Ezekiel 3:17

Ezekiel 3:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
• New International Version (NIV)“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:

Context of Ezekiel 3:17

15I went to Tel Abib, to the exiles who lived by the Chebar River. I sat there among them for seven days. I was stunned. 16After seven days the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the people of Israel. Listen to what I say, and warn them for me. 18Suppose I tell you that wicked people will surely die, but you don’t warn them or speak out so that they can change their wicked ways in order to save their lives. Then these wicked people will die because of their sin, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 19But suppose you warn the wicked people, and they don’t turn from their wicked ways. Then they will die because of their sin, but you will save yourself.

Ezekiel 3:17 word by word

בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם צֹפֶ֥ה נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ מִפִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֥ אוֹתָ֖ם מִמֶּֽנִּי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• I have madeנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
• thee a watchmanצָפָהtsâphâh · to watchH6822
• unto the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• therefore hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• at my mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• and give them warningזָהַרzâhar · to warnH2094

Cross-references for Ezekiel 3:17

• Ezekiel 33:2“Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them, ‘Suppose I bring war on this country, and the people of this country choose one of their men and make him their watchman.
• 1 Corinthians 12:28In the church God has appointed first apostles, next prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, then those who have the gift of healing, then those who help others, those who are managers, and those who can speak in a number of languages.
• Isaiah 21:6This is what the Lord says to me: Post a watchman. Have him report whatever he sees.
• Isaiah 52:8Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices and shout together joyfully. When the Lord brings Zion back, they will see it with their own eyes.
• Isaiah 56:10⌞Israel’s⌟ watchmen are blind. None of them know anything. All of them are like dogs that are unable to bark. They lie around dreaming; they love to sleep.
• Isaiah 62:6I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day or night. Whoever calls on the Lord, do not give yourselves any rest,
• Jeremiah 6:17I posted watchmen over you. Pay attention to the sound of the ram’s horn. But you said that you wouldn’t pay attention.
• Jeremiah 31:6There will be a day when watchmen on the mountains of Ephraim will call out this message: ‘Arise! Let’s go to Zion, to the Lord our God.’ ”
• Acts 20:28Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood.
• Hebrews 13:17Obey your leaders, and accept their authority. They take care of you because they are responsible for you. Obey them so that they may do this work joyfully and not complain about you. (Causing them to complain would not be to your advantage.)
• Ezekiel 33:6“ ‘But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t blow his horn to warn the people and the enemy comes and kills someone, that watchman must die because of his sin. I will hold him responsible for their deaths.’
• 2 Chronicles 19:10Warn your relatives living in other cities about every case they bring to you, even if the case involves bloodshed or commands, rules, or regulations derived from Moses’ Teachings. Then your relatives will not become guilty in front of the Lord. Otherwise, he will become angry with you and your relatives. Do this, and you won’t be guilty ⌞of anything⌟.
• Isaiah 58:1Cry aloud! Don’t hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Tell my people about their rebellion and the descendants of Jacob about their sins.
• Jeremiah 6:10Whom can I speak to? Whom can I give a warning to? Who will listen? Their ears are plugged, and they aren’t able to pay attention. When the Lord speaks his word to them, they show contempt for it and object to it.
• Habakkuk 2:1I will stand at my guard post. I will station myself on the wall. I will watch to see what he will say to me and what answer I will get to my complaint.
• Matthew 3:7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, “You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God’s coming anger?

Commentaries on Ezekiel 3:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17I have made thee a watchman - The care and welfare of all this people I have laid on thee. Thou must watch for their safety, preach for their edification, and pray for their eternal welfare. And that thou mayest be successful, receive the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. God is particularly jealous lest any words but his own be taught for Divine doctrines. He will not have human creeds, no more than Traditions, taught instead of his own word. No…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Watchman - The priests and ministers of the Lord were often so called. Ezekiel is especially distinguished by this title Ezekiel 33:7. The duties of a watchman are twofold, (1) to wait and watch what God will order, (2) to watch over and superintend the people. Isaiah describes and censures unfaithful watchmen Isaiah 56:10.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-21Verses 12-21 This mission made the holy angels rejoice. All this was to convince Ezekiel, that the God who sent him had power to bear him out in his work. He was overwhelmed with grief for the sins and miseries of his people, and overpowered by the glory of the vision he had seen. And however retirement, meditation, and communion with God may be sweet, the servant of the Lord must prepare to serve his generation. The Lord told the prophet he had appointed…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-19Ezekiel was called to be a watchman, a common role for Old Testament prophets (see Isaiah 56:10; Jeremiah 6:17; Hosea 9:8). The watchman looked out for the community. He had to warn people about approaching enemies so they could find safety in time. In this case, the enemy was not a human invader but God. If Ezekiel stayed silent, he would be responsible for the blood of those he failed to warn.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. watchman--Ezekiel alone, among the prophets, is called a "watchman," not merely to sympathize, but to give timely warning of danger to his people where none was suspected. Habakkuk (Ha 2:1) speaks of standing upon his "watch," but it was only in order to be on the lookout for the manifestation of God's power (so Is 52:8; 62:6); not as Ezekiel, to act as a watchman to others.Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 3:17

• Minister, Christian
• Prophets

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Son of man
• Hard
• Living creatures
• Warning
• Agabus
• Creature

Commentaries on Ezekiel 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• 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