Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, says the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness: In this verse the main point of God’s message is stated again for the fourth time. Here the words are a mixture of verses 14 and 16 (see the comments there). The names of the three good men are mentioned again, and God reinforces his solemn declaration with another oath. The only difference is that son and daughter are singular, instead of plural as in verse 16. The meaning of they would deliver neither son nor daughter is probably exactly the same as “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters” (so Good News Translation), but the singular may imply that the three men’s goodness would not save even a single child, let alone a whole family.

A model for verses 19-20 is:

• 19 Or suppose in my anger I cause disease to spread throughout that land and kill all the people and the animals. 20 Just as I the Lord Yahweh am living, I tell you, even if those good men Noah, Danel and Job lived there, I would not even save their own children. I would save those three because of their goodness, but they are the only ones I would save.”

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .