Ezekiel 18:14

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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,

Complete Jewish Bible:

"But now suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father committed, thinks about them, and behaves differently.

Berean Standard Bible:

Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise:

American Standard Version:

Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins, which he hath done, and feareth, and doeth not such like;

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Now, lo, if he beget^{H3205} a son^{H1121}, that seeth^{H7200} all his father's^{H1} sins^{H2403} which he hath done^{H6213}, and considereth^{H7200}, and doeth^{H6213} not such like^{H2004},

Cross-References (KJV):

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:

BibleHub.com BibleRef.com

Commentary for Ezekiel 18:14

Ezekiel 18:14 is a verse from the Old Testament prophetic book of Ezekiel, which is set during the Babylonian exile of the Israelites, around the 6th century BCE. This period was characterized by a national crisis, as the people of Judah were taken into captivity and their city, Jerusalem, was destroyed. The book of Ezekiel addresses the theological and existential questions that arose from this calamity, particularly concerning the justice of God and the destiny of Israel.

The verse itself is part of a larger discourse in Ezekiel 18, which deals with the concept of individual responsibility and the rejection of a notion that children are punished for their parents' sins. In the context of the time, it was common for people to believe in corporate or familial punishment, where the iniquities of one generation would be visited upon successive generations. However, Ezekiel 18:14 specifically challenges this belief by presenting a scenario where a son observes his father's sins and consciously chooses not to repeat them.

The theme of the verse is that each person is accountable for their own actions. It emphasizes moral agency and the idea that righteous behavior is not predetermined by one's lineage. The son in the verse is depicted as an individual who has the capacity to learn from his father's mistakes, suggesting that personal repentance and ethical living are possible and necessary for each person. This teaching would have been revolutionary for the ancient Israelites, as it shifted the focus from collective fate to personal piety and responsibility before God.

In summary, Ezekiel 18:14 addresses the historical context of the Babylonian exile by offering a message of hope and moral agency. It reassures the people that each individual has the power to change their ways and that God's justice operates on the basis of personal actions rather than inherited guilt. This verse, therefore, stands as a powerful affirmation of individual accountability and the possibility of redemption through righteous living.

*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: H3205
   There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָלַד
   Transliteration: yâlad
   Pronunciation: yaw-lad'
   Description: a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage; bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).
   
2. Strong's Number: H1121
   There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בֵּן
   Transliteration: bên
   Pronunciation: bane
   Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
   
3. Strong's Number: H7200
   There are 1212 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רָאָה
   Transliteration: râʼâh
   Pronunciation: raw-aw'
   Description: a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative); advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, [idiom] be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), [idiom] sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, [idiom] surely, [idiom] think, view, visions.
   
4. Strong's Number: H1
   There are 15773 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָב
   Transliteration: ʼâb
   Pronunciation: awb
   Description: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.
   
5. Strong's Number: H2403
   There are 272 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חַטָּאָה
   Transliteration: chaṭṭâʼâh
   Pronunciation: khat-taw-aw'
   Description: or חַטָּאת; from חָטָא; an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender; punishment (of sin), purifying(-fication for sin), sin(-ner, offering).
   
6. 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.
   
7. Strong's Number: H2004
   There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: הֵן
   Transliteration: hên
   Pronunciation: hane
   Description: feminine plural from הוּא; they (only used when emphatic); [idiom] in, such like, (with) them, thereby, therein, (more than) they, wherein, in which, whom, withal.