Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
Noah, Daniel ... Job - specified in particular as having been saved from overwhelming calamities for their personal righteousness. Noah had the members of his family alone given to him amidst the general wreck. Daniel saved from the fury of the King of Babylon the three youths Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Daniel 2:17-18; Daniel 2:48-49). Though his prophecies mostly were later than those of Ezekiel, his fame for piety and wisdom was already established, and the events recorded Daniel 1:2 had transpired. The Jews would naturally, in their fallen condition pride themselves on one who reflected such glory on his nation at the pagan capital, and would build vain hopes (here set aside) on his influence in averting ruin from them. Thus the objection to the authenticity of Daniel from this passes vanishes. "Job" forms the climax (and is therefore put out of chronological order), having not even been left a son or a daughter and having had himself to pass through an ordeal of suffering before his final deliverance, and therefore losing the most simple instance of the righteousness of God, which would save the righteous themselves alone in the nation, and that after an ordeal of suffering, but not spare even "a son or daughter" for their sake (Ezekiel 14:16; Ezekiel 14:18; Ezekiel 14:20; cf. Jeremiah 7:16; Jeremiah 11:14; Jeremiah 14:11).
They should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness - (Proverbs 11:4) not the righteousness of works, but that of grace-a truth clearly understood under the law (Romans 4:3).