Ezekiel 33

Ezekiel the Watchman for Israel

1Again the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 to meH413, sayingH559, 2“SonH1121 of manH120, speakH1696 toH413 your peopleH1121H5971 and tellH559 themH413: ‘SupposeH3588 I bringH935 the swordH2719 againstH5921 a landH776, and the peopleH5971 of that landH776 chooseH3947 aH259 manH376 from among themH7097, appointingH5414 himH853 as their watchmanH6822, 3and he seesH7200 the swordH2719 comingH935 againstH5921 that landH776 and blowsH8628 the ram’s hornH7782 to warnH2094 the peopleH5971.

4Then if anyone hearsH8085 the soundH6963 of the hornH7782 but failsH3808 to heed the warningH2094, and the swordH2719 comesH935 and takes him awayH3947, his bloodH1818 will beH1961 on his own headH7218. 5Since he heardH8085 the soundH6963 of the hornH7782 but failedH3808 to heed the warningH2094, his bloodH1818 will beH1961 on his own head. If heH1931 had heeded the warningH2094, he would have savedH4422 his lifeH5315.

6But ifH3588 the watchmanH6822 seesH7200 the swordH2719 comingH935 and failsH3808 to blowH8628 the hornH7782 to warnH2094 the peopleH5971, and the swordH2719 comesH935 and takes awayH3947 a lifeH5315, then that oneH1931 will be taken awayH3947 in his iniquityH5771, but I will hold the watchmanH6822 accountableH1875 for his bloodH1818H3027.’

7As for youH859, O sonH1121 of manH120, I have madeH5414 you a watchmanH6822 for the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478; so hearH8085 the wordH1697 fromH4480 My mouthH6310 and give them the warning from MeH2094. 8If I sayH559 to the wickedH7563, ‘O wickedH7563 man, you will surely dieH4191,’ but you do notH3808 speak outH1696 to dissuadeH2094 himH7563 from his wayH1870, then thatH1931 wickedH7563 man will dieH4191 in his iniquityH5771, yet I will hold you accountable forH3027H1245 his bloodH1818. 9But ifH3588 youH859 warnH2094 the wickedH7563 man to turnH7725 from his wayH1870, and he does notH3808 turnH7725 from itH1870, heH1931 will dieH4191 in his iniquityH5771, but youH859 will have savedH5337 your lifeH5315.1

The Message of the Watchman

10Now as for youH859, sonH1121 of manH120, tellH559 the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 that this is whatH3651 they have saidH559H3588: ‘Our transgressionsH6588 and our sinsH2403 are heavyH5921 upon us, and weH587 are wasting away because of themH4743! HowH349 can we liveH2421?’

11SayH559 to themH413: ‘As surely as IH589 liveH2416, declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069, I take noH518 pleasureH2654 in the deathH4194 of the wickedH7563, but ratherH3588H518 that the wickedH7563 should turnH7725 from their waysH1870 and liveH2421. TurnH7725! TurnH7725 from your evilH7451 waysH1870! For whyH4100 should you dieH4191, O houseH1004 of IsraelH3478?’

12ThereforeH859, sonH1121 of manH120, sayH559 toH413 your peopleH1121H5971: ‘The righteousnessH6666 of the righteous manH6662 will notH3808 deliver himH5337 in the dayH3117 of his transgressionH6588; neitherH3808 will the wickednessH7564 of the wicked manH7563 cause him to stumbleH3782 on the dayH3117 he turnsH7725 from his wickednessH7562. Nor willH3808 the righteous manH6662 be ableH3201 to surviveH2421 by his righteousness on the dayH3117 he sinsH2398.’

13If I tellH559 the righteous manH6662 that he will surely liveH2421, but he thenH1931 trustsH982 inH5921 his righteousnessH6666 and commitsH6213 iniquityH5766, then noneH3605H3808 of his righteous worksH6666 will be rememberedH2142; he will dieH4191 because of the iniquityH5766 he has committedH6213.

14But if I tellH559 the wicked manH7563, ‘You will surely dieH4191,’ and he turnsH7725 from his sinH2403 and doesH6213 what is justH4941 and rightH6666— 15if heH7563 restoresH7725 a pledgeH2258, makes restitutionH7999 for what he has stolenH1500, and walksH1980 in the statutesH2708 of lifeH2416 withoutH1115 practicingH6213 iniquityH5766—then he will surely liveH2421; he will notH3808 dieH4191. 16NoneH3605H3808 of the sinsH2403 he has committedH2398 will be heldH2142 against him. He has doneH6213 what is justH4941 and rightH6666; he will surely liveH2421.

17Yet your peopleH1121H5971 sayH559, ‘The wayH1870 of the LordH136 is notH3808 justH8505.’ But it isH1992 their wayH1870 that is notH3808 justH8505. 18If a righteous manH6662 turnsH7725 from his righteousnessH6666 and commitsH6213 iniquityH5766, he will dieH4191 for it. 19But if a wicked manH7563 turnsH7725 from his wickednessH7564 and doesH6213 what is justH4941 and rightH6666, heH1931 will liveH2421 because of thisH5921.

20Yet you sayH559, ‘The wayH1870 of the LordH136 is notH3808 justH8505.’ But I will judgeH8199 eachH376 of youH853 according to his waysH1870, O houseH1004 of IsraelH3478.”

21

Word of Jerusalem’s Fall

In the twelfthH8147H6240 yearH8141 of our exileH1546, on the fifth dayH2568 of the tenth monthH6224, a fugitiveH6412 from JerusalemH3389 cameH935 to meH413 and reportedH559, “The cityH5892 has been takenH5221!”

22Now the eveningH6153 beforeH6440 the fugitiveH6412 arrivedH935, the handH3027 of the LORDH3068 wasH1961 upon meH413, and He openedH6605 my mouthH6310 beforeH5704 the man cameH935 to meH413 in the morningH1242. So my mouthH6310 was openedH6605 and I was noH3808 longerH5750 muteH481.

23Then the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 to meH413, sayingH559, 24“SonH1121 of manH120, those livingH3427 in theH428 ruinsH2723 inH5921 the landH127 of IsraelH3478 are sayingH559, ‘AbrahamH85 wasH1961 only one manH259, yet he possessedH3423 the landH776. But weH587 are manyH7227; surely the landH776 has been givenH5414 to us as a possessionH4181.’

25ThereforeH3651 tellH559 themH413 that this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069H5921 saysH559: ‘You eatH398 meat with the bloodH1818 in it, lift upH5375 your eyesH5869 toH413 your idolsH1544, and shedH8210 bloodH1818. Should you then possessH3423 the landH776? 26You have reliedH5975 onH5921 your swordsH2719, you have committedH6213 detestable actsH8441, and eachH376 of you has defiledH2930 his neighbor’sH7453 wifeH802. Should you then possessH3423 the landH776?’

27TellH559 themH413 that thisH3541 is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559: ‘As surely as IH589H518H3808 liveH2416, thoseH834 in the ruinsH2723 will fallH5307 by the swordH2719, thoseH834 inH5921 the open fieldH6440H7704 I will giveH5414 to be devouredH398 by wild animalsH2416, and thoseH834 in the strongholdsH4679 and cavesH4631 will dieH4191 by plagueH1698. 28I will makeH5414 the landH776 a desolateH8077 wasteH4923, and the prideH1347 of her strengthH5797 will come to an endH7673. The mountainsH2022 of IsraelH3478 will become desolateH8074, so that no oneH369 will pass throughH5674. 29Then they will knowH3045 thatH3588 IH589 am the LORDH3068, when I have madeH5414 the landH776 a desolateH8077 wasteH4923 because ofH5921 allH3605 the abominationsH8441 they have committedH6213.’

30As for youH859, sonH1121 of manH120, your peopleH1121H5971 are talkingH1696 about you nearH681 the city wallsH7023 and in the doorwaysH6607 of their housesH1004. OneH2297H854 speaksH1696 toH854 anotherH259, eachH376 sayingH559 to his brotherH251, ‘ComeH935H4994 and hearH8085 the messageH1697 that has comeH3318 fromH854 the LORDH3068!’

31So My peopleH5971 comeH935 to youH413 as usualH3996H5971, sitH3427 before youH6440, and hearH8085 your wordsH1697; but they do notH3808 put them into practiceH6213. AlthoughH3588 theyH1992 expressH6213H310 loveH5690 with their mouthsH6310, their heartsH3820 pursueH1980 dishonest gainH1215. 32Indeed, youH2005 are to them like a singer of loveH5690 songsH7892 with a beautifulH3303 voiceH6963, who skillfullyH3190 plays an instrumentH5059. They hearH8085 your wordsH1697 but do notH369 put them into practiceH6213. 33So when it comes to passH935—and surelyH2009 it will comeH935—then they will knowH3045 thatH3588 a prophetH5030 has beenH1961 among themH8432.”