Ezekiel 18:23 kjv
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
Ezekiel 18:23 nkjv
Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" says the Lord GOD, "and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
Ezekiel 18:23 niv
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
Ezekiel 18:23 esv
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
Ezekiel 18:23 nlt
"Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign LORD. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.
Ezekiel 18 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Eze 33:11 | Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked... | God's oath on His lack of pleasure in death |
| Isa 55:7 | Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD... | Call to repentance and God's abundant pardon |
| 2 Pet 3:9 | The Lord is not slack concerning his promise... but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. | God's patience and desire for universal repentance |
| 1 Tim 2:4 | Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. | God's universal salvific will |
| Jonah 3:10 | And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil... | God's response to Nineveh's repentance |
| Jer 29:13 | And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. | Promise of discovery upon sincere seeking |
| Ps 145:9 | The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. | God's universal goodness and compassion |
| Joel 2:13 | Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful... | Call for sincere repentance and God's character |
| Luke 15:7 | I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth... | Heavenly joy over repentance |
| Luke 15:10 | Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. | Further emphasis on heavenly joy over repentance |
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. | Consequences of sin vs. God's gift of life |
| Gen 2:17 | But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. | Link between disobedience and death |
| Lev 18:5 | Ye shall therefore keep my statutes... which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD. | Obedience as a path to life |
| Deut 30:19 | I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death... therefore choose life... | Exhortation to choose life |
| Prov 28:13 | He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. | Necessity of confession and turning from sin |
| Isa 1:18 | Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow... | God's call to reconciliation despite great sin |
| 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. | Individual accountability reinforced |
| Gal 6:5 | For every man shall bear his own burden. | Personal responsibility |
| Acts 17:30 | And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: | Universal command to repent |
| Titus 2:11 | For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, | God's saving grace is offered universally |
| Ezr 9:15 | O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we are left yet escaped... | Acknowledgment of God's justice and mercy |
| Neh 9:17 | But thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness... | God's character of compassion and slowness to anger |
Ezekiel 18 verses
Ezekiel 18 23 Meaning
Ezekiel 18:23 unequivocally declares that God does not delight in the death of the wicked. Rather, His fervent desire is that individuals turn away from their sinful paths, repent, and thereby choose life. This rhetorical question powerfully emphasizes God's compassionate character and His redemptive purpose, underscoring the offer of mercy and a way back to fellowship with Him for those who turn from wickedness.
Ezekiel 18 23 Context
Ezekiel 18 addresses a central concern among the exiles in Babylon: the pervasive proverb, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (Eze 18:2). This proverb suggested hereditary guilt and fatalism, implying that the current generation was suffering due to the sins of their ancestors, leaving them no hope for change or escape from judgment. God, through Ezekiel, directly confronts and refutes this false belief. The chapter emphasizes individual moral responsibility, declaring that each person will be judged according to their own actions, whether righteous or wicked. It clarifies divine justice, affirming that the righteous will live and the wicked will die, but critically, it also introduces the transformative power of repentance. Verse 23, along with Eze 33:11, stands as a pivotal statement asserting God's merciful desire for repentance over judgment, providing a way out of condemnation for the individual who turns to Him.
Ezekiel 18 23 Word analysis
- "Have I any pleasure at all...": This phrase initiates a rhetorical question (הֶחָפֹץ אֶחְפֹּץ – hehachapotz echpotz), meaning "Do I delight, yes, I delight...?" The repetition of the root "חָפֵץ" (chafeitz, to desire/delight) in the interrogative intensifies the negative answer. It signifies that God's will is categorically not set upon the death of the wicked. It's a strong rejection of any notion that God is sadistic or arbitrary.
- "...that the wicked should die?" (בְּמוֹת רָשָׁע – bemoht rasha):
- "Wicked" (רָשָׁע – rasha): Denotes one who is guilty, unrighteous, or deviates from divine standards. In the prophetic context, it refers to those persistently disobedient and hostile to God's ways.
- "Die" (מוּת – mut): This term encompasses both physical death and, more significantly in Ezekiel's moral and theological context, spiritual death—separation from God's life-giving presence and favor, culminating in ultimate judgment.
- "saith the Lord GOD" (נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה – nəʾum ʾAdonai Yahweh):
- "saith" (נְאֻם – nəʾum): An authoritative declaration, indicating a divine oracle, an infallible statement directly from God.
- "the Lord GOD" (Adonai Yahweh): Combines "Adonai" (Master, Lord), signifying absolute authority and sovereignty, with "Yahweh" (the LORD, the covenant-keeping, self-existent God), emphasizing His personal and immutable character. This double name underscores the solemnity and certainty of the pronouncement.
- "...and not that he should return from his ways," (כִּי אִם־בְּשׁוּבוֹ מִדְּרָכָיו – ki im-beshuvoh midrakhav):
- "return" (שׁוּב – shuv): This is the quintessential Hebrew word for "repentance" – a turning, a spiritual reorientation. It signifies a radical change in one's life's direction, a turning away from sin and back towards God. It implies both mental change (remorse) and behavioral change.
- "from his ways" (מִדְּרָכָיו – midrakhav): Refers to a person's life course, habits, conduct, and moral path. The change is not superficial but involves altering one's fundamental manner of living and moral choices.
- "...and live?" (וְחָיָה – vechayah):
- "Live" (חָיָה – chayah): The antithesis of "die." It signifies not just mere existence but fullness of life, well-being, fellowship with God, spiritual vitality, and eternal life. This is God's ultimate desire for humanity.
Ezekiel 18 23 Bonus section
The profound declaration in Ezekiel 18:23 showcases God's longsuffering patience, challenging the misconception that He is eager to condemn. This truth forms a cornerstone of biblical theology regarding divine sovereignty and human responsibility; God is sovereign, yet He graciously grants individuals the capacity and choice to respond to His call for repentance. This divine characteristic resonates throughout the prophetic books, as prophets tirelessly appealed to Israel to "return to the LORD" before judgment. Moreover, the emphasis on "living" in the sense of spiritual vitality and covenant fellowship foreshadows the promise of new life in the Spirit, a central theme realized through the new covenant (Jer 31:31-34) and ultimately actualized in Jesus Christ. The verse thus highlights not just a moral principle, but a salvific disposition deeply embedded in the character of the One true God.
Ezekiel 18 23 Commentary
Ezekiel 18:23 provides a profound glimpse into the heart of God, particularly as revealed in the Old Covenant. It stands as a theological beacon, clarifying that divine justice is intrinsically intertwined with boundless mercy and a sincere desire for redemption. This verse directly counters any fatalistic worldview by asserting God's preferred outcome is the repentance and spiritual flourishing of His creation, not their destruction. It challenges the human tendency to ascribe vengeful motives to God and firmly places responsibility for life and death choices on the individual. The emphasis is on a sincere "turning" (repentance) from a life of wickedness, which is the necessary condition for experiencing the "life" God desires to bestow. This divine lament – that He finds no pleasure in the death of the wicked – sets the stage for a covenant relationship where restoration is always possible for the penitent. It foretells the grace found more fully in the New Testament, where the path to life is definitively opened through faith and turning to Christ. The passage underscores that God is fundamentally a God of life who actively invites all to choose the path that leads to Him.