The Meaning of Ezekiel 18:28 Explained

Ezekiel 18:28

KJV: Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

YLT: And he seeth and turneth back, From all his transgressions that he hath done, He doth surely live, he doth not die,

Darby: Because he considereth, and turneth from all his transgressions which he hath committed, he shall certainly live, he shall not die.

ASV: Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because he considereth,  and turneth away  from all his transgressions  that he hath committed,  he shall surely  live,  he shall not die. 

What does Ezekiel 18:28 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 18:28 mean?

And because he considers - and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed surely he shall live not he shall die
וַיִּרְאֶ֣ה [וישוב] (וַיָּ֔שָׁב) מִכָּל־ פְּשָׁעָ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה חָי֥וֹ יִחְיֶ֖ה לֹ֥א יָמֽוּת

וַיִּרְאֶ֣ה  And  because  he  considers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
[וישוב]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
(וַיָּ֔שָׁב)  and  turns  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
מִכָּל־  from  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
פְּשָׁעָ֖יו  the  transgressions 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פֶּשַׁע  
Sense: transgression, rebellion.
עָשָׂ֑ה  he  committed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
חָי֥וֹ  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
יִחְיֶ֖ה  he  shall  live 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
יָמֽוּת  he  shall  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.