Ezekiel 18:19 kjv
Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
Ezekiel 18:19 nkjv
"Yet you say, 'Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?' Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live.
Ezekiel 18:19 niv
"Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live.
Ezekiel 18:19 esv
"Yet you say, 'Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?' When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live.
Ezekiel 18:19 nlt
"'What?' you ask. 'Doesn't the child pay for the parent's sins?' No! For if the child does what is just and right and keeps my decrees, that child will surely live.
Ezekiel 18 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Eze 18:2 | The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge | The false proverb Ezekiel confronts |
| Jer 31:29-30 | In those days they shall say no more, The fathers... But every one shall die for his own iniquity. | Prophecy confirming individual accountability |
| Deut 24:16 | The fathers shall not be put to death for the children... Every man shall be put to death for his own sin. | Law of individual punishment for sin |
| Rom 2:6 | Who will render to every man according to his deeds: | God's justice in judging individuals |
| Gal 6:5 | For every man shall bear his own burden. | Individual responsibility |
| 2 Cor 5:10 | For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done... whether good or bad. | Universal individual judgment |
| Psa 62:12 | And that You, O Lord, belong mercy: for You render to every man according to his work. | God's justice and judgment |
| Rev 22:12 | And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. | Eschatological individual judgment |
| Lev 18:5 | You shall therefore keep My statutes, and My judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them. | Obedience leads to life (physical/covenantal) |
| Neh 9:29 | And testified against them, that You might bring them again unto Your law: yet they dealt proudly... they did not hear, but sinned against Your judgments... and denied to give ear. | Link between obedience/disobedience and life/death |
| Eze 33:14-16 | When I say unto the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right, He shall surely live, he shall not die. | Repentance leads to life, even for the wicked |
| Eze 18:5-9 | But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right... he shall surely live, says the Lord God. | Definition of the righteous man and his destiny |
| Eze 18:20 | The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. | Direct restatement and amplification of individual accountability |
| Jer 32:19 | Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for Your eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings: | God's comprehensive knowledge and just recompense |
| Isa 3:10-11 | Say you to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. | Simple cause-and-effect of righteous vs. wicked deeds |
| Rom 10:5 | For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which does those things shall live by them. | Life promised to those who keep the law (OT context) |
| Deut 30:19 | I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live: | Choice for life through obedience |
| Matt 16:27 | For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works. | New Testament emphasis on individual accountability for deeds |
| Col 3:25 | But he that does wrong shall receive for the wrong which he has done: and there is no respect of persons. | Impartial judgment based on actions |
| Prov 10:24 | The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted. | Consequences aligning with individual character |
Ezekiel 18 verses
Ezekiel 18 19 Meaning
Ezekiel 18:19 directly confronts the prevailing false proverb that children suffer for their fathers' sins. It presents the exiles' question, "Why? Doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father?" and immediately answers it with God's truth: a son who lives righteously, observes all God's statutes, and acts justly will surely live, irrespective of his father's actions. The verse affirms individual moral accountability before God and asserts divine justice in judging each person based on their own deeds.
Ezekiel 18 19 Context
Ezekiel 18:19 is central to God's response to the Babylonian exiles' fatalistic complaint encapsulated in the proverb, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (Eze 18:2). The exiles believed they were unjustly suffering for the sins of previous generations, particularly their ancestors who provoked God's wrath, leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and their exile. This proverb implied God was unfair or that personal efforts for righteousness were futile against inherited guilt. Chapter 18 as a whole is a powerful polemic against this theological misconception, emphatically asserting the principle of individual responsibility and the immediate, personal nature of divine justice. God uses the hypothetical examples of a righteous father, a wicked son, and a righteous grandson to dismantle the proverb and illustrate that each person's life or death before God depends solely on their own conduct, not their lineage. The historical context of the Babylonian exile meant that people felt disconnected from God, leading to this profound misunderstanding of His justice and their own agency.
Ezekiel 18 19 Word analysis
Yet say you, Why?
- Yet say you (וַאֲמַרְתֶּם - wa’ămar’tem): This phrase introduces a rhetorical question or a protest from the people. It signals that God is directly addressing and rebutting a widespread complaint or misunderstanding among the exiles. It highlights their challenging attitude towards God's justice.
- Why? (לָמָּה - lāmmāh): A common interrogative seeking reason or justification. Here, it conveys an implicit accusation against God's fairness, reflecting the exiles' questioning of why they were enduring hardship.
Doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father?
- Doth not the son bear: This is the core of the people's false proverb. They are asserting that sons do inherit their fathers' punishment.
- bear (יִשָּׂא - yiśśā’): From the Hebrew verb נָשָׂא (nasa), meaning to lift, carry, bear, or take away. Here, it means to be responsible for, endure, or suffer the penalty of. The people imply an involuntary inheritance of guilt or punishment.
- iniquity (עָוֹן - ʿāwōn): Refers to moral perversity, sin, guilt, or the punishment resulting from sin. In this context, it implies inherited guilt and the accompanying divine judgment or consequence. The proverb misunderstands how God administers justice for ongoing rebellion.
when the son has done that which is lawful and right
- when the son has done: Emphasizes the active conduct and choices of the individual.
- lawful and right (מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה - mišpāṭ uṣdāqāh): These are foundational biblical terms.
- mišpāṭ: "Justice," "judgment," "custom," "ordinance." It refers to a right or customary way of acting, particularly in alignment with God's established laws and standards for communal and personal conduct.
- uṣdāqāh: "Righteousness," "equity," "justness." It describes a state of moral rectitude and ethical behavior, acting in accordance with what is fair and right in God's eyes. The phrase together signifies living according to God's righteous standards.
and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live.
- kept (שָׁמַר - šāmar): To guard, observe, watch over, preserve. It denotes careful and diligent obedience.
- all my statutes (כָּל־חֻקּוֹתַי - kōl-ḥuqōtayi): God's decrees, ordinances, or established laws. The emphasis on "all" indicates comprehensive and complete adherence to God's revealed will.
- and has done them (וַיַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם - wayyaʿaśēh ’ōtām): This phrase stresses the practical implementation of the statutes; not merely knowing or keeping them mentally, but actively performing them. It highlights action-oriented obedience.
- he shall surely live (חָיֹה יִחְיֶה - ḥāyōh yiḥyehh): This is an emphatic construction (infinitive absolute + imperfect verb), literally "living he shall live." It means he will most certainly, definitively, and robustly experience life. This "life" encompasses well-being, covenant blessings, restoration, and avoidance of divine judgment or death in this context, not primarily eternal life in the New Testament sense but full life within the covenant community. It implies thriving physically and spiritually in God's favor.
Ezekiel 18 19 Bonus section
The emphatic "he shall surely live" (חָיֹה יִחְיֶה) found in Ezekiel 18 is a vital refrain throughout the chapter, appearing several times (e.g., Eze 18:9, 17, 21, 28) and serving as a direct contrast to the "he shall surely die" for the wicked (Eze 18:13, 18, 24). This repetition underscores God's absolute commitment to recompense according to deeds. It's not a suggestion but a divine decree.
Furthermore, while this chapter emphasizes individual accountability, it does not nullify the reality of the corporate consequences of sin that can extend through generations (e.g., families living with the after-effects of poor financial choices, substance abuse, etc.). However, Ezekiel's message asserts that such generational consequences do not determine an individual's spiritual standing or ultimate fate before God if that individual chooses personal righteousness. Each person is directly judged by God based on their own walk. This provides immense hope, indicating that individuals can break cycles of sin and experience God's blessings regardless of their family history. It is a profound declaration of God's restorative grace, providing a pathway to spiritual vitality for all who turn to Him.
Ezekiel 18 19 Commentary
Ezekiel 18:19 forcefully clarifies the nature of God's justice, challenging a common misbelief among the exiled Israelites. The people's question, "Why? Doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father?", reflects a profound misapplication of earlier biblical teachings (e.g., Exod 20:5; Num 14:18) which spoke of consequences extending to future generations in cases of continued idolatry and rebellion. However, the exiles interpreted this as inherited guilt for which no personal righteousness could atone, a convenient excuse to blame their ancestors for their present predicament rather than face their own sins.
God, through Ezekiel, directly refutes this notion. He declares that His judgment is immediate and individual. There is no transfer of guilt from father to son if the son chooses righteousness. The crucial condition for "life" is the individual's active and comprehensive obedience: "when the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live." This statement is a cornerstone of individual accountability in the Old Testament. "To live" here means to thrive in God's favor, to experience covenant blessing, prosperity, and continuation of life—a clear counterpoint to the "death" (judgment, curse, destruction, exile) for the unrighteous.
The passage stresses that salvation is personal and rests on a person's genuine repentance and righteous conduct. It calls the people to recognize their own agency and responsibility for their actions. This truth empowered the exiles to know that their future, and the future of the remnant of Israel, was not predetermined by their ancestors' failures but hinged on their personal commitment to God's ways. It shattered the false comfort of blaming others and ignited hope for individual and collective restoration through personal and corporate righteousness.
Practical usage:
- This verse disallows blame-shifting: You are accountable for your own choices, not merely your ancestry.
- It affirms God's justice: God does not punish the innocent for the guilty if the innocent are walking righteously.
- It highlights hope through repentance: No matter your background, personal obedience brings God's life and favor.