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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
18:1-32 Moral Responsibility. Chapter 18 is sometimes thought to present a novel understanding of Hebrew ethics, as the high politics of chs. 17 and 19 give way to the lot of ordinary people. Some view the notions of corporate responsibility (cf. Josh. 7:19-26) and accumulated guilt (cf. 2 Kings 23:26) as the primary context for Ezekiel's teaching and observe that, here in Ezekiel 18, he appears to depart from that context and focus on the moral responsibility of the individual. Of course, this reading sits well with modern individualism (which rightly stresses individual moral accountability) but it misses the primary communal focus of Ezekiel. Ezekiel's "you" addresses are consistently in the plural (note also "house of Israel" in vv. 25, 29). The primary focus of this chapter is not so much on legal individual culpability as on divine justice resting afresh on each generation in accord with what that generation deserves.
18:1-4 The One Who Sins Dies. fathers have eaten sour grapes . . . children's teeth are set on edge. Cf. Jer. 31:29. Once again a proverb (cf. Ezek. 12:22) is introduced as a vehicle for an oracle. The second-person plural forms (What do you mean?) address the whole community in exile. The exilic setting itself is significant; see note on 18:30-32.
18:5-18 Three Case Studies. Ezekiel exemplifies his teaching by means of three generations: a righteous father (vv. 5-9) and his wicked son (vv. 10-13), who in turns fathers a righteous son (vv. 14-18). Each paragraph follows the same format--the behavior and moral character is introduced, illustrated by a list of characteristic actions, and concluded by a statement regarding either life or death, as appropriate. There are obvious resonances with the Ten Commandments, but not so close as to suggest Ezekiel is citing them. Other such lists appear in Psalms 15 and 24; cf. also Job's declaration of innocence in Job 31.
18:19-29 Two Objections. The words yet you say (vv. 19, 25) introduce two objections from Ezekiel's exilic audience. Again, "you" is plural. Another edition of this teaching appears in 33:10-20.
18:19-24 Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father? Ezekiel anticipates his audience clinging to their traditional understanding encapsulated in the now defunct proverb (vv. 1-2).
18:20-24 The soul who sins shall die. Verses 21-24 explain this teaching in what might seem a surprising way for Ezekiel. Verses 21-22 consider the wicked person who then repents and lives rightly before God. Verse 24 considers the opposite scenario. Sandwiched between these is the central declaration of God's "pleasure" (v. 23) in repentance, and a denial that he has any pleasure in the death of the wicked (see note on 33:11).
18:25-29 The way of the Lord is not just. The second objection, repeated in vv. 25 and 29, appears to be oriented to the immediately preceding teaching on repentance, rather than being a second objection to the main teaching of the chapter. "Just" (Hb. root takan, vv. 25, 29) has the sense of "weighed" or "measured," that is, in conformity to a standard (cf. 1 Sam. 2:3). The irony of this objection is rich, coming from people whose lives have not accorded with justice.
18:30-32 Conclusion: Repent! Repentance is not being urged on Jerusalem, for the preceding chapters affirm that its destruction is assured. Rather, the exiles are pressed to repent and take responsibility for their moral lives. Thus the appeal is to make yourselves a new heart and spirit, in contrast to 11:19 and 36:26, where these are the gift of God. The restatement of God's displeasure in anyone's death (18:32; cf. v. 23 and note on 33:11) is the basis for the final entreaty to turn, and live.
