Ezekiel 33:4

Ezekiel 33:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
• New International Version (NIV)then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head.
• English Standard Version (ESV)then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
• New King James Version (NKJV)then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head.

Context of Ezekiel 33:4

2“Son of man, speak to your people and tell them: ‘Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the people of that land choose a man from among them, appointing him as their watchman, 3and he sees the sword coming against that land and blows the ram’s horn to warn the people. Then if anyone hears the sound of the horn but fails to heed the warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. 5Since he heard the sound of the horn but failed to heed the warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life. 6But if the watchman sees the sword coming and fails to blow the horn to warn the people, and the sword comes and takes away a life, then that one will be taken away in his iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.’

Ezekiel 33:4 word by word

וְשָׁמַ֨ע הַשֹּׁמֵ֜עַ אֶת־ק֤וֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר֙ וְלֹ֣א נִזְהָ֔ר וַתָּ֥בוֹא חֶ֖רֶב וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ דָּמ֥וֹ בְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ יִֽהְיֶֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Then if anyone hearsשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• the soundקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
• of the hornשֹׁפָרshôphâr shôphâr · trumpetH7782
• but failsלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• to heed the warningזָהַרzâhar · to warnH2094
• and the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• comesבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• and takes him awayלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• his bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• will beהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• on his own headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218

Cross-references for Ezekiel 33:4

• 2 Chronicles 25:16While he was still speaking, the king asked, “Have we made you the counselor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”
• Proverbs 29:1A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.
• Jeremiah 6:17I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen for the sound of the ram’s horn.’ But they answered, ‘We will not listen!’
• Jeremiah 42:20For you have deceived yourselves by sending me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us and we will do it.’
• Zechariah 1:2“The LORD was very angry with your fathers.
• James 1:22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
• Ezekiel 33:5Since he heard the sound of the horn but failed to heed the warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life.
• Ezekiel 18:13He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.
• Leviticus 20:9If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood shall be upon him.
• 2 Samuel 1:16For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”
• Acts 18:6But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
• Acts 20:26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 33:4

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4watchman: See study note on Ezekiel 3:16219. The message about the watchman is part of Ezekiel’s public announcement, not a private task. It emphasizes that the listeners are responsible for acting on the watchman’s message. Before Jerusalem's destruction, people ignored the warning. After the exile, they struggled to believe the message of hope. In both situations, Ezekiel faced rejection and was tempted to stay silent. God warned him again that he could…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. blood ... upon his own head--metaphor from sacrificial victims, on the heads of which they used to lay their hands, praying that their guilt should be upon the victims.Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 33:4

• Impenitence
• Minister, Christian
• Opportunity
• Responsibility
• Trumpet
• Watchman

In the dictionaries

• Ezekiel, Book of
• Turn
• Watches
• Ezekiel
• Prophecy; Prophets
• Resurrection
• Salvation
• Teach; Teacher; Teaching

Commentaries on Ezekiel 33

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings