Ezekiel 18:14 kjv
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,
Ezekiel 18:14 nkjv
"If, however, he begets a son Who sees all the sins which his father has done, And considers but does not do likewise;
Ezekiel 18:14 niv
"But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:
Ezekiel 18:14 esv
"Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise:
Ezekiel 18:14 nlt
"But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father's wickedness and decides against that kind of life.
Ezekiel 18 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 18:14 | "if he begets a son that seeth his father's sin, which he hath sinned, and feareth not at all, nor remembered the iniquities of the house of his fathers when they returned not, that did eat the meat with the idols, nor remembered the house of Israel, nor the house of his fathers, though his father's house went afar off from the LORD, shall he therefore live?" | Direct consequence of personal sin |
| Deut. 24:16 | "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin." | Personal responsibility affirmed |
| 2 Kings 14:6 | "But he slew not their children, nor did he do with them according to the writing of the book of the law of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, Ye shall not put the children to death for the fathers, nor the children for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin." | Reinforces non-transferability of guilt |
| Jer. 31:30 | "But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge." | Proverbial statement on personal sin |
| Ezek. 3:18 | "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand." | God holds prophets accountable |
| Ezek. 3:19 | "Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." | Salvation through warning |
| Prov. 11:21 | "Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered." | Outcome of righteousness and wickedness |
| Prov. 14:12 | "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." | Deception of sin |
| Isa. 42:24 | "Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he, against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, nor be obedient unto his law." | Israel's sin as cause of spoil |
| Ezek. 18:13 | "Hath done despitefully to the poor, hath spoiled the poor, hath practised robbery, and hath not restored the pledge;" | Examples of sinful actions |
| Ezek. 18:21-23 | "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, that he might live?" | God's desire for repentance |
| Ezek. 18:28 | "Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die." | Consequence of turning to God |
| Rom. 2:5-11 | "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath," | Judgment based on deeds |
| Rom. 9:11 | "For the children being not yet born, neither having done good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand; not of works, but of him that calleth;)" | Election not based on works |
| Gal. 6:7 | "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." | Principle of sowing and reaping |
| Matt. 23:35-36 | "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." | Judgment on a generation |
| John 9:2 | "And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" | Question about inherited sin |
| 1 Peter 1:17 | "And if ye call on the Father, which without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:" | Impartial judgment |
| Ezek. 18:4 | "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die." | Soul's accountability |
| Ezek. 18:2 | "What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?" | Addressing a false proverb |
Ezekiel 18 verses
Ezekiel 18 14 Meaning
This verse emphasizes a direct consequence of unjust actions. If an individual engages in specific sinful practices, the blessings and righteous deeds of their father will not shield them. Their own iniquity will lead to their destruction.
Ezekiel 18 14 Context
Ezekiel chapter 18 addresses the prevalent false proverb in ancient Israel: "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." This proverb suggested that future generations were being unfairly punished for the sins of their ancestors. God, through Ezekiel, forcefully refutes this notion. The chapter meticulously details righteous and wicked actions, asserting that individual accountability before God is paramount. The entire chapter serves as a strong polemic against the idea of inherited guilt or collective punishment that absolves individuals of personal responsibility. It underscores God's justice, where each person's relationship with Him is determined by their own choices and actions, not by the deeds of their parents.
Ezekiel 18 14 Word Analysis
- if (ki): Introduces a conditional clause. This establishes a hypothetical scenario based on behavior.
- he begets (yalad): The act of fathering offspring. This sets up the relationship between generations.
- a son (ben): Refers to a male offspring. The verse is addressing a father-son relationship.
- that seeth (ra'ah): To perceive visually, to behold, or to witness. It implies knowledge or awareness of something.
- his father's sin (chata't aviyvu): The transgression or wrongdoing committed by his father. This is the specific context being considered.
- which he hath sinned (asher chata' bahem): A repeated emphasis on the father's own sinning. It clarifies the source of the sin.
- and feareth not (v'lo yira'): Lacks reverence, dread, or awe. Specifically, a lack of fear towards God or His judgment.
- at all (kelal): Emphasizes completeness in the lack of fear.
- nor remembered (v'lo yizakor): To call to mind, to retain in memory, or to regard. A failure to recall past events or lessons.
- the iniquities (avvonoth): Deeds of guilt, perversity, or transgression. The specific wrongful acts of the forefathers.
- of the house of his fathers (beyt avothav): Refers to the lineage or ancestral family. It extends beyond the immediate father.
- when they returned not (bizbakh khamah l'shuv): Describes a continuous state of not turning back or repenting. This emphasizes persistent disobedience.
- that did eat the meat with the idols (akhel et hakodashim): Engaged in ritualistic meals involving food that was sacrificed or designated for idols. This was a common practice of idolatry.
- nor remembered (v'lo yizkor): Again, a failure to recall or acknowledge.
- the house of Israel (et-yisrael): The collective nation of Israel, their covenant relationship, and history with God.
- nor the house of his fathers (v'et beyt avothav): Reiterates the ancestral family or lineage.
- though his father's house (ki aviv): Indicates a preceding familial context or behavior.
- went afar off (razu miraz'i): Departed or moved away from a specified place or concept. In this case, it signifies a departure from God.
- from the LORD (me'eth Adonai): Specifically, turning away from the LORD. This is the ultimate alienation.
- shall he therefore live (hakhen hu yichyeh): This is a rhetorical question, posing the consequence of such a lifestyle despite ancestral ties or heritage. The implied answer is no.
Word-group analysis:
- "feareth not at all, nor remembered...": This pair highlights a double failure – a lack of reverence for God's commands and a failure to learn from the negative example of ancestral sin.
- "iniquities of the house of his fathers when they returned not": This phrase captures the essence of inherited sin in the context of the proverb being addressed – the repeated, unrepented transgressions of the ancestors.
- "did eat the meat with the idols": This specifies a concrete act of grave idolatry, a severe breach of the covenant.
- "went afar off from the LORD": This describes a deliberate and comprehensive apostasy, a turning away from the divine source of life and guidance.
Ezekiel 18 14 Bonus Section
The verse is part of a larger theological argument in Ezekiel 18 concerning divine justice and individual responsibility. It's a counter-narrative to the popular, yet erroneous, understanding of inherited guilt that pervaded ancient Israelite thought at the time. God uses a detailed enumeration of sins and righteous acts to illustrate that salvation is a personal matter. The "therefore" in "shall he therefore live?" powerfully dismisses the notion that lineage grants immunity or automatic favor in God's eyes. This principle of personal accountability is echoed throughout Scripture, emphasizing that each soul answers to God for its own deeds, a theme consistently upheld from the Old Testament law to the teachings of the New Testament apostles. The idea is not to negate the influence of upbringing, but to assert that God's justice ultimately rests on the individual's conscious choices and relationship with Him.
Ezekiel 18 14 Commentary
Ezekiel 18:14 powerfully confronts the deeply ingrained belief that sins of the fathers are automatically visited upon their children. God unequivocally states that simply being born into a lineage with a history of sin does not predetermine a child's fate. Instead, the verse draws a stark contrast: if the son himself embraces his father's sinful path, failing to fear God and remember the devastating consequences of his ancestral iniquity—especially actions like idolatrous feasting—then he too will face divine judgment. His heritage of sin, coupled with his personal continuation of it, leads not to life but to destruction. This emphasizes the critical role of individual repentance and a conscious turning away from sin, irrespective of family history, in establishing a right relationship with God.