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Ezekiel 33:1-34:24
English Standard Version
Ezekiel 33:1-34:24
English Standard Version
Ezekiel Is Israel's Watchman
33 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 (A)“Son of man, speak to (B)your people and say to them, If (C)I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their (D)watchman, 3 and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and (E)blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, (F)his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 (G)He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. 6 (H)But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, (I)that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.
7 (J)“So you, (K)son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. (L)Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 (M)If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, (N)and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, (O)that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 (P)But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, (Q)that person shall die in his iniquity, (R)but you will have delivered your soul.
Why Will You Die, Israel?
10 “And you, (S)son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and (T)we rot away because of them. (U)How then can we live?’ 11 Say to them, (V)As I live, declares the Lord God, (W)I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; (X)turn back, turn back from your evil ways, (Y)for why will you die, O house of Israel?
12 (Z)“And you, son of man, say to (AA)your people, (AB)The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, (AC)and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, (AD)and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness[a] when he sins. 13 Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet (AE)if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die. 14 Again, (AF)though I say to the wicked, (AG)‘You shall surely die,’ yet (AH)if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, 15 if the wicked (AI)restores the pledge, (AJ)gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks (AK)in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 16 (AL)None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live.
17 “Yet (AM)your people say, (AN)‘The way of the Lord is not just,’ when it is their own way that is not just. 18 (AO)When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it. 19 And (AP)when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he shall live by this. 20 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, (AQ)I will judge each of you according to his ways.”
Jerusalem Struck Down
21 In the (AR)twelfth year (AS)of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, (AT)a fugitive from Jerusalem came to me and said, (AU)“The city has been struck down.” 22 (AV)Now (AW)the hand of the Lord had been upon me the evening before the fugitive came; and he had opened my mouth by the time the man came to me in the morning, so my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.
23 The word of the Lord came to me: 24 (AX)“Son of man, the inhabitants of these (AY)waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, (AZ)‘Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but (BA)we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.’ 25 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: (BB)You eat flesh with the blood and (BC)lift up your eyes to your idols and (BD)shed blood; shall you then possess the land? 26 (BE)You rely on the sword, (BF)you commit abominations, and (BG)each of you defiles his neighbor's wife; shall you then possess the land? 27 Say this to them, Thus says the Lord God: (BH)As I live, surely those who are in (BI)the waste places shall fall by (BJ)the sword, and whoever is in the open field I will give to (BK)the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in (BL)strongholds and in caves shall die by (BM)pestilence. 28 (BN)And I will make the land a desolation and a waste, and (BO)her proud might shall come to an end, and (BP)the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that none will pass through. 29 (BQ)Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations that they have committed.
30 “As for you, (BR)son of man, (BS)your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, ‘Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ 31 (BT)And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for (BU)with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. 32 And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and (BV)plays[b] well on an instrument, for (BW)they hear what you say, but they will not do it. 33 (BX)When this comes—and come it will!—(BY)then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
Prophecy Against the Shepherds of Israel
34 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 (BZ)“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: (CA)Ah, shepherds of Israel (CB)who have been feeding yourselves! (CC)Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 (CD)You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, (CE)you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 (CF)The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, (CG)the injured you have not bound up, (CH)the strayed you have not brought back, (CI)the lost you have not sought, and with force and (CJ)harshness you have ruled them. 5 (CK)So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and (CL)they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; 6 they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, (CM)with none to search or seek for them.
7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 (CN)As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because (CO)my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 Thus says the Lord God, (CP)Behold, I am against the shepherds, and (CQ)I will require my sheep at their hand and (CR)put a stop to their feeding the sheep. (CS)No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. (CT)I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.
The Lord God Will Seek Them Out
11 “For thus says the Lord God: (CU)Behold, I, I (CV)myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on (CW)a day of clouds and (CX)thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples (CY)and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on (CZ)the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 (DA)I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. (DB)There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 (DC)I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, (DD)and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 (DE)I will seek the lost, (DF)and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and (DG)the fat and the strong I will destroy.[c] I will feed them in justice.
17 “As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: (DH)Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and (DI)male goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of (DJ)clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
20 “Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and (DK)thrust at all the (DL)weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, 22 I will rescue[d] my flock; (DM)they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 And (DN)I will set up over them one shepherd, (DO)my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And (DP)I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. (DQ)I am the Lord; I have spoken.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 33:12 Hebrew by it
- Ezekiel 33:32 Hebrew like the singing of lustful songs with a beautiful voice and one who plays
- Ezekiel 34:16 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate I will watch over
- Ezekiel 34:22 Or save
Ezekiel 33:1-34:24
New International Version
Ezekiel 33:1-34:24
New International Version
Renewal of Ezekiel’s Call as Watchman
33 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword(A) against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,(B) 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet(C) to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning(D) and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head.(E) 5 Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head.(F) If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves.(G) 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’(H)
7 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman(I) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.(J) 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,(K)’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for[a] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.(L) 9 But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so,(M) they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.(N)
10 “Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away(O) because of[b] them. How then can we live?(P)”’ 11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.(Q) Turn!(R) Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’(S)
12 “Therefore, son of man, say to your people,(T) ‘If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’(U) 13 If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done.(V) 14 And if I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but they then turn away from their sin and do what is just(W) and right— 15 if they give back what they took in pledge(X) for a loan, return what they have stolen,(Y) follow the decrees that give life, and do no evil—that person will surely live; they will not die.(Z) 16 None of the sins(AA) that person has committed will be remembered against them. They have done what is just and right; they will surely live.(AB)
17 “Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just. 18 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil,(AC) they will die for it.(AD) 19 And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so.(AE) 20 Yet you Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to your own ways.”(AF)
Jerusalem’s Fall Explained
21 In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month on the fifth day, a man who had escaped(AG) from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has fallen!(AH)” 22 Now the evening before the man arrived, the hand of the Lord was on me,(AI) and he opened my mouth(AJ) before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened and I was no longer silent.(AK)
23 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 24 “Son of man, the people living in those ruins(AL) in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many;(AM) surely the land has been given to us as our possession.’(AN) 25 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you eat(AO) meat with the blood(AP) still in it and look to your idols and shed blood, should you then possess the land?(AQ) 26 You rely on your sword, you do detestable things,(AR) and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife.(AS) Should you then possess the land?’
27 “Say this to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those who are left in the ruins will fall by the sword, those out in the country I will give to the wild animals to be devoured, and those in strongholds and caves will die of a plague.(AT) 28 I will make the land a desolate waste, and her proud strength will come to an end, and the mountains(AU) of Israel will become desolate so that no one will cross them.(AV) 29 Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land a desolate(AW) waste because of all the detestable things they have done.’(AX)
30 “As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before(AY) you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy(AZ) for unjust gain.(BA) 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs(BB) with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.(BC)
33 “When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.(BD)”
The Lord Will Be Israel’s Shepherd
34 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?(BE) 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.(BF) 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed(BG) the sick or bound up(BH) the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.(BI) 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd,(BJ) and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.(BK) 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill.(BL) They were scattered(BM) over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.(BN)
7 “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered(BO) and has become food for all the wild animals,(BP) and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,(BQ) 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against(BR) the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue(BS) my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.(BT)
11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep(BU) and look after them. 12 As a shepherd(BV) looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.(BW) 13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather(BX) them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.(BY) I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.(BZ) 14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel(CA) will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture(CB) on the mountains of Israel.(CC) 15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down,(CD) declares the Sovereign Lord.(CE) 16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up(CF) the injured and strengthen the weak,(CG) but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.(CH) I will shepherd the flock with justice.(CI)
17 “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.(CJ) 18 Is it not enough(CK) for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet?(CL) Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.(CM) 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns(CN) until you have driven them away, 22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.(CO) 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend(CP) them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.(CQ) 24 I the Lord will be their God,(CR) and my servant David(CS) will be prince among them.(CT) I the Lord have spoken.(CU)
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 33:8 Or in; also in verse 9
- Ezekiel 33:10 Or away in
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.