יחזקאל, פרק י״ח, פסוק א׳

A divine message arrives to address core questions of reward, punishment, and divine justice. This revelation occurs against a backdrop of deep resentment among the exiles of Judah and Jerusalem. The people were overwhelmed with frustration, feeling they were victims of a severe miscarriage of justice. They believed they were unjustly bearing the harsh punishment for the sins committed by previous generations. In their eyes, their wicked ancestors, such as Manasseh and other corrupt kings, had lived out their days in honor and died without ever facing consequences in their lifetimes. Meanwhile, the current generation was forced to pay the price by suffering the pains of exile.

God delivers His message to the prophet to dismantle this mistaken perspective. The purpose is to clearly establish the principle of personal responsibility. God clarifies that every individual, whether righteous or wicked, is judged strictly by their own deeds and is never punished for the sins of their ancestors [אברבנאל].

The communication concludes with a practical command rather than a simple description of speech. It is a direct instruction requiring the prophet to take this divine message and explicitly declare it to the Israelites, ensuring they fully understand the true nature of His justice [רד״ק].