The Meaning of Ezekiel 18:7 Explained

Ezekiel 18:7

KJV: And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

YLT: A man -- he doth not oppress, His pledge to the debtor he doth return, Plunder he doth not take away, His bread to the hungry he doth give, And the naked doth cover with a garment,

Darby: and hath not oppressed any; he hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath not exercised robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment;

ASV: and hath not wronged any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath taken nought by robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And hath not oppressed  any,  [but] hath restored  to the debtor  his pledge,  hath spoiled  none by violence,  hath given  his bread  to the hungry,  and hath covered  the naked  with a garment; 

What does Ezekiel 18:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Third, oppressing others and not returning something given as collateral when someone returned what he had borrowed were violations of the covenant ( Exodus 22:26-27; Deuteronomy 24:6). This is an example of life within the covenant community but outside the marriage relationship.
Fourth, not robbing but instead providing food and clothing to the needy were commanded ( Deuteronomy 15:11; Deuteronomy 24:19-22; cf. Isaiah 58:7). Both of the examples in this verse deal with one"s relationships to the neighbor inside and outside Israel. Both examples also specify the correct action in contrast to the incorrect.

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 18

1  God defends his justice
31  and exhorts to repentance

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 18:7 mean?

And anyone not if he has oppressed his pledge to the debtor [But] has restored by violence no one Has robbed his bread to the hungry [But] has given and the naked covered with clothing
וְאִישׁ֙ לֹ֣א יוֹנֶ֔ה חֲבֹלָת֥וֹ חוֹב֙ יָשִׁ֔יב גְּזֵלָ֖ה לֹ֣א יִגְזֹ֑ל לַחְמוֹ֙ לְרָעֵ֣ב יִתֵּ֔ן וְעֵירֹ֖ם יְכַסֶּה־ בָּֽגֶד

וְאִישׁ֙  And  anyone 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יוֹנֶ֔ה  if  he  has  oppressed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄונָה 
Sense: to oppress, suppress, treat violently, maltreat, vex, do wrong.
חֲבֹלָת֥וֹ  his  pledge 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲבֹל 
Sense: pledge.
חוֹב֙  to  the  debtor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹוב  
Sense: a debt, debtor.
יָשִׁ֔יב  [But]  has  restored 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
גְּזֵלָ֖ה  by  violence 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: גְּזֵלָה  
Sense: plunder, spoil, robbery.
לֹ֣א  no  one 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִגְזֹ֑ל  Has  robbed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 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.
יִתֵּ֔ן  [But]  has  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
וְעֵירֹ֖ם  and  the  naked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עֵירֹם  
Sense: naked.
יְכַסֶּה־  covered 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
בָּֽגֶד  with  clothing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.