The Meaning of Ezekiel 18:14 Explained

Ezekiel 18:14

KJV: 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,

YLT: And -- lo, he hath begotten a son, And he seeth all the sins of his father, That he hath done, and he feareth, And doth not do like them,

Darby: But lo, if he have begotten a son that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like:

ASV: Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins, which he hath done, and feareth, and doeth not such like;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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, 

What does Ezekiel 18:14 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 18:14 mean?

And however [If] he begets a son and who sees - all the sins his father which has done and considers but not does do likewise
וְהִנֵּה֙ הוֹלִ֣יד בֵּ֔ן וַיַּ֕רְא אֶת־ כָּל־ חַטֹּ֥את אָבִ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּרְאֶ֕ה וְלֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה כָּהֵֽן

וְהִנֵּה֙  And  however 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
הוֹלִ֣יד  [If]  he  begets 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
בֵּ֔ן  a  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וַיַּ֕רְא  and  who  sees 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
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.
חַטֹּ֥את  the  sins 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
אָבִ֖יו  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
עָשָׂ֑ה  has  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וַיִּרְאֶ֕ה  and  considers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְלֹ֥א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה  does  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כָּהֵֽן  likewise 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, third person feminine plural
Root: ־הֶן 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.