Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right,
Israel complains that their sins weigh them down and they are wasting away, but they twist God's conditional promise into a mockery, as if He had set life out of reach on purpose. They pervert the prophet's word, turning what was meant to drive them to repentance into an excuse for despair. Thus corrupt minds pick quarrels with God's mercy itself.
AI summary
Commenting on Ezekiel 33:10-20
If the wicked restore the pledge,.... His neighbour's raiment, which he has taken as a pledge for money lent him; and which, according to the law, was to be restored before sunset, Exo 22:26 which wicked men did not attend unto; but when such a man is brought to a sense of his wickedness, and repentance for it, as an evidence of it he would...
Again, when I say to the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he shall turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; (h) By this he condemns them all of hypocrisy, who pretend to forsake wickedness and yet do not declare themselves such by their fruits, that is, in obeying God's commandments and by godly life.