Ezekiel 33:1-9

Expanded Bible

Ezekiel Is Watchman for Israel

33 The ·Lord spoke his word [^Lword of the Lord came] to me, saying: ² “·Human [^TSon of man; 2:1], speak to your people and say to them: ‘Suppose I bring a war against a land. The people of the land may choose one of their men and make him their watchman. ³ When he sees the ·enemy [^Lsword] coming ·to attack [against] the land, he will blow the trumpet and warn the people. ⁴ If they hear the sound of the trumpet but do ·nothing [not heed], the ·enemy [^Lsword] will come and ·kill them [^Ltake them away]. ·They will be responsible for their own deaths [^LTheir blood will be on their own head]. ⁵ They heard the sound of the trumpet but didn’t ·do anything [heed the warning]. So ·they are to blame for their own deaths [^Ltheir blood will be on their own head]. If they had ·done something [taken the warning], they would have saved their own lives. ⁶ But if the watchman sees the ·enemy [^Lsword] coming to attack and does not blow the trumpet, the people will not be warned. Then if the ·enemy [^Lsword] comes and ·kills [^Ltakes away] any of them, they have died because of their own sin. But I will ·punish [hold accountable] the watchman for their ·deaths [^Lblood].’

⁷ “You, ·human [^Tson of man; 2:1], are the one I have made a watchman for [^Lthe house of] Israel. If you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them for me. ⁸ Suppose I say to the wicked: ‘Wicked people, you will surely die,’ but you don’t speak to warn the wicked to ·stop doing evil [turn from their ways]. Then they will die ·because they were sinners [for their iniquity], but I will ·punish you [hold you accountable] for their deaths. ⁹ But if you warn the wicked to ·stop doing evil [turn from their ways] and they do not stop, they will die ·because they were sinners [for their iniquity]. But you have saved your life.