Ezekiel 18:10

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Ezekiel 18:10 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth any one of these things,” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth any one of these things,
Ezekiel 18:10 — American Standard Version

Context — Ezekiel 18

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
10If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth any one of these things,

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“If he beget a son [that is] a robber, a shedder of blood, &c.] But if this just man beget a son that is a thief and a murderer, as he may; for grace is not conveyed by natural generation, though sin is: a good man has often bad children, even such as are guilty of capital crimes, as a “robber”, a “highwayman”, a “breaker up”, or “through”, as the wordf265 signifies; one that breaks through walls, and into houses, and breaks through all the laws of God and man; and sticks not to shed innocent blood in committing his thefts and robberies, as these sins often go together; such an one was Barabbas, whose name signifies the son of a father, and perhaps his father might be a good man: and [that]…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The second case is that of an impious son of a pious father. His pious parentage, so far from excusing, aggravates his guilt. robber--or literally, "a breaker," namely, through all constraints of right. doeth the like to any one--The Hebrew and the parallel (Eze 18:18) require us to translate rather, "doeth to his brother any of these things," namely, the things which follow in Eze 18:11, &c. [MAURER].”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Live ... die - In the writings of Ezekiel there is a development of the meaning of “life” and “death.” In the holy land the sanctions of divine government were in great degree temporal; so that the promise of “life” for “obedience,” the threatening of “death” for “disobedience,” in the Books of Moses, were regarded simply as temporal and national. In their exile this could not continue in its full extent, and the universality of the misfortune necessarily made men look deeper into the words of God. The word “soul” denotes a “person” viewed as an “individual,” possessing the “life” which God breathed into man when he became a “living soul” Genesis 2:7; i. e., it distinguishes “personality”…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“18:10-13 If the son of a righteous man does not walk in the ways of God or of his father, and his life is the opposite of everything the father stood for, he will be responsible for his own guilt and suffer God’s judgment.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“that is: Lev 19:13; Mal 3:8, Mal 3:9; Joh 18:40 a robber: or, a breaker up of an house, Exo 22:2 a shedder: Gen 9:5, Gen 9:6; Exo 21:12; Num 35:31; Jo1 3:12 the like to any one of these things: or, to his brother besides any of these Ezekiel 18:11”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“The righteousness of the father does not protect the wicked, unrighteous son from death. - Eze 18:10. If, however, he begetteth a violent son, who sheddeth blood, and doeth only one of these things, Eze 18:11. But he himself hath not done all this, - if he even eateth upon the mountains, and defileth his neighbour's wife, Eze 18:12. Oppresseth the suffering and poor, committeth robbery, doth not restore a pledge, lifteth up his eyes to idols, committeth abomination, Eze 18:13. Giveth upon usury, and taketh interest: should he live? He shall not live! He hath done all these abominations; he shall be put to death; his blood shall be upon him. - The subject to והוליד, in Eze 18:10, is the…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification