Study Desk

'Now he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he pledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.'"

Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: "As I live, My oath which he despised and My covenant which he broke, I will certainly inflict on his head.

"All the choice men in all his troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to every wind; and you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken."

if he does not eat at the mountain shrines or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period—

and if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

and if he does not lend money at interest or take interest, if he keeps his hand from injustice and executes true justice between one person and another,

(though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and defiles his neighbor's wife,

oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but raises his eyes to the idols and commits abomination,

lends money at interest and takes interest; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he shall certainly be put to death; his blood will be on himself.

"Now behold, he has fathered a son who saw all his father's sins which he committed, but he has seen them and does not do likewise.

"He does not eat at the mountain shrines or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; he has not defiled his neighbor's wife,

nor oppressed anyone, nor retained a pledge, nor committed robbery; instead, he gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

he keeps his hand from the poor, does not take any kind of interest on loans, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; he will not die for his father's guilt, he will certainly live.

"As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his guilt.

"But if the wicked person turns from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall certainly live; he shall not die.

"All his offenses which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live.

"Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he would turn from his ways and live?

"But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness, commits injustice and does according to all the abominations that the wicked person does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.

"When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness, commits injustice and dies because of it, for his injustice which he has committed he dies.

"But when a wicked person turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life.