Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse commands a radical, personal shift: not just stopping sin, but actively "casting it away" like a harmful burden. This isn't about mere outward reform, but a deep internal transformation—making a "new heart and new spirit"—which the final, urgent question implies is entirely within their power to pursue.
Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people of Israel have been lamenting their fate, believing that God is unfairly punishing them for the sins of their ancestors. Ezekiel has just finished dismantling that argument, showing that each person is responsible for their own actions and will be judged accordingly. Now, the prophet issues a powerful call to action: repent from all the ways you've gone wrong and embrace a completely new way of living and thinking, because their current path will only lead to destruction.
God’s message to Israel is direct and demanding. It’s not a gentle suggestion, but a powerful command. What does it mean to 'cast away' and 'make' something new for ourselves?
A Necessary Severance
Ezekiel 18:31 begins with a stark command: "Cast away from you all your transgressions." This isn't about a casual dismissal of sin. The original language suggests a forceful rejection, like violently throwing off a heavy, dangerous burden. It implies a deep inner decision to completely sever ties with every sin that has defined their actions and identity.
The Human Element in Divine Change
The verse continues, "and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit." This can seem confusing because Scripture also says God gives a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). However, this command highlights the human responsibility to respond to God's call for change. It's about actively cooperating with God's grace, choosing to turn away from the old ways and actively seeking the transformation God offers. Think of it as God providing the tools and the power, but we must pick them up and use them.
The prophet doesn't just offer a path to change; he confronts them with the ultimate consequence of inaction. Why does God frame this as a matter of life and death?
The Weight of 'Why Will You Die?'
The rhetorical question, "Why will you die, O house of Israel?" is packed with divine urgency and sorrow. It's not just about temporal death or national destruction, though that was imminent. It speaks to a spiritual death – a complete separation from the life-giving presence of God. The emphasis on "you" and "will" highlights obstinacy and personal choice in facing ruin.
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Life Rooted in God
To 'die' in this context is to forfeit the very purpose for which they were created – to know and glorify God. It means embracing a path that leads away from His life, love, and provision, choosing instead the spiritual barrenness and eternal consequences of sin. God’s question is a plea: why choose this destructive path when life, offered through Him, is so readily available?
Understand the original words
shalak · Hebrew Verb
To throw off, reject, or remove decisively; it implies a radical abandonment of something previously held or committed.
pesha · Hebrew Noun
Violations of the law or rebellion against God's authority; actions that overstep the boundaries set by God’s moral standard.
leb · Hebrew Noun
The core of the human personality, including the intellect, will, and emotions; it is the center of decision-making and moral orientation.
ruach · Hebrew Noun
The animating life-force of a person, often associated with the will, attitude, and spiritual orientation toward God.
muth · Hebrew Verb
The state of separation from God, involving physical death and, ultimately, eternal spiritual separation from the source of life.
Ezekiel's message comes at the absolute low point for Judah, with Jerusalem and the Temple destroyed and many in exile. This context makes his call for personal responsibility and a 'new heart' incredibly challenging, urging a radical shift in thinking about sin and repentance even amidst utter devastation.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling many of its inhabitants. This event served as a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah about the consequences of national disobedience.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under King Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian Empire begins its campaigns against Judah, resulting in the first wave of exiles taken to Babylon. This included prominent figures and likely instilled fear and uncertainty.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another significant deportation occurs, including King Jehoiachin and many skilled workers. This further dismantled the nation and intensified the sense of divine judgment among the exiles.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians finally destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, marking the ultimate catastrophe for Judah and a profound crisis of faith for the Judean exiles in Babylon.
c. 593-571 BC
Ezekiel's Ministry in Exile
Ezekiel, himself among the exiles in Babylon, delivers prophecies, including this passage. He confronts the people's belief that they are suffering solely for their ancestors' sins, emphasizing individual responsibility.
This passage shares the same urgent call to Israel to repent and embrace a new heart and spirit, emphasizing the need to break away from their old ways before judgment falls.
Ezekiel 36:26While Ezekiel 18:31 is a command to *make* a new heart, this passage from Ezekiel 36 reveals that God is the one who will *give* a new heart and spirit, highlighting the interplay between human responsibility and divine grace.
Deuteronomy 30:19This verse presents a stark choice between life and death, echoing Ezekiel's plea 'Why will you die?' and underscoring that the decision and its consequences ultimately rest with the people.
Acts 3:19Peter's sermon echoes Ezekiel's call to repentance and 'turning,' showing how this ancient prophetic message of turning from sin and receiving forgiveness continues to be relevant for new covenant believers.
cambridgeEzekiel 18:31: "Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"
31 . a new heart ] Cf. ch. Ezekiel 11:19 , Ezekiel 36:26 ; Jeremiah 4:4 ; Jeremiah 24:7 ; Psalm 51:7 . The words are those of practical exhortation; to charge the prophet with assigning to man a power greater than that which Scripture in general allows to him is to distort his language. Cf. what he says on the other side re…
clarkeEzekiel 18:31: "Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"
Cast away - With a holy violence, dash away every transgression and incentive to it. Make you a new heart - Call upon God for it, and he will give it: for as sure as you earnestly call on God through Christ to save you, so surely you shall be saved; and the effect will so speedily follow, that God is pleased to attribute th…
The verse commands a radical, personal shift: not just stopping sin, but actively "casting it away" like a harmful burden. This isn't about mere outward reform, but a deep internal transformation—making a "new heart and new spirit"—which the final, urgent question implies is entirely within their power to pursue.
The people of Israel have been lamenting their fate, believing that God is unfairly punishing them for the sins of their ancestors. Ezekiel has just finished dismantling that argument, showing that each person is responsible for their own actions and will be judged accordingly. Now, the prophet issues a powerful call to action: repent from all the ways you've gone wrong and embrace a completely new way of living and thinking, because their current path will only lead to destruction.
The people of Israel have been lamenting their fate, believing that God is unfairly punishing them for the sins of their ancestors. Ezekiel has just finished dismantling that argument, showing that each person is responsible for their own actions and will be judged accordingly. Now, the prophet issues a powerful call to action: repent from all the ways you've gone wrong and embrace a completely new way of living and thinking, because their current path will only lead to destruction.
"Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?" — The verse commands a radical, personal shift: not just stopping sin, but actively "casting it away" like a harmful burden. This isn't about mere outward reform, but a deep internal transformation—mak…
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Last reviewed October 2026