The Meaning of Ezekiel 18:21 Explained

Ezekiel 18:21

KJV: But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

YLT: And the wicked -- when he turneth back From all his sins that he hath done, And he hath kept all My statutes, And hath done judgment and righteousness, He doth surely live, he doth not die.

Darby: And the wicked, if he turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do judgment and justice, he shall certainly live, he shall not die.

ASV: But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But if the wicked  will turn  from all his sins  that he hath committed,  and keep  all my statutes,  and do  that which is lawful  and right,  he shall surely  live,  he shall not die. 

What does Ezekiel 18:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezekiel 18:14-32 - The Reversal Of The Divine Judgment
The Jews of Ezekiel's day asserted that God's dealings with their nation were not just, because they were suffering, not for their own sins, but for their fathers'. God here makes it clear that He deals with individuals according to their deserts. The guilty son of a good father does not escape punishment because of his father's virtues; and the good son of evil parents reaps the reward of his own goodness. What a well of comfort is supplied by Ezekiel 18:21-22! God pledges Himself that forgiven sin shall not even be mentioned. This solemn covenant should be appropriated and its fulfillment claimed, by those who through all their lifetime have been subject to bondage because of their past. We must not be content with an outward amendment; there must be, and there can be, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, an inward and radical change. This impossible command drives us to the Holy Spirit, Psalms 51:10; Psalms 51:12. As Augustine puts it: "Give what thou requirest, and require what thou wilt." [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 18

1  God defends his justice
31  and exhorts to repentance

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 18:21 mean?

But a wicked man if turns from all - his sins which he has committed and keeps - all My statutes and does what is lawful and right surely he shall live not he shall die
וְהָרָשָׁ֗ע כִּ֤י יָשׁוּב֙ מִכָּל־ [חטאתו] (חַטֹּאתָיו֙) אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְשָׁמַר֙ אֶת־ כָּל־ חֻקּוֹתַ֔י וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָ֑ה חָיֹ֥ה יִחְיֶ֖ה לֹ֥א יָמֽוּת

וְהָרָשָׁ֗ע  But  a  wicked  man 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
יָשׁוּב֙  turns 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
מִכָּל־  from  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
[חטאתו]  - 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
(חַטֹּאתָיו֙)  his  sins 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
עָשָׂ֔ה  he  has  committed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְשָׁמַר֙  and  keeps 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חֻקּוֹתַ֔י  My  statutes 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: חֻקָּה  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed.
וְעָשָׂ֥ה  and  does 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מִשְׁפָּ֖ט  what  is  lawful 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וּצְדָקָ֑ה  and  right 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.
חָיֹ֥ה  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
יִחְיֶ֖ה  he  shall  live 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
יָמֽוּת  he  shall  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.