1 THE word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,

2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? [ The apparent popularity of this saying indicates it was a prevailing notion among the people. It was first mentioned in Jer 31:29. Had it not been a widely accepted idea, then the Lord wouldn't have bothered to address it in such a fashion. The phrase means the people of Judah are of the opinion they are unfairly suffering for the deeds of their predecessors, unjustly punished for other people's actions. They have gone into exile in Babylon when they didn't deserve it, as far as they are concerned anyway. They are saying their parents have "eaten sour grapes" and their "teeth are blunted" as a result of it. While they may never actually say "The Lord is unjust", that is what they are implying. Hence the Lord's line of questioning in v. 24-29.

Why do the people adhere to such a doctrine? Because it is easy to point to someone else and say they are wicked, but not so easy to point at yourself and admit you are a sinner. And this is the core issue: fault-finding. The people are blaming their predecessors for their predicament without really considering they are no better than their predecessors, and hence the continuation of the curses upon them. The result is the Lord comes out and tells them they are in fact sinners, will be
punished for their own sins, and need to repent as He doesn't want to have to condemn them.

Another issue probably in the undercurrents is self- righteousness at the individual level. In a situation where the entire nation is being sent into exile, the self-righteous person feels he has to suffer unjustly as a result of the sins of the masses. Thus, according to this line of thinking, the Lord is being just in dealing with the masses, which are wicked, but unjust to the righteous individual who has to suffer along with the masses who go into exile. "Why do I have to suffer when I
haven't done anything wrong?" they ask. "I'm not like them, why should I have to suffer like them?" This would be a case of more immediate fault-finding as opposed to laying the blame on the
previous generation or two.

so, what it boils down to is the people, at both the group and individual levels, are feeling sorry for themselves and
blaming others rather than repenting.

However, the question still arises, do people inherit conditions and situations that are unpleasant or undesirable as the result of the actions of others? Of course this is the case, and has ever been so from the Fall. But, we also inherit the
pleasant and good things as well. And in neither case are we judged sinful or righteous for the actions of others. We are
only put into a certain set of circumstances, both bad and good, and then we are judged for our actions and reactions to those circumstances. Are the Jews suffering in exile? Of course, but will they be condemned individually as a result of the sins of others? Absolutely not.

And one more thought - how quickly are they the Jews are to condem their fore fathers that have put them in this position, but yet they give no graditude for their forefathers like Abraham who earned for them the great covenant blessings. Do not the Jews also enjoy the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant? Or course, but at this particular point in history they are more focused on complaining about the negative rather than letting it humble them and chasten their souls. The questions is, "Do we today do the same thing?" ]

3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. [ Verses 5-9 The righteous grandfather described. ]

5 ¶ But if a man [ The grandfather. ] be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, [ Summation of the practices that are outline in the law. ]

[ vs 7-9 Follow the spirit of the Law. This is the type of behavior the Law should be cultivated in a person. If a person does these things naturally, then they are just and will not be punished by the Lord. ]

7 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;

8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, [ Interest. ] neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,

9  Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, [ So in summary of the last few verses the grandfather is a righteous man. ] to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, [ He will go on to have eternal life. ] saith the Lord GOD.

[ The wicked father is described. He violates the letter and the spirit of the Law. ]

[ Now we will deal with the son of the grandfather. (vs 10-13) ] 10 ¶ If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things,

11 And that doeth not any of those duties, [ So the son of the grandfather is in violation of both the letter and spirit of the law. ] but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour’s wife,

12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,

13  Hath given forth upon usury, [ Demanded interest from his loans. ] and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. [ He will die in his own transgressions. ]

[ 14-10 Now will deal with the righteous son from the wicked father(son of the grandfather.). Despite the bad example of his father he keeps the Law in word and deed. ]

14 ¶ Now, lo, if he [ The wicked son from the righteous grandfather. ] beget a son, [ So now we have a son from the wicked son of the grandfather. ] that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,

15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife,

16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,

17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; [ So we now have a righteous son from the loins of the wicked father. ] he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. [ Lives such that he will receive eternal life. ]

18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity. [ The father is punished for his own sins. The death spoken of here appears to be a spiritual one as opposed to a physical one as a result of a capital offense given v. 23. This is the summary judgement on the father spoken of in v. 10-13. It emphasizes he is punished and not the son. ]

19 ¶ Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. [ This is a summary here to show our use of agency. The grandfather is righteous and will receive eternal life, the son of the grandfather is not and is left to himself, the son from the wicked father will receive eternal life as well. Each will be judged based on their individual actions, the use of their own agency. We use our agency to determine what kingdom we ultimately want to live in. ]

[ The Lord is going to summarize the principles taught in verses 5-19. ] 20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. [ Spiritual death. ] The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

24 ¶ But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. [ President Kimball commented on this verse saying "Having received the necessary saving ordinances baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, Temple ordinances and sealings, one must live the covenants made. One must endure in faith no matter how brilliant was the service rendered by the Bishop or or Stake President or other person. If he folders later in his life and fails to live righteously to the end, the good works he did all stand in Jeopardy.". (Miracle of forgiveness page 121 )]

25 ¶ 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?

26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

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?

30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, [ The Lord will judge us as individuals according to our actions. ] saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

31 ¶ Cast away from you all your transgressions, [ So repent of your wrong doings. ] whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, [ Remember his goal is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. We really cannot comprehend how much he loves us, and does not want us to perish. The dream I had of Noah and how hard it was for the Lord to wipe out all his children except a few - but he did to preserve generations to come, to give them a chance. ] saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.