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Ezekiel 33
New Catholic Bible
Ezekiel 33
New Catholic Bible
Israel’s Restoration[a]
Chapter 33
Ezekiel as Sentry. 1 This word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, speak to your fellow countrymen and say to them: When I bring the sword upon a country, and the people of that country designate one of their number to be their watchman, 3 and if he sees the sword coming against that country and blows his trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if any who hear the sound of the trumpet pay no attention to the warning, and the sword comes against them and destroys them, they shall bear the responsibility for their own death.
5 Since they had heard the sound of the trumpet and nevertheless ignored the warning, their blood will be on their own heads. But if they had heeded the warning, they would have saved their lives. 6 However, if the watchman sees the sword coming and fails to blow the trumpet to warn the people, and the sword then comes and slays anyone, I will hold the watchman responsible for that person’s death.
7 I have appointed you, son of man, as a watchman for the house of Israel. Therefore, whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must pass along my warning to them. 8 If I say to the wicked person, “You shall surely die,” and you do not speak up to warn that person to renounce his evil ways, he will die because of his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. 9 However, if you warn a wicked person to renounce his ways and repent, and he fails to do so, then he will die for his guilt, but you will have saved your life.
10 Message of Conversion.[b] Son of man, say to the house of Israel: You continually complain, “Our crimes and our sins weigh heavily upon us, and we are wasting away because of them. How are we to go on living?” 11 Say to them: As I live, says the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather in their decision to turn from their evil ways and live. Repent and turn from your evil ways. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
12 As for you, son of man, say to your countrymen: The virtue of a righteous man will not save him when he transgresses. Nor will the evil deeds of a wicked man cause his downfall once he renounces his wickedness, any more than the righteous will be able to live by their righteousness when they sin.
13 If I say to the righteous that they will surely live, but then they presume on their righteousness and commit iniquity, none of their righteous deeds will be remembered. Because of the wrong they have done, they will die.
14 Again, if I say to the wicked that they will surely die, and then they turn away from sin and do what is lawful and upright, 15 give back what they took in pledge for a loan, return what they have stolen, adhere to the practices that ensure life, and commit no wrongful acts, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 16 None of the previous sins they committed will be remembered against them. Because they have done what is lawful and upright, they shall surely live.
17 Yet your countrymen say, “The way of the Lord is not just,” when it is their own way that is not just. 18 When a virtuous man turns away from his righteous ways and does wrong, he shall die for it. 19 And when a wicked man turns from his wicked ways and does what is lawful and right, he shall live. 20 Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is not just.” I will judge each one of you according to your ways, O house of Israel.
21 The Fugitive from Jerusalem.[c] In the twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth day of the tenth month, a fugitive arrived from Jerusalem and said to me, “The city has fallen.” 22 The evening before the fugitive had arrived, the hand of the Lord had come on me, but he had opened my mouth by the time the fugitive had come to me in the morning. Therefore, my mouth was opened, and I was no longer unable to speak.
23 Desolation in Judah. This word of the Lord then came to me: 24 Son of man, those people who live in the ruins of the land of Israel say repeatedly, “Even though he was merely one person, Abraham received possession of this country. But we are many in number. Surely the land has been given to us as our possession.”
25 Tell them this in response: Thus says the Lord God: You consume meat with the blood still in it, you raise your eyes to worship idols, and you shed blood. Should you then be permitted to possess the land? 26 You rely on your swords, you engage in abominable practices, and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife. Should you then be permitted to possess the land?
27 Give them this message: Thus says the Lord God: As I live, I swear that those who dwell in the ruins shall fall by the sword, those who live in the countryside I will give to the wild animals to be devoured, and those who inhabit dens and caves will die of the plague. 28 I will make the land a desolate waste, and its proud strength will come to an end. Furthermore, the mountains of Israel will be so desolate that no one will cross them. 29 Then they will know that I am the Lord when I have made the land a desolate waste because of all the abominable deeds that they have committed.
30 Ezekiel’s False Popularity. As for you, son of man, your fellow countrymen gossip incessantly about you along the walls and in the doorways of houses, saying to one another, “Let us go to hear what message the Lord has to give us.” 31 My people come to you, as they are accustomed to do. They sit down in front of you and listen to your words, but they refuse to obey them. They flatter you with their lips, but their hearts are only interested in dishonest gain.
32 To them you are like a singer of lovely songs with a beautiful voice and skill in playing a musical instrument. They listen to your words, but they refuse to obey them. 33 But when all this comes to pass—and that moment is soon approaching—they will know that a prophet has been in their midst.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 33:1 “I will make a covenant of peace with them . . ., and establish my sanctuary among them forever” (Ezek 37:26). This promise is the basic motif of this section of the Book.
- Ezekiel 33:10 We find here, in fuller form and as an invitation to a fullness of life, the great idea of personal retribution that has already been stated in Ezek 18:1-32 and will be repeated in chapter 36.
- Ezekiel 33:21 The fugitive who brings news of the disaster has already been mentioned in Ezek 3:22-27; 24:26.
Ezekiel 33
New International Version
Ezekiel 33
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)”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 33:8 Or in; also in verse 9
- Ezekiel 33:10 Or away in
Ezekiel 33
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Ezekiel 33
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
IV. Hope for the Future
Chapter 33
The Prophet as Sentinel. 1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, speak to your people and tell them: When I bring the sword against a land, if the people of that land select one of their number as a sentinel[a] for them,(A) 3 and the sentinel sees the sword coming against the land, he should blow the trumpet to warn the people.(B) 4 If they hear the trumpet but do not take the warning and a sword attacks and kills them, their blood will be on their own heads.(C) 5 They heard the trumpet blast but ignored the warning; their blood is on them. If they had heeded the warning, they could have escaped with their lives. 6 If, however, the sentinel sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the sword attacks and takes someone’s life, his life will be taken for his own sin, but I will hold the sentinel responsible for his blood.
7 (D)You, son of man—I have appointed you as a sentinel for the house of Israel; when you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them for me. 8 When I say to the wicked, “You wicked, you must die,” and you do not speak up to warn the wicked about their ways, they shall die in their sins, but I will hold you responsible for their blood. 9 If, however, you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, but they do not, then they shall die in their sins, but you shall save your life.
Individual Retribution. 10 As for you, son of man, speak to the house of Israel: You people say, “Our crimes and our sins weigh us down; we are rotting away because of them. How can we survive?”(E) 11 (F)Answer them: As I live—oracle of the Lord God—I swear I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! Why should you die, house of Israel?
12 As for you, son of man, say to your people: The justice of the just will not save them on the day they sin; the wickedness of the wicked will not bring about their downfall on the day they turn from their wickedness. No, the just cannot save their lives on the day they sin.(G) 13 Even though I say to the just that they shall surely live, if they, relying on their justice, do wrong, none of their just deeds shall be remembered; because of the wrong they have done, they shall die.(H) 14 And though I say to the wicked that they shall die, if they turn away from sin and do what is just and right— 15 returning pledges, restoring stolen goods, walking by statutes that bring life, doing nothing wrong—they shall surely live; they shall not die.(I) 16 None of the sins they committed shall be remembered against them. If they do what is right and just, they shall surely live.
17 Your people say, “The way of the Lord is not fair!” But it is their way that is not fair. 18 When the just turn away from justice and do wrong, they shall die for it.(J) 19 When the wicked turn away from wickedness and do what is right and just, because of this they shall live. 20 But still you say, “The way of the Lord is not fair!” I will judge each of you according to your ways, house of Israel.
The Survivor from Jerusalem. 21 On the fifth day of the tenth month,[b] in the twelfth year of our exile, the survivor came to me from Jerusalem and said, “The city is taken!”(K) 22 The hand of the Lord had come upon me the evening before the survivor arrived and opened my mouth when he reached me in the morning. My mouth was opened, and I was mute no longer.(L)
Those Left in Judah.[c] 23 The word of the Lord came to me: 24 Son of man, these who live among the ruins in the land of Israel are saying: “Abraham was only one person, yet he was given possession of the land. Since we are many, the land must be given to us as our possession.”(M) 25 Therefore say to them: Thus says the Lord God: You eat on the mountains, you raise your eyes to your idols, you shed blood—yet you would keep possession of the land?(N) 26 You rely on your swords, you commit abominations, each defiles his neighbor’s wife—yet you would keep possession of the land? 27 Say this to them: Thus says the Lord God: As I live, those among the ruins shall fall by the sword; those in the open field I have made food for the wild beasts; and those in rocky hideouts and caves shall die by the plague. 28 I will make the land a desolate waste, so that its proud strength will come to an end, and the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that no one will cross them. 29 Thus they shall know that I am the Lord, when I make the land a desolate waste because of all the abominations they committed.
Popular Misunderstanding. 30 As for you, son of man, your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doorways of houses. They say to one another, “Let’s go hear the latest word that comes from the Lord.” 31 My people come to you, gathering as a crowd and sitting in front of you to hear your words, but they will not act on them. Love songs are on their lips, but in their hearts they pursue dishonest gain.(O) 32 For them you are only a singer[d] of love songs, with a pleasant voice and a clever touch. They listen to your words, but they do not obey them. 33 But when it comes—and it is surely coming!—they shall know that there was a prophet among them.
Footnotes
- 33:2 Sentinel: the theme of the sentinel’s duty initiates a new commission to announce salvation (chaps. 33–48), just as the same command (3:17–21) opened Ezekiel’s ministry to announce judgment (chaps. 3–24).
- 33:21–22 The fifth day of the tenth month: January 8, 585 B.C. According to Jeremiah (39:2), Jerusalem was taken in July, 587. Some manuscripts read “eleventh” for “twelfth” year (January, 586); even so, there was ample time between the fall of Jerusalem and the arrival of the survivor from that city to journey to Babylon. However, this is the survivor sent to fulfill the promise of Ez 24:25–27, the eyewitness whose arrival would release Ezekiel from his muteness; cf. 3:26–27.
- 33:23–29 News brought by the survivor furnished the occasion for this prophecy. Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel rejects the idea that those left in Judah have any claim to the land. The new Israel is to be formed from the exiles.
- 33:32 Singer: perhaps the term indicates an entertainer whom one enjoys and then forgets.
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New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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