Lamentationes 3:20

Nova Vulgata

Sed et si conversus iustus a iustitia sua, fecerit iniquitatem, ponam offendiculum coram eo; ipse morietur, quia non commonuisti eum: in peccato suo morietur, et non erunt in memoria iustitiae eius, quas fecit; sanguinem vero eius de manu tua requiram.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
ZAIN. Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
Sed et si conversus justus a justitia sua fuerit, et fecerit iniquitatem, ponam offendiculum coram eo: ipse morietur quia non annuntiasti ei. In peccato suo morietur, et non erunt in memoria justiti� ejus quas fecit: sanguinem vero ejus de manu tua requiram.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

When: Ezekiel 18:24, Ezekiel 18:26, Ezekiel 33:12, Ezekiel 33:13, 2 Chronicles 24:2, 2 Chronicles 24:17-22, Psalms 36:3, Psalms 125:5, Zephaniah 1:6, Matthew 13:20, Matthew 13:21, Hebrews 10:38, 2 Peter 2:18-22, 1 John 2:19

righteousness: Heb. righteousnesses, Isaiah 64:6, Daniel 9:18

and I lay: Ezekiel 7:19, Ezekiel 14:3, Ezekiel 14:7-9, Deuteronomy 13:3, Psalms 119:165, *marg. Isaiah 8:14, Jeremiah 6:21, Luke 2:34, Romans 9:32, Romans 9:33, Romans 11:9, 1 Corinthians 1:23, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, 1 Peter 2:8

because: Ezekiel 3:18, Leviticus 19:17, 2 Samuel 12:7-13, 2 Chronicles 19:2-4, 2 Chronicles 25:15, Proverbs 25:12, Matthew 18:15

and his: Ezekiel 18:24, Ezekiel 18:26, Ezekiel 33:12, Ezekiel 33:13, Matthew 12:43-45, Luke 8:15, Romans 2:7, Romans 2:8, Hebrews 10:38, 2 Peter 2:21

but his: Ezekiel 3:18, Ezekiel 33:6, Hebrews 13:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 43:9 - of my hand Deuteronomy 22:8 - thou bring Jeremiah 34:16 - ye turned Ezekiel 3:21 - he shall Ezekiel 34:10 - and I will Amos 5:7 - leave Romans 11:22 - otherwise Revelation 2:14 - a stumblingblock

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Again, when a righteous [man] doth turn from his righteousness,.... This is to be understood not of one that is truly righteous, or is justified by the righteousness of Christ; for such can never turn from that righteousness, or be in an unjustified state; seeing that is the righteousness of God, and an everlasting one; but of one that is denominated righteous, from "his" own righteousness, from a righteousness "which he hath done", as is afterwards expressed; one that is outwardly righteous before men, that is outwardly reformed, that has a righteousness of his own, consisting of a little negative holiness, and a few moral performances; from such righteousness a man may apostatize, and go into a vicious course of life:

and commit iniquity; live in sin, make a trade of it; lead a life, the whole series and course of which is nothing else but sin; in this sense, one that is born of God, and has the righteousness of Christ revealed from faith to faith unto him, and lives by faith upon it, cannot commit sin, 1 John 3:9;

and I lay a stumbling block before him; the Targum renders it, "the stumbling block of sins"; which designs either an occasion of sinning, which God permits, leaving him to his own lusts, and suffering him to fall thereby; and by this means he is discovered to be what he is, not a truly righteous man, but only one in appearance; that looked like a righteous person, but secretly a sinner, and now the Lord by such means exposes him openly; so Jarchi and other Jewish Rabbins; but Kimchi's father interprets the stumbling block of prosperity in this world u: or rather the punishment of sin is meant, as Kimchi himself observes; and the Septuagint renders it "torment"; since this follows up on his turning from righteousness, and committing sin; and seems to be explained by the next clause:

he shall die; the second death:

because thou hast not given him warning: of the dreadful evil of apostasy, and the sad estate of apostates, and the danger they are in, their last estate being worse than the first:

he shall die in his sin; of apostasy, and for it, being never to be recovered and brought to repentance:

and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; according to the "Keri" or marginal reading it is, "his righteousnesses"; all his works of righteousness which he hath done; and which reading is followed by the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and the eastern versions; these shall not be remembered, neither in this world nor in that to come; no account shall be taken of them, nor shall they be reckoned as a righteousness unto him:

but his blood will I require at thine hand; 1 John 3:9- :.

u Vid. T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 86. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This passage anticipates the great moral principle of divine government Ezekiel 18:0 that each man is individually responsible for his own actions, and will be judged according to these and these alone.

Ezekiel 3:20

I lay a stumblingblock before him - I bring him to trial by placing difficulties and temptations in his way (compare Ezekiel 7:19; Ezekiel 44:12 margin; Ezekiel 14:3-4). It is true that God tempts no man in order to his destruction, but in the course of His Providence He permits men to be tried in order that their faith may be approved, and in this trial some who seem to be righteous fall.

Because thou ... his blood ... - So far as the prophet was concerned, the neglect of his duty is reckoned as the cause of the seemingly righteous man’s fall.

His righteousness ... - Or, righteousnesses, i. e. acts of righteousness. The “righteous” man here is one, who had hitherto done the “acts of righteousness” prescribed by the Law, but when trial came was shown to lack the “principle of righteousness.”

Ezekiel 3:21

The repetition of the word “righteous” is to be noted. There seems to be an intimation that sin is alien to the character of a “righteous” man. Compare 1 John 3:7-9.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 3:20. When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness — Which these words plainly state he may do, and commit iniquity, and die in his sin; and consequently die eternally, which is also here granted; if he have not been warned, though he die in his sin, the blood-the life and salvation, of this person also will God require at the watchman's hand. Pastor hunc occidit, quia eum tacendo morti tradidit. "This man the pastor kills; for in being silent, he delivers him over to death." - GREGORY. From these passages we see that a righteous man may fall from grace, and perish everlastingly. Should it be said that it means the self-righteous, I reply, this is absurd; for self-righteousness is a fall itself, and the sooner a man falls from it the better for himself. Real, genuine righteousness of heart and life is that which is meant. Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall.

And I lay a stumbling-block before him — That is, I permit him to be tried, and he fall in the trial. God is repeatedly represented as doing things which he only permits to be done. He lays a stumbling-block, i.e., he permits one to be laid.