What is the meaning of Ezekiel 18:10? Now suppose that man has a violent son • The verse shifts the scene from the righteous father (vv. 5–9) to a completely different kind of offspring. Scripture underscores that godly parents do not guarantee godly children—each generation stands on its own before the Lord (see Deuteronomy 24:16; 2 Kings 21:1–2, where Manasseh rebels despite Hezekiah’s faithfulness). • God’s justice is personal and precise; He judges the son for his own choices, not for his father’s integrity (Ezekiel 18:20). • This counters the fatalistic proverb Israel had been quoting, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes…” (v. 2). The Lord assures every listener that repentance and obedience are always within reach, regardless of heritage. who sheds blood • “Sheds blood” highlights a life-dominating pattern of violence, the direct opposite of the father’s mercy and restraint (compare Genesis 9:6; Proverbs 1:11–16). • Bloodshed pollutes the land (Numbers 35:33) and demands divine reckoning. By listing it first, God makes plain that deliberate harm to another image-bearer is a frontline offense that severs fellowship with Him (Isaiah 59:3, 7). • The contrast invites personal examination: Have I allowed anger, coercion, or disdain to gain foothold? Jesus later traces murder back to unchecked anger in the heart (Matthew 5:21–22). or does any of these things • “These things” points ahead to the full catalog in vv. 11–13—idolatry, sexual sin, oppression, theft, greed. The phrase widens the net: sin is more than violent crime; it is any willful breach of God’s revealed standards (Exodus 20:1–17; Romans 1:29–32). • Each item reflects a heart that rejects God’s authority and ignores neighbor-love (Leviticus 19:18; 1 John 3:15). • The cumulative picture shows a son who has every covenant advantage yet despises it. His guilt is therefore undisputed, and God will hold him accountable without reference to his father’s record. summary Ezekiel 18:10 introduces a sobering hypothetical: a righteous man’s son chooses violence and varied sin. The Lord uses this scenario to affirm individual responsibility. Righteous parents cannot transfer their righteousness, nor can wicked parents doom their children to judgment. Every soul answers personally to God; life or death hinges on one’s own response to His commands. |
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