The Meaning of Ezekiel 18:25 Explained

Ezekiel 18:25

KJV: Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

YLT: And ye have said, Not pondered is the way of the Lord. Hear, I pray you, O house of Israel, My way -- is it not pondered? Are not your ways unpondered?

Darby: And ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear then, house of Israel. Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

ASV: Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Yet ye say,  The way  of the Lord  is not equal.  Hear  now, O house  of Israel;  Is not my way  equal?  are not your ways  unequal? 

What does Ezekiel 18:25 Mean?

Verse Meaning

In spite of God"s righteous dealings with people on the basis of their conduct, the Israelites were accusing Him of not doing right. The Lord asked if it was their ways rather than His that were not right.

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 18:25 mean?

And yet you say not is just The way of the Lord Hear now house of Israel is it My way which is just not and your ways which are fair
וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵ֖ן דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲדֹנָ֑י שִׁמְעוּ־ נָא֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֲדַרְכִּי֙ ؟ יִתָּכֵ֔ן הֲלֹ֥א דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם ؟ יִתָּכֵֽנוּ

וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם  And  yet  you  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יִתָּכֵ֖ן  is  just 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: תָּכַן  
Sense: to regulate, measure, estimate, ponder, balance, make even, level, weigh, be equal, be weighed out, test, prove.
דֶּ֣רֶךְ  The  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
אֲדֹנָ֑י  of  the  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
שִׁמְעוּ־  Hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
נָא֙  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
בֵּ֣ית  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
הֲדַרְכִּי֙  is  it  My  way 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
؟ יִתָּכֵ֔ן  which  is  just 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: תָּכַן  
Sense: to regulate, measure, estimate, ponder, balance, make even, level, weigh, be equal, be weighed out, test, prove.
דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם  and  your  ways 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
؟ יִתָּכֵֽנוּ  which  are  fair 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: תָּכַן  
Sense: to regulate, measure, estimate, ponder, balance, make even, level, weigh, be equal, be weighed out, test, prove.