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Selected Verse: Ezekiel 18:14 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Eze 18:14	Strong Concordance	Now, lo, if he beget [03205] a son [01121], that seeth [07200] all his father's [01] sins [02403] which he hath done [06213], and considereth [07200], and doeth [06213] not such like [02004],
	King James	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,

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
The third case: a son who walks not in the steps of an unrighteous father, but in the ways of God; for example, Josiah, the pious son of guilty Amon; Hezekiah, of Ahaz (2Ki. 16:1-20; 18:1-37; 21:1-22:20). seeth . . . and considereth--The same Hebrew stands for both verbs, "seeth . . . yea, seeth." The repetition implies the attentive observation needed, in order that the son may not be led astray by his father's bad example; as sons generally are blind to parents sins, and even imitate them as if they were virtues.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

The third case: a son who walks not in the steps of an unrighteous father, but in the ways of God; for example, Josiah, the pious son of guilty Amon; Hezekiah, of Ahaz (2Ki. 16:1-20; 18:1-37; 21:1-22:20).

seeth . . . and considereth--The same Hebrew stands for both verbs, "seeth . . . yea, seeth." The repetition implies the attentive observation needed, in order that the son may not be led astray by his father's bad example; as sons generally are blind to parents sins, and even imitate them as if they were virtues.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The son who avoids his father's sin will live; but the father will die for his own sins. - Eze 18:14. And behold, he begetteth a son, who seeth all his father's sins which he doeth; he seeth them, and doeth not such things. Eze 18:15. He eateth not upon the mountains, and lifteth not up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; he defileth not his neighbour's wife, Eze 18:16. And oppresseth no one; he doth not withhold a pledge, and committeth not robbery; giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with clothes. Eze 18:17. He holdeth back his hand from the distressed one, taketh not usury and interest, doeth my rights, walketh in my statutes; he will not die for the sin of his father; he shall live. Eze 18:18. His father, because he hath practised oppression, committed robbery upon his brother, and hath done that which is not good in the midst of his people; behold, he shall die for his sin. Eze 18:19. And do ye say, Why doth the son not help to bear the father's sin? But the son hath done right and righteousness, hath kept all my statutes, and done them; he shall live. Eze 18:20. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. A son shall not help to bear the father's sin, and a father shall not help to bear the sin of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. - The case supposed in these verses forms the antithesis to the preceding one; the father is the transgressor in this instance, and the son a keeper of the law. The subject to הוליד in Eze 18:14 is not the righteous man described in Eze 18:15, but a man who is described immediately afterwards as a transgressor of the commandments of God. The Chetib וירא bite in the last clause of Eze 18:14 is not to be read ויּרא, καὶ φοβηθῇ, et timuerit, as it has been by the translators of the Septuagint and Vulgate; nor is it to be altered into ויּראה, as it has been by the Masoretes, to make it accord with Eze 18:28; but it is the apocopated form ויּרא, as in the preceding clause, and the object is to be repeated from what precedes, as in the similar case which we find in Exo 20:15, (18). Ewald and Hitzig propose to alter מעני in Eze 18:17 into מעול after Eze 18:8, but without the slightest necessity. The lxx are not to be taken as an authority for this, since the Chaldee and Syriac have both read and rendered עני; and Ezekiel, when repeating the same sentences, is accustomed to make variations in particular words. Holding back the hand from the distressed, is equivalent to abstaining from seizing upon him for the purpose of crushing him (compare Eze 18:12); בּתוך, in the midst of his countrymen = בּתוך עמּו, is adopted from the language of the Pentateuch. מת after הנּה is a participle. The question, "Why does the son not help to bear?" is not a direct objection on the part of the people, but is to be taken as a pretext, which the people might offer on the ground of the law, that God would visit the sin of the fathers upon the sons in justification of their proverb. Ezekiel cites this pretext for the purpose of meeting it by stating the reason why this does not occur. נשׂא ב, to carry, near or with, to join in carrying, or help to carry (cf. Num 11:17). This proved the proverb to be false, and confirmed the assertion made in Eze 18:4, to which the address therefore returns (Eze 18:20). The righteousness of the righteous man will come upon him, i.e., upon the righteous man, namely, in its consequences. The righteous man will receive the blessing of righteousness, but the unrighteous man the curse of his wickedness. There is no necessity for the article, which the Keri proposes to insert before רשׁע.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The son who avoids his father's sin will live; but the father will die for his own sins. - Eze 18:14. And behold, he begetteth a son, who seeth all his father's sins which he doeth; he seeth them, and doeth not such things. Eze 18:15. He eateth not upon the mountains, and lifteth not up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; he defileth not his neighbour's wife, Eze 18:16. And oppresseth no one; he doth not withhold a pledge, and committeth not robbery; giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with clothes. Eze 18:17. He holdeth back his hand from the distressed one, taketh not usury and interest, doeth my rights, walketh in my statutes; he will not die for the sin of his father; he shall live. Eze 18:18. His father, because he hath practised oppression, committed robbery upon his brother, and hath done that which is not good in the midst of his people; behold, he shall die for his sin. Eze 18:19. And do ye say, Why doth the son not help to bear the father's sin? But the son hath done right and righteousness, hath kept all my statutes, and done them; he shall live. Eze 18:20. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. A son shall not help to bear the father's sin, and a father shall not help to bear the sin of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. - The case supposed in these verses forms the antithesis to the preceding one; the father is the transgressor in this instance, and the son a keeper of the law. The subject to הוליד in Eze 18:14 is not the righteous man described in Eze 18:15, but a man who is described immediately afterwards as a transgressor of the commandments of God. The Chetib וירא bite in the last clause of Eze 18:14 is not to be read ויּרא, καὶ φοβηθῇ, et timuerit, as it has been by the translators of the Septuagint and Vulgate; nor is it to be altered into ויּראה, as it has been by the Masoretes, to make it accord with Eze 18:28; but it is the apocopated form ויּרא, as in the preceding clause, and the object is to be repeated from what precedes, as in the similar case which we find in Exo 20:15, (18). Ewald and Hitzig propose to alter מעני in Eze 18:17 into מעול after Eze 18:8, but without the slightest necessity. The lxx are not to be taken as an authority for this, since the Chaldee and Syriac have both read and rendered עני; and Ezekiel, when repeating the same sentences, is accustomed to make variations in particular words. Holding back the hand from the distressed, is equivalent to abstaining from seizing upon him for the purpose of crushing him (compare Eze 18:12); בּתוך, in the midst of his countrymen = בּתוך עמּו, is adopted from the language of the Pentateuch. מת after הנּה is a participle. The question, "Why does the son not help to bear?" is not a direct objection on the part of the people, but is to be taken as a pretext, which the people might offer on the ground of the law, that God would visit the sin of the fathers upon the sons in justification of their proverb. Ezekiel cites this pretext for the purpose of meeting it by stating the reason why this does not occur. נשׂא ב, to carry, near or with, to join in carrying, or help to carry (cf. Num 11:17). This proved the proverb to be false, and confirmed the assertion made in Eze 18:4, to which the address therefore returns (Eze 18:20). The righteousness of the righteous man will come upon him, i.e., upon the righteous man, namely, in its consequences. The righteous man will receive the blessing of righteousness, but the unrighteous man the curse of his wickedness. There is no necessity for the article, which the Keri proposes to insert before רשׁע.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Now, lo, if he beget a son that seeth all his father's sins - and considereth - Lays to heart the evil of his father's life, and the dreadful consequences of a life of rebellion against God. And doeth not such like - Is quite a different man in moral feeling and character; and acts up to the thirteen points already laid down.

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²⁰ The soul [05315] that sinneth [02398], it shall die [04191]. The son [01121] shall not bear [05375] the iniquity [05771] of the father [01], neither shall the father [01] bear [05375] the iniquity [05771] of the son [01121]: the righteousness [06666] of the righteous [06662] shall be upon him, and the wickedness [07564] of the wicked [07563] shall be upon him.

⁴ Behold, all souls [05315] are mine; as the soul [05315] of the father [01], so also the soul [05315] of the son [01121] is mine: the soul [05315] that sinneth [02398], it shall die [04191].

¹⁷ And I will come down [03381] and talk [01696] with thee there: and I will take [0680] of the spirit [07307] which is upon thee, and will put [07760] it upon them; and they shall bear [05375] the burden [04853] of the people [05971] with thee, that thou bear [05375] it not thyself alone.

¹² Hath oppressed [03238] the poor [06041] and needy [034], hath spoiled [01497] by violence [01500], hath not restored [07725] the pledge [02258], and hath lifted up [05375] his eyes [05869] to the idols [01544], hath committed [06213] abomination [08441],

⁸ He that hath not given forth [05414] upon usury [05392], neither hath taken [03947] any increase [08636], that hath withdrawn [07725] his hand [03027] from iniquity [05766], hath executed [06213] true [0571] judgment [04941] between man [0376] and man [0376],

¹⁷ That hath taken off [07725] his hand [03027] from the poor [06041], that hath not received [03947] usury [05392] nor increase [08636], hath executed [06213] my judgments [04941], hath walked [01980] in my statutes [02708]; he shall not die [04191] for the iniquity [05771] of his father [01], he shall surely [02421] live [02421].

¹⁵ Thou shalt not steal [01589].

²⁸ Because he considereth [07200], and turneth away [07725] from all his transgressions [06588] that he hath committed [06213], he shall surely [02421] live [02421], he shall not die [04191].

¹⁴ Now, lo, if he beget [03205] a son [01121], that seeth [07200] all his father's [01] sins [02403] which he hath done [06213], and considereth [07200], and doeth [06213] not such like [02004],

¹⁵ That hath not eaten [0398] upon the mountains [02022], neither hath lifted up [05375] his eyes [05869] to the idols [01544] of the house [01004] of Israel [03478], hath not defiled [02930] his neighbour's [07453] wife [0802],

¹⁴ Now, lo, if he beget [03205] a son [01121], that seeth [07200] all his father's [01] sins [02403] which he hath done [06213], and considereth [07200], and doeth [06213] not such like [02004],

¹⁹ Yet say [0559] ye, Why? doth not the son [01121] bear [05375] the iniquity [05771] of the father [01]? When the son [01121] hath done [06213] that which is lawful [04941] and right [06666], and hath kept [08104] all my statutes [02708], and hath done [06213] them, he shall surely [02421] live [02421].

¹⁸ As for his father [01], because he cruelly [06233] oppressed [06231], spoiled [01497] his brother [0251] by violence [01499], and did [06213] that which is not good [02896] among [08432] his people [05971], lo, even he shall die [04191] in his iniquity [05771].

¹⁶ Neither hath oppressed [03238] any [0376], hath not withholden [02254] the pledge [02258], neither hath spoiled [01497] by violence [01500], but hath given [05414] his bread [03899] to the hungry [07457], and hath covered [03680] the naked [05903] with a garment [0899],

¹⁴ Now, lo, if he beget [03205] a son [01121], that seeth [07200] all his father's [01] sins [02403] which he hath done [06213], and considereth [07200], and doeth [06213] not such like [02004],