Ezekiel 18:11

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And that doeth not any of those [duties], but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,

Complete Jewish Bible:

whereas the father himself does none of them. He eats on the mountains, defiles his neighbor's wife,

Berean Standard Bible:

though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife.

American Standard Version:

and that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbor’s wife,

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And that doeth^{H6213} not any of those duties, but even hath eaten^{H398} upon the mountains^{H2022}, and defiled^{H2930} his neighbour's^{H7453} wife^{H802},

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Commentary for Ezekiel 18:11

Ezekiel 18:11 is a part of the Book of Ezekiel, which is found in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Ezekiel was a prophet who lived during the Babylonian exile, a period when many Jews were taken captive and brought to Babylon as a result of the conquest of Judah by King Nebuchadnezzar in the early 6th century BCE. The book is a collection of his prophecies, visions, and oracles, primarily addressed to the exiled Jewish community, offering both warnings and messages of hope.

The verse itself is situated within a larger passage that deals with the concept of individual responsibility and the rejection of a collective or inherited punishment for sins. In the context of Ezekiel 18, God is refuting the proverb that says, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." This proverb suggested that children were suffering for the sins of their ancestors. Instead, Ezekiel conveys that each person is responsible for their own actions.

Specifically, Ezekiel 18:11 lists behaviors that contrast with the righteous acts mentioned earlier in the chapter. The verse criticizes a man who has not performed his religious duties ("And that doeth not any of those [duties]") and has engaged in idolatry by eating food sacrificed to idols on the mountains—a practice forbidden by Jewish law ("but even hath eaten upon the mountains"). Additionally, he is accused of committing adultery by defiling his neighbor's wife, which is a direct violation of one of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:14).

In summary, Ezekiel 18:11 reflects the themes of moral accountability and fidelity to God's laws. It underscores the expectation that each individual will be judged according to their own actions, not those of their ancestors. The historical context is the Babylonian exile, a time when the people of Judah were grappling with their identity, their relationship with God, and the reasons for their national disaster. Ezekiel's message was meant to correct the people's understanding of divine justice and to call them to personal righteousness and faithfulness to God's covenant.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H6213
   There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָשָׂה
   Transliteration: ʻâsâh
   Pronunciation: aw-saw'
   Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.
   
2. Strong's Number: H398
   There are 825 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָכַל
   Transliteration: ʼâkal
   Pronunciation: aw-kal'
   Description: a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.
   
3. Strong's Number: H2022
   There are 485 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: הַר
   Transliteration: har
   Pronunciation: har
   Description: a shortened form of הָרָר; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively); hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion.
   
4. Strong's Number: H2930
   There are 142 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: טָמֵא
   Transliteration: ṭâmêʼ
   Pronunciation: taw-may'
   Description: a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated); defile (self), pollute (self), be (make, make self, pronounce) unclean, [idiom] utterly.
   
5. Strong's Number: H7453
   There are 173 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רֵעַ
   Transliteration: rêaʻ
   Pronunciation: ray'-ah
   Description: or רֵיעַ; from רָעָה; an associate (more or less close); brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, [idiom] (an-) other.
   
6. Strong's Number: H802
   There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אִשָּׁה
   Transliteration: ʼishshâh
   Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
   Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.