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many horses. Can Israel break her sworn treaties like that and get away with it? 16 No! For as
surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, the
king of Israel will die in Babylon, the land of
the king who put him in power and whose treaty
he disregarded and broke. 17 Pharaoh and all his
mighty army will fail to help Israel when the
king of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem again
and destroys many lives. 18 For the king of Israel
disregarded his treaty and broke it after swearing to obey; therefore, he will not escape.
19 “So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
As surely as I live, I will punish him for breaking my covenant and disregarding the solemn
oath he made in my name. 20 I will throw my
net over him and capture him in my snare.
I will bring him to Babylon and put him on trial
for this treason against me. 21 And all his best
warriors* will be killed in battle, and those who
survive will be scattered to the four winds. Then
you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken.
22 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
I will take a branch from the top of a tall cedar,
and I will plant it on the top of Israel’s highest mountain. 23 It will become a majestic cedar,
sending forth its branches and producing seed.
Birds of every sort will nest in it, finding shelter
in the shade of its branches. 24 And all the trees
will know that it is I, the Lord, who cuts the tall
tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It
is I who makes the green tree wither and gives
the dead tree new life. I, the Lord, have spoken,
and I will do what I said!”
The Justice of a Righteous God
Then another message came to me from
the Lord: 2 “Why do you quote this proverb concerning the land of Israel: ‘The parents
have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s
mouths pucker at the taste’? 3 As surely as I live,
says the Sovereign Lord, you will not quote this
proverb anymore in Israel. 4 For all people are
mine to judge—both parents and children alike.
And this is my rule: The person who sins is the
one who will die.
5 “Suppose a certain man is righteous and
does what is just and right. 6 He does not feast
in the mountains before Israel’s idols* or worship them. He does not commit adultery or
have intercourse with a woman during her
menstrual period. 7 He is a merciful creditor,
not keeping the items given as security by poor
debtors. He does not rob the poor but instead
gives food to the hungry and provides clothes
for the needy. 8 He grants loans without interest, stays away from injustice, is honest and
fair when judging others, 9 and faithfully obeys
my decrees and regulations. Anyone who does
18
17:21 As in many Hebrew manuscripts; Masoretic Text reads his
fleeing warriors. The meaning is uncertain. 18:6 The Hebrew
term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung; also in
18:12, 15. 18:17 Greek version reads He refuses to do evil.
EZEKIEL 18
these things is just and will surely live, says the
Sovereign Lord.
10 “But suppose that man has a son who grows
up to be a robber or murderer and refuses to do
what is right. 11 And that son does all the evil
things his father would never do—he worships
idols on the mountains, commits adultery, 12 oppresses the poor and helpless, steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem their security,
worships idols, commits detestable sins, 13 and
lends money at excessive interest. Should such
a sinful person live? No! He must die and must
take full blame.
14 “But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has
a son who sees his father’s wickedness and decides against that kind of life. 15 This son refuses
to worship idols on the mountains and does not
commit adultery. 16 He does not exploit the poor,
but instead is fair to debtors and does not rob
them. He gives food to the hungry and provides
clothes for the needy. 17 He helps the poor,* does
not lend money at interest, and obeys all my
regulations and decrees. Such a person will not
die because of his father’s sins; he will surely
live. 18 But the father will die for his many sins—
for being cruel, robbing people, and doing what
was clearly wrong among his people.
19 “‘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. 20 The person who sins is
the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will
not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous
people will be rewarded for their own righteous
behavior, and wicked people will be punished
for their own wickedness. 21 But if wicked people
turn away from all their sins and begin to obey
my decrees and do what is just and right, they
will surely live and not die. 22 All their past sins
will be forgotten, and they will live because of
the righteous things they have done.
23 “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. 24 However, if righteous people turn
from their righteous behavior and start doing
sinful things and act like other sinners, should
they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All
their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they
will die for their sins.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s
right!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the
one not doing what’s right, or is it you? 26 When
righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things, they will
die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds. 27 And if wicked people turn from their
wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just
and right, they will save their lives. 28 They will