The Meaning of Ezekiel 33:13 Explained

Ezekiel 33:13

KJV: When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

YLT: In My saying of the righteous: He surely liveth, And -- he hath trusted on his righteousness, And he hath done perversity, All his righteous acts are not remembered, And for his perversity that he hath done, For it he doth die.

Darby: When I say to the righteous that he shall certainly live, and he trusteth to his righteousness and doeth what is wrong, none of his righteous acts shall be remembered; but in his unrighteousness which he hath done, in it shall he die.

ASV: When I say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in his iniquity that he hath committed, therein shall he die.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When I shall say  to the righteous,  [that] he shall surely  live;  if he trust  to his own righteousness,  and commit  iniquity,  all his righteousnesses  shall not be remembered;  but for his iniquity  that he hath committed,  he shall die  for it. 

What does Ezekiel 33:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezekiel 33:1-16 - "why Will Ye Die?"
The prophet depicts the peasantry of a fertile valley as engaged in pastoral pursuits. It is a peaceful, happy scene; but, creeping through the mountain passes, are their deadliest foes. How necessary that there should be a watchman, trumpet in hand, to give notice; and how unspeakable his guilt if he forbear to sound a warning! We are not responsible for those who refuse to take warning from our announcements, faithfully given; but if we perceive a soul in mortal danger and forbear to warn it, we are not only responsible for its ruin, but we bring awful retribution upon ourselves. Well might Richard Baxter lie awake at night beneath his awful sense of responsibility for the souls of men. God desires our salvation. If only the sinner will confess his sins to the faithful and merciful High Priest, and make such restitution as he can, not one of his sins shall be remembered against him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 33

1  According to the duty of a watchman in warning the people
7  Ezekiel is admonished of his duty
10  God shows the justice of his ways toward the penitent and toward revolters
17  He maintains his justice
21  Upon the news of the taking of Jerusalem
25  he prophecies the desolation of the land
30  God's judgment upon the mockers of the prophets

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 33:13 mean?

When I say to the righteous [that] surely he shall live but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity all - of his righteous works none shall be remembered but because of the iniquity that has committed he he shall die
בְּאָמְרִ֤י לַצַּדִּיק֙ חָיֹ֣ה יִֽחְיֶ֔ה וְהֽוּא־ בָטַ֥ח עַל־ צִדְקָת֖וֹ וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֑וֶל כָּל־ [צדקתו] (צִדְקֹתָיו֙) לֹ֣א תִזָּכַ֔רְנָה וּבְעַוְל֥וֹ אֲשֶׁר־ עָשָׂ֖ה בּ֥וֹ יָמֽוּת

בְּאָמְרִ֤י  When  I  say 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לַצַּדִּיק֙  to  the  righteous 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
חָיֹ֣ה  [that]  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.
יִֽחְיֶ֔ה  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.
וְהֽוּא־  but  he 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
בָטַ֥ח  trusts 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּטוּחַ 
Sense: to trust.
צִדְקָת֖וֹ  his  own  righteousness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.
וְעָ֣שָׂה  and  commits 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
עָ֑וֶל  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָוֶל 
Sense: injustice, unrighteousness, wrong.
[צדקתו]  - 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
(צִדְקֹתָיו֙)  of  his  righteous  works 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.
לֹ֣א  none 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִזָּכַ֔רְנָה  shall  be  remembered 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
וּבְעַוְל֥וֹ  but  because  of  the  iniquity 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עָוֶל 
Sense: injustice, unrighteousness, wrong.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשָׂ֖ה  has  committed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יָמֽוּת  he  shall  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.