For the seller shall not return to what he has sold, while they live. For the vision concerns all their multitude; it shall not turn back; and because of his iniquity, none can maintain his life.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights the utter finality of God's judgment: even the legal right to reclaim sold property, guaranteed by the Jubilee year, is rendered meaningless by the coming devastation. Because the vision, or prophecy, concerns all their multitude and will not turn back, no one will be able to "strengthen himself"—literally, "make himself firm"—in his iniquity to survive or find refuge.
For the seller shall not return to what he has sold, while they live. For the vision concerns all their multitude; it shall not turn back; and because of his iniquity, none can maintain his life.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is describing the utter devastation and finality of God's judgment on Israel due to their pervasive sin. The seller won't get back what they were forced to sell, not even when the jubilee year—when property should return to its original family—arrives, because the people will be in exile or utterly destroyed. This prophecy of judgment is absolute, encompassing the entire nation and allowing no one to escape or find security in their wicked ways.
Imagine selling something precious, only to realize you'll never get it back, not even when the law says you should. That's the heartbreaking reality in Ezekiel's vision.
In ancient Israel, the sale of land wasn't always permanent. The Law of Jubilee (Leviticus 25) ensured that land would eventually return to its original family, usually every 50 years. This offered hope, a safety net.
But in Ezekiel 7:13, that hope is extinguished. 'The seller shall not return to what he has sold, while they live.' This means the upcoming judgment and exile will be so devastating that the normal rhythms of redemption and return are completely broken.
Even if a seller lived to see the next Jubilee year, they wouldn't be able to reclaim their property. The land would be ruined, boundaries erased, and the people scattered, effectively making the sale final and irrevocable. This wasn't just about losing property; it was about losing the promise of restoration tied to the land.
Prophetic words aren't just suggestions; they carry the weight of divine decree. For Ezekiel's audience, this vision was a terrifying, unchangeable reality.
The phrase 'for the vision concerns all their multitude; it shall not turn back' is powerful. The 'vision' here represents God's prophetic declaration, His unshakeable judgment against Israel.
This vision isn't a suggestion that might be ignored or a warning that could be easily averted. It will happen. The original language emphasizes that this prophecy is headed toward its fulfillment and will not be recalled or reversed.
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Think of it like an arrow already shot from the bow – it’s on its trajectory. Because the sin of the entire nation ('all their multitude') has reached a breaking point, the judgment is comprehensive and unstoppable. No one is exempt, and no plea will turn it back.
In the face of overwhelming judgment, people often try to find ways to save themselves. But Ezekiel reveals a grim truth: sin itself becomes their undoing.
The final phrase, 'and because of his iniquity, none can maintain his life,' cuts to the core. It's not just that judgment is coming; it's that the very sin the people clung to prevents any possibility of survival or escape.
'Maintain his life' implies finding stability, securing one's existence, or even strengthening oneself against the coming storm. But their accumulated 'iniquity' – their persistent rebellion and wickedness – has rendered them utterly vulnerable.
There's no clever plan, no hidden loophole, no amount of clinging to sin that will provide safety. Their iniquity has weakened them to the point where they cannot possibly stand against the divine judgment that is now certain. It's a stark reminder that sin doesn't just offend God; it destroys us from within.
Understand the original words
avon · Hebrew Noun
A twist, perversion, or crookedness of the heart or conduct; it is a departure from the straight path of God’s law, signifying guilt before Him.
Ezekiel's stark words about the irreversible loss of property and life in this verse directly address the shattering reality of the Babylonian exile. The ancient laws regarding property redemption, like the Year of Jubilee, become tragically irrelevant as the people face total dispossession and death, underscoring the finality of God's judgment for their persistent iniquity.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Captivity of Northern Kingdom
The Northern Kingdom of Israel (ten tribes) is conquered and exiled by the Assyrian Empire, marking a significant loss of territory and population for the Hebrews. This sets a precedent for future divine judgment through exile.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a group of Israelites, including young nobles like Daniel. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile and the fulfillment of prophecies about judgment.
597 BC— this verse
Second Babylonian Deportation
Babylon deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel. This event directly impacts Ezekiel, placing him within the exiled community in Babylon and shaping his prophetic message.
c. 587-586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
After a prolonged siege, Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians, its walls are broken down, and the magnificent Temple is destroyed. This is the catastrophic climax of the judgment Ezekiel prophesied.
c. 586 BC onwards
Third Babylonian Deportation
The final wave of deportations occurs after Jerusalem's fall, scattering the remaining population and further cementing the exile as the dominant reality for the Judean people.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon, paving the way for the eventual return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem. This marks the end of Babylonian dominance and the beginning of the Persian period.
This passage lays out the 'year of jubilee' where land was meant to return to its original family, but Ezekiel proclaims that this legal framework will be utterly destroyed by the coming judgment, meaning no one will see their land returned, even if they live.
Jeremiah 32:6-15Jeremiah's purchase of a field, even during a time of impending exile, offered hope for future restoration. Ezekiel, however, speaks of a judgment so absolute that the seller will never return to what was sold, highlighting a stark contrast between conditional hope and impending finality for this generation.
Isaiah 55:11The verse speaks of God's word not returning void, meaning His prophecies will always accomplish their purpose. Ezekiel echoes this, stating the 'vision' (the prophecy of judgment) will not return, emphasizing its certain and complete fulfillment against the multitude.
Lamentations 4:1-2The book of Lamentations vividly describes the desolation and loss of possessions, mirroring Ezekiel's declaration that sellers won't return to their sold goods. It paints a picture of the profound sorrow and destruction that underlies Ezekiel's prophetic message.
Romans 6:23This New Testament passage states the 'wages of sin is death.' Ezekiel's message emphasizes that iniquity leaves no room for strengthening oneself or escaping judgment, directly linking their persistent sin to their inevitable downfall and inability to 'maintain his life.'
pooleEzekiel 7:13: "For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life."
He that now selleth is of that age that can scarce promise himself to live till the seventy years’ captivity expire. Shall not return; either out of captivity, or at the year of jubilee; he shall never with grief behold another in possession of that he…
barnesEzekiel 7:13: "For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life."
Although they were yet alive - Though they be yet among the living. Which shall not return ... - He (i. e. the seller) shall not return; and, every man living in his iniquity, they shall gather no strength. Exile being the punishment of iniquity, the e…
This verse highlights the utter finality of God's judgment: even the legal right to reclaim sold property, guaranteed by the Jubilee year, is rendered meaningless by the coming devastation. Because the vision, or prophecy, concerns all their multitude and will not turn back, no one will be able to "strengthen himself"—literally, "make himself firm"—in his iniquity to survive or find refuge.
Ezekiel is describing the utter devastation and finality of God's judgment on Israel due to their pervasive sin. The seller won't get back what they were forced to sell, not even when the jubilee year—when property should return to its original family—arrives, because the people will be in exile or utterly destroyed. This prophecy of judgment is absolute, encompassing the entire nation and allowing no one to escape or find security in their wicked ways.
Ezekiel is describing the utter devastation and finality of God's judgment on Israel due to their pervasive sin. The seller won't get back what they were forced to sell, not even when the jubilee year—when property should return to its original family—arrives, because the people will be in exile or utterly destroyed. This prophecy of judgment is absolute, encompassing the entire nation and allowing no one to escape or find security in their wicked ways.
"For the seller shall not return to what he has sold, while they live. For the vision concerns all their multitude; it shall not turn back; and because of his iniquity, none can maintain his life." — This verse highlights the utter finality of God's judgment: even the legal right to reclaim sold property, guaranteed by the Jubilee year, is rendered meaningless by the coming devastation. Because t…
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Last reviewed October 2026