Ezekiel - 18:7



7 and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Ezekiel 18:7.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
and hath not wronged any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath taken nought by robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
And hath not wronged any man: but hath restored the pledge to the debtor, hath taken nothing away by violence: hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment:
and hath not oppressed any; he hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath not exercised robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment;
and hath not wronged any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath stripped none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment:
A man, he doth not oppress, His pledge to the debtor he doth return, Plunder he doth not take away, His bread to the hungry he doth give, And the naked doth cover with a garment,
And has done no wrong to any, but has given back to the debtor what is his, and has taken no one's goods by force, and has given food to him who was in need of it, and clothing to him who was without it;
and hath not wronged any, but hath restored his pledge for a debt, hath taken nought by robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
and if he has not grieved any man, but has restored the collateral to the debtor, if he has seized nothing by violence, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment,
Et neminem afflixerit, [207] pignus suum reddiderit debitori, praedam non rapuerit, [208] panem suum famelico dederit, et nudum texerit vestimentis;

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

5.
Hath not oppressed any - Has not used his power or influence to oppress, pain, or injure another.
6.
Hath restored to the debtor his pledge - Has carefully surrendered the pawn or pledge when its owner came to redeem it. As the pledge is generally of more worth than that for which it is pledged, an unprincipled man will make some pretense to keep it; which is highly abominable in the sight of God.
7.
Hath spoiled none by violence - Either by robbery or personal insult. For a man may be spoiled both ways.
8.
Hath given his bread to the hungry - Has been kind-hearted and charitable; especially to them that are in the deepest want.
9.
Hath covered the naked with a garment - Has divided both his bread and his clothing with the necessitous. These are two branches of the same root.

And hath not oppressed any,.... By fraud or force, particularly the poor, to the great grief and hurt of them:
but hath restored to the debtor his pledge; which was pawned; not embezzling it, or keeping it beyond the time fixed by the law of God, Deuteronomy 24:12;
hath spoiled none by violence; has not committed theft and robbery, or done injury to any man's person and property:
hath given his bread to the hungry; which was his own; what he had laboured for, and come by honestly, and so had a right to dispose of; and being merciful, as well as just, eats not his morsel alone, but distributes it to the poor and hungry, Isaiah 58:7;
and hath covered the naked with a garment; as Job did, as well as the former, and for which Dorcas is commended, Job 31:17.

restored . . . pledge--that which the poor debtor absolutely needed; as his raiment, which the creditor was bound to restore before sunset (Exodus 22:26-27), and his millstone, which was needed for preparing his food (Deuteronomy 24:6, Deuteronomy 24:10-13).
bread to . . . hungry . . . covered . . . naked-- (Isaiah 58:7; Matthew 25:35-36). After duties of justice come those of benevolence. It is not enough to refrain from doing a wrong to our neighbor, we must also do him good. The bread owned by a man, though "his," is given to him, not to keep to himself, but to impart to the needy.

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