The Meaning of Ezekiel 18:16 Explained

Ezekiel 18:16

KJV: Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,

YLT: A man -- he hath not oppressed, A pledge he hath not bound, And plunder he hath not taken away, His bread to the hungry he hath given, And the naked he covered with a garment,

Darby: and hath not oppressed any, nor withholden the pledge, neither hath exercised robbery; he hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment;

ASV: neither hath wronged any, hath not taken aught to pledge, neither hath taken by robbery, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Neither hath oppressed  any,  hath not withholden  the pledge,  neither hath spoiled  by violence,  [but] hath given  his bread  to the hungry,  and hath covered  the naked  with a garment, 

What does Ezekiel 18:16 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 18:16 mean?

And anyone not Has oppressed a pledge nor withheld and by violence robbed his bread to the hungry [But] has given and the naked covered with clothing
וְאִישׁ֙ לֹ֣א הוֹנָ֔ה חֲבֹל֙ לֹ֣א חָבָ֔ל וּגְזֵלָ֖ה גָזָ֑ל לַחְמוֹ֙ לְרָעֵ֣ב נָתָ֔ן וְעֵר֖וֹם כִּסָּה־ בָֽגֶד

וְאִישׁ֙  And  anyone 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הוֹנָ֔ה  Has  oppressed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄונָה 
Sense: to oppress, suppress, treat violently, maltreat, vex, do wrong.
חֲבֹל֙  a  pledge 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲבֹל 
Sense: pledge.
לֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
חָבָ֔ל  withheld 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָבַל 
Sense: to bind.
וּגְזֵלָ֖ה  and  by  violence 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גְּזֵלָה  
Sense: plunder, spoil, robbery.
גָזָ֑ל  robbed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּזַל  
Sense: to tear away, seize, plunder, tear off, pull off, rob, take away by force.
לַחְמוֹ֙  his  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
לְרָעֵ֣ב  to  the  hungry 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָעָב  
Sense: hungry.
נָתָ֔ן  [But]  has  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
וְעֵר֖וֹם  and  the  naked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עֵירֹם  
Sense: naked.
כִּסָּה־  covered 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
בָֽגֶד  with  clothing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.