Ezekiel 18:23
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights that God's deepest desire isn't for judgment, but for transformation and life. The question "Have I any pleasure... that he should turn from his way and live?" reveals that God actively delights in people choosing life over destruction.
Ezekiel's message confronts a despairing people who feel abandoned and unjustly punished for their ancestors' sins. He argues that God isn't pleased by their destruction but desires their repentance and life. This declaration directly challenges their notion that they are doomed regardless of their actions, highlighting God's yearning for their turning to Him.
Understand the original words
Adonay YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The Master, the Sovereign One; a title reflecting God's absolute authority over creation and humanity.
This verse speaks directly to the despair felt by the exiles after the destruction of Jerusalem. They believed God had abandoned them or was punishing them unjustly for past generations, a feeling amplified by their suffering and the loss of their homeland and Temple.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Jehoiachin and a significant portion of Jerusalem's elite, including the prophet Ezekiel, were exiled to Babylon. This event marked the beginning of Judah's subjugation and shattered the people's sense of security.
c. 587-586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Deportation
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, leading to a further, more devastating deportation. This event plunged the remaining Jewish population into deep despair and a crisis of faith.
c. 580 BC
Ezekiel Delivers His Message
Ezekiel, prophesying among the exiles in Babylon, confronted the prevailing belief that they were suffering solely because of their fathers' sins, not their own. He emphasized individual responsibility and God's desire for repentance.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great's Conquest of Babylon
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus, conquered Babylon, paving the way for the eventual return of the exiles to Jerusalem. This marked a shift in political power and offered a glimmer of hope for restoration.
This passage echoes Ezekiel's sentiment, stating that God desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth, directly aligning with God's preference for life over death.
2 Peter 3:9Peter reiterates God's patience and desire for repentance, clarifying that God is not slow in His promises but wants everyone to turn away from sin and receive salvation.
Lamentations 3:33This verse speaks to God's compassionate heart, noting that He does not afflict or grieve the children of men willingly, underscoring that His discipline stems from a desire for correction, not destruction.
Luke 15:7Jesus' parable of the lost sheep illustrates God's joy over a repentant sinner, showing that God's pleasure lies not in the loss of any, but in their return and restoration.
Ezekiel 33:11This verse from the same prophet reinforces Ezekiel 18:23 by directly stating, 'As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.'
cambridgeEzekiel 18:23: "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?"
23 . The verse meets a feeling of despair both in regard to themselves and in regard to God which was beginning to take possession of the minds of some, perhaps many, among the people. The despair in regard to themselves is seen in ch. Ezekiel 33:10-11 , “We pine away in our iniquities, how should we live?” and the despair in regard to God, which is…
pulpitEzekiel 18:23: "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?"
Verse 23. - Have I any pleasure, etc.? Ezekiel's anticipations of the gospel of Christ take a yet wider range, and we come at last to what had been throughout the suppressed premise of the argument. To him, as afterwards to St. Paul (1 Timothy 2:4) and St. Peter (2 Peter 3:9), the mind of God was presented as being at once absolutely righteous and ab…
This verse highlights that God's deepest desire isn't for judgment, but for transformation and life. The question "Have I any pleasure... that he should turn from his way and live?" reveals that God actively delights in people choosing life over destruction.
Ezekiel's message confronts a despairing people who feel abandoned and unjustly punished for their ancestors' sins. He argues that God isn't pleased by their destruction but desires their repentance and life. This declaration directly challenges their notion that they are doomed regardless of their actions, highlighting God's yearning for their turning to Him.
Ezekiel's message confronts a despairing people who feel abandoned and unjustly punished for their ancestors' sins. He argues that God isn't pleased by their destruction but desires their repentance and life. This declaration directly challenges their notion that they are doomed regardless of their actions, highlighting God's yearning for their turning to Him.
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538 BC
Edict of Cyrus allowing Return
Cyrus issued a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple. This was a pivotal moment, initiating the return and the re-establishment of Jewish life in Judah.
"Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?" — This verse highlights that God's deepest desire isn't for judgment, but for transformation and life. The question "Have I any pleasure... that he should turn from his way and live?" reveals that God…
