Ezekiel 18:25
New International Version
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

New Living Translation
“Yet you say, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one not doing what’s right, or is it you?

English Standard Version
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

Berean Standard Bible
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

King James Bible
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

New King James Version
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?

New American Standard Bible
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

NASB 1995
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

NASB 1977
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

Legacy Standard Bible
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

Amplified Bible
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

Christian Standard Bible
“But you say, ‘The Lord’s way isn’t fair.’ Now listen, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair? Instead, isn’t it your ways that are unfair?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But you say, ‘The Lord’s way isn’t fair.’ Now listen, house of Israel: Is it My way that is unfair? Instead, isn’t it your ways that are unfair?

American Standard Version
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

Contemporary English Version
You people of Israel accuse me of being unfair! But listen--I'm not unfair; you are!

English Revised Version
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"But you say, 'The Lord's way is unfair.' Listen, nation of Israel, isn't my way fair? Isn't it your ways that are unfair?

Good News Translation
"But you say, 'What the Lord does isn't right.' Listen to me, you Israelites. Do you think my way of doing things isn't right? It is your way that isn't right.

International Standard Version
"Yet you keep saying, 'The LORD isn't being consistent with his standards.' Pay attention, you house of Israel: Is my behavior really inconsistent with my standards? Isn't it your behavior that isn't just?

Majority Standard Bible
Yet you say, ?The way of the Lord is not just.? Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

NET Bible
"Yet you say, 'The Lord's conduct is unjust!' Hear, O house of Israel: Is my conduct unjust? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?

New Heart English Bible
"'Yet you say, "The way of the LORD is not just." Hear now, house of Israel: "Is my way not just? Aren't your ways unjust?"

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

World English Bible
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you have said, The way of the Lord is not pondered. Now hear, O house of Israel, "" My way—is it not pondered? Are not your ways unpondered?

Young's Literal Translation
And ye have said, Not pondered is the way of the Lord. Hear, I pray you, O house of Israel, My way -- is it not pondered? Are not your ways unpondered?

Smith's Literal Translation
And ye said, The way of Jehovah will not make even. Hear ye now, O house of Israel; shall not my way make even? shall not your ways make hot even?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And you have said: The way of the Lord is not right. Hear ye, therefore, O house of Israel: Is it my way that is not right, and are not rather your ways perverse?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And you have said, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Therefore, listen, O house of Israel. How could it be that my way is not fair? And is it not instead your ways that are perverse?

New American Bible
You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!” Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair? Are not your ways unfair?

New Revised Standard Version
Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Yet you say, The ways of the LORD are not fair. Hear now, O house of Israel; my ways are fair, but it is your ways that are not fair.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And you said, “The ways of LORD JEHOVAH are not beautiful.” Hear therefore, you of the house of Israel: my ways are beautiful, but your ways are not beautiful
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Yet ye say: The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is not equal? is it not your ways that are unequal?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Yet ye have said, The way of the Lord is not straight. Hear now, all the house of Israel; will not my way be straight? Is your way straight?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Soul who Sins will Die
24But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die. 25Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.…

Cross References
Isaiah 55:8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. / “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Romans 9:14-21
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! / For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” / So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. ...

Job 34:10-12
Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly. / For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences. / Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.

Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He.

Romans 3:5-6
But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms. / Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?

Psalm 145:17
The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds.

Romans 2:5-11
But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. / God “will repay each one according to his deeds.” / To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life. ...

Isaiah 5:20-21
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter. / Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.

Matthew 20:1-16
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. / He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. / About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. ...

Psalm 92:15
to proclaim, “The LORD is upright; He is my Rock, and in Him there is no unrighteousness.”

Romans 11:33-36
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! / “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” / “Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?” ...

Lamentations 3:39-40
Why should any mortal man complain, in view of his sins? / Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.

Matthew 11:16-19
To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: / ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ / For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ ...

Proverbs 21:2
All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.


Treasury of Scripture

Yet you say, The way of the LORD is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

way

Ezekiel 18:29
Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?

Ezekiel 33:17,20
Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal…

Job 32:2
Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

my

Genesis 18:25
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Psalm 50:6
And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

are

Psalm 50:21
These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

Jeremiah 2:17-23,29-37
Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way? …

Jeremiah 16:10-13
And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God? …

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Ezekiel 18
1. God defends his justice
31. and exhorts to repentance














Yet you say
This phrase introduces a common objection from the people of Israel. The Hebrew root for "say" is "אָמַר" (amar), which often implies a declaration or assertion. Here, it reflects the people's audacity to question God's justice. Historically, this reflects a period when Israel was in exile, grappling with the consequences of their collective disobedience. The phrase challenges the reader to consider the human tendency to question divine justice when faced with adversity.

The way of the Lord
The "way" (דֶּרֶךְ, derek) signifies a path or manner of conduct. In biblical terms, it often refers to God's righteous and holy standards. The "way of the Lord" is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, emphasizing God's consistent and unchanging nature. This phrase invites reflection on the divine attributes of justice, mercy, and righteousness, which are foundational to God's interactions with humanity.

is not just
The Hebrew word for "just" is "תָּקֵן" (taqen), meaning straight or right. The accusation that God's way is "not just" reveals a misunderstanding of divine justice. From a conservative Christian perspective, this reflects humanity's limited understanding of God's perfect justice. It challenges believers to trust in God's wisdom and fairness, even when His ways are beyond human comprehension.

Hear now, O house of Israel
This imperative "hear" (שָׁמַע, shama) is a call to attention, urging the Israelites to listen and understand. The "house of Israel" refers to the collective people of God, emphasizing their identity and covenant relationship with Him. This call to listen is a reminder of the importance of heeding God's word and recognizing His authority.

Is My way unjust?
God's rhetorical question underscores His perfect justice. The Hebrew word for "unjust" here is "לֹא־יָשָׁר" (lo-yashar), meaning not upright or not right. This question challenges the Israelites to reflect on their understanding of justice and to recognize the righteousness inherent in God's ways. It serves as a reminder that God's perspective is infinitely higher than human judgment.

Is it not your ways that are unjust?
This concluding phrase turns the accusation back on the Israelites. The contrast between "My way" and "your ways" highlights the disparity between divine and human standards. The Hebrew root for "unjust" in this context is "עָוֶל" (avel), meaning iniquity or wrongdoing. This serves as a call to self-examination, urging believers to align their lives with God's righteous standards and to acknowledge their own failings.

(25) The way of the Lord is not equal.--The word means literally, weighed out, balanced. The accusation of the Israelites was still (here and in Ezekiel 18:29) that the Lord was arbitrary and unjust. His statement in reply is that He rewards and punishes according to eternal and immutable principles of right. Every man must reap that which he has sown. (Comp. Romans 2:5-10.)

Verse 25. - Are not my ways equal? The. primary meaning of the Hebrew adjective is that of something ordered, symmetrically arranged. Men would find in the ways of God precisely that in which their own ways were wanting, and which they denied to him - the workings of a considerate equity, adjusting all things according to their true weight and measure.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Yet you say,
וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם (wa·’ă·mar·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘The way
דֶּ֣רֶךְ (de·reḵ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

of the Lord
אֲדֹנָ֑י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

is not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

just.’
יִתָּכֵ֖ן (yit·tā·ḵên)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8505: To balance, measure out, arrange, equalize, levelling

Hear
שִׁמְעוּ־ (šim·‘ū-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

now,
נָא֙ (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

O house
בֵּ֣ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Israel:
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

Is it My way
הֲדַרְכִּי֙ (hă·ḏar·kî)
Article | Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

that is unjust?
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

Is it not your ways
דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם (ḏar·ḵê·ḵem)
Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

that are unjust?
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 18:25 Yet you say The way (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 18:24
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