Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 18:7
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;
7. hath not oppressed ] In Eze 18:12 the opposite course reads: hath oppressed the poor and needy. Occasion of oppression would arise when the poor was in debt (Amo 2:6-7); or being unprotected he might be defrauded of his hire, Mal 3:5 (Jas 5:4). Cf. the claim made by Job 31:13.
to the debtor his pledge ] This refers to the duty of returning to the debtor any pledge which was an article necessary to his existence or comfort, as a garment which was his cover by night. Exo 22:26; Deu 24:6; cf. Job 22:6; Amo 2:8. On the positive duties of feeding the hungry and clothing the naked cf. again the claims of Job 31:17-20.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
7, 8. Duties to one’s neighbour.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 7. 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 pretence 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Hath not oppressed; by rigorous dealing grieve, injure, or damnify, and cause them to cry out, Eze 22:9; Zec 7:10, which is done many ways; and how slyly soever it is done, yet it is a crying sin, Exo 22:21-24. Much of oppression is in detaining what was laid in pawn, which was always of greater value than the thing that was taken upon it; and the poor often pawned their most necessary utensils, and oftentimes needed them ere they could redeem them; in such cases God will not that the pledge be detained; as Exo 22:26; Deu 24:6,10-13,17; but here mercy ought to be preferred above profit; nor might the pledge be any way lessened by embezzling it.
Hath spoiled none by violence; nor by force robbed any one, and taken out of the hand of the owner, as the thief doth; whoso hath forborne these courses of inhumanity and injustice.
Hath given his bread; with compassion hath given to the necessitous, communicating to them as their case required, and our ability will reach.
Bread here is largely to be taken, Isa 58:7.
To the hungry; such as truly want, are not able to help themselves, and, we may with reason think, have none to help them if we do not. Hath covered the naked; clothed the naked, who else are like to perish for want of clothing, as Job 31:19. Who are such, and live so just, so holy, so inoffensive, so beneficent a life among men, shall not suffer for the sins others commit.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. restored . . . pledgethatwhich the poor debtor absolutely needed; as his raiment, which thecreditor was bound to restore before sunset (Exo 22:26;Exo 22:27), and his millstone,which was needed for preparing his food (Deu 24:6;Deu 24:10-13).
bread to . . . hungry . . .covered . . . naked (Isa 58:7;Mat 25:35; Mat 25:36).After duties of justice come those of benevolence. It is not enoughto refrain from doing a wrong to our neighbor, we must also do himgood. The bread owned by a man, though “his,” is given tohim, not to keep to himself, but to impart to the needy.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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,
De 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, Isa 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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) To the debtor his pledge.In the simple state of early Hebrew society borrowing was resorted to only by the very poor, and the law abounds in precepts against any oppression or taking advantage in such cases (Exo. 22:25-27; Lev. 25:14; Lev. 25:17, &c). Especial provision was made for restoring in a considerate way a pledge for borrowed money (Exo. 22:26; Deu. 24:6; Deu. 24:10, &c).
Given his bread.In addition to the negative duties mentioned, were also the positive ones of feeding the hungry and clothing the naked; and it is to be remembered that these duties, and general helpfulness to those who need our help, are not left optional in Scripture, but are positively required, both in the Old and the New Testament, and their neglect is sin. (See Deu. 22:1-4; Job. 31:16-22; Isa. 58:5; Isa. 58:7; Mat. 25:34-46; Jas. 1:27; Jas. 2:15-16).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Violence Rather, robbery. (Also Eze 18:12; Eze 18:16; Eze 18:18.) It vividly shows the poverty of the “common people,” that they had to get back their cloak in order to have something with which to cover themselves at night. Of course they were expected to return the pledge the next morning; but no doubt often this was not done. The temptation, therefore, on the part of the creditor to break the law was very strong. The references here are to Exo 22:21; Exo 22:26; Lev 6:1-5; Lev 19:15; Lev 25:14; Deu 24:12-13; see also Amo 2:6-7; Job 30:13.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eze 18:7 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;
Ver. 7. And hath not oppressed any. ] Either by force or fraud.
Hath given his bread to the hungry.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
hath not oppressed, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exo 22:21. Lev 25:14. Deu 23:10). App-92.
hath restored, he. Reference to Pentateuch (Exo 22:26. Deu 24:6, Deu 24:10, Deu 24:12, Deu 24:13). App-92.
hath given his bread, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deu 15:7, Deu 15:8).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
hath not: Eze 18:12, Eze 18:16, Eze 18:18, Eze 22:12, Eze 22:13, Eze 22:27-29, Exo 22:21-24, Exo 23:9, Lev 19:15, Lev 25:14, 1Sa 12:3, 1Sa 12:4, Job 31:13-22, Pro 3:31, Pro 14:31, Pro 22:22, Pro 22:23, Isa 1:17, Isa 5:7, Isa 33:15, Isa 58:6, Jer 7:6, Jer 7:7, Amo 2:6, Amo 8:4-6, Mic 2:1, Mic 3:2, Zec 7:9-11, Mal 3:5, Jam 5:1-6
hath restored: Eze 33:15, Exo 22:26, Deu 24:12, Deu 24:13, Deu 24:17, Job 22:6, Job 24:3, Job 24:9, Amo 2:8
hath spoiled: Eze 7:23, Gen 6:11, Gen 6:12, Isa 59:6, Isa 59:7, Jer 22:3, Jer 22:16, Jer 22:17, Amo 3:10, Amo 5:11, Amo 5:12, Amo 6:3, Zep 1:9
hath given: Eze 18:16, Deu 15:7-11, Job 31:16-20, Psa 41:1, Psa 112:4, Psa 112:9, Pro 11:24, Pro 11:25, Pro 28:8, Pro 28:27, Isa 58:7-11, Mat 25:34-46, Luk 3:11, 2Co 8:7-9, 2Co 9:6-14, Jam 2:13-17, 1Jo 3:16-19
Reciprocal: Lev 6:4 – which he Deu 23:19 – General Job 22:7 – not given Job 31:17 – the fatherless Eze 18:11 – that Eze 18:15 – General Dan 4:27 – by showing Mat 7:12 – for Mat 25:35 – I was an Jam 2:15 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 18:7. It was lawful to accept a pledge from another to secure an obligation but it was wrong to retain it overnight (Exo 22:26).
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Third, oppressing others and not returning something given as collateral when someone returned what he had borrowed were violations of the covenant (Exo 22:26-27; Deu 24:6). This is an example of life within the covenant community but outside the marriage relationship.
Fourth, not robbing but instead providing food and clothing to the needy were commanded (Deu 15:11; Deu 24:19-22; cf. Isa 58:7). Both of the examples in this verse deal with one’s relationships to the neighbor inside and outside Israel. Both examples also specify the correct action in contrast to the incorrect.