of individual justice, moving the understanding of divine judgment beyond a purely communal or generational framework. This principle would have far-reaching implications, influencing later Jewish thought and ultimately resonating with New Testament emphasis on individual salvation and judgment based on personal faith and works.
Ezekiel 18 1 Commentary
Ezekiel 18:1 is not merely a conventional introduction but a crucial, authoritative pronouncement initiating one of the Old Testament's most vital theological shifts: the unequivocal declaration of individual moral responsibility. In a context where the exiles attributed their suffering to ancestral sins, fostering a sense of collective fatalism, this verse grounds the upcoming message in unimpeachable divine authority. By declaring, "The word of the LORD came to me," God directly counters human rationalizations and misinterpretations of His justice. This powerful introduction prepares the reader for a revolutionary reassertion of divine equity, stating that each individual's salvation or condemnation hinges on their own righteousness or sin, dismantling the popular misconception of inherited guilt and paving the way for a path of personal repentance and transformation. It ensures that the profound ethical and spiritual implications of the chapter are received as divine truth, not human speculation.