The Meaning of Deuteronomy 24:16 Explained

Deuteronomy 24:16

KJV: The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

YLT: Fathers are not put to death for sons, and sons are not put to death for fathers -- each for his own sin, they are put to death.

Darby: The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, neither shall the sons be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

ASV: The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The fathers  shall not be put to death  for the children,  neither shall the children  be put to death  for the fathers:  every man  shall be put to death  for his own sin. 

What does Deuteronomy 24:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Israelites were not to punish children for the crimes their parents committed. To do so charged them with guilt unjustly.
". . . it was a common thing among heathen nations-e.g, the Persians, Macedonians, and others-for the children and families of criminals to be also put to death (cf. Esther ix13 , 14 ...)." [1]
In the cases where God executed the families of criminals, He may have done so because the family members were also responsible for the crime ( Deuteronomy 24:16; cf. Joshua 7:24-26). In any case God has the right to do things that He does not allow His people to do. It is one thing for children to suffer physically and socially because of their parents" sins ( Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9). It is something else for human authorities to punish them for criminal acts that they have not committed.

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 24

1  Of divorce
5  A new married man goes not to war
6  Of pledges
7  Of kidnapping
8  Of leprosy
10  Of pledges
14  The hire is to be given
16  Of justice
19  Of charity

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 24:16 mean?

Not shall be put to death Fathers for [their] children nor the sons neither [their] fathers a person for his own sin shall be put to death -
לֹֽא־ יוּמְת֤וּ אָבוֹת֙ עַל־ בָּנִ֔ים וּבָנִ֖ים לֹא־ אָב֑וֹת אִ֥יש‪‬‪‬‪‬ בְּחֶטְא֖וֹ יוּמָֽתוּ ס

יוּמְת֤וּ  shall  be  put  to  death 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
אָבוֹת֙  Fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
בָּנִ֔ים  [their]  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וּבָנִ֖ים  nor  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
לֹא־  neither 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אָב֑וֹת  [their]  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אִ֥יש‪‬‪‬‪‬  a  person 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בְּחֶטְא֖וֹ  for  his  own  sin 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֵטְא  
Sense: sin.
יוּמָֽתוּ  shall  be  put  to  death 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation

What are the major concepts related to Deuteronomy 24:16?

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