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 say to them, ‘Suppose I bring a sword against the land, and the people of the land take one man from their borders and make him their watchman. 3He sees the sword coming against the land, blows the trumpet, and warns the people, but there is one who hears the sound of the trumpet yet does not heed the warning. Then the sword comes and sweeps him away. He will be responsible for his own death. 5He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, so he is responsible for himself. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life. 6But suppose the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. Then the sword comes and takes one of their lives. He is swept away for his iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for that person’s death.’

Ezekiel 33:4 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then whosoeverשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• the soundקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
• of the trumpetשֹׁפָרshôphâr shôphâr · trumpetH7782
• and taketh not warningזָהַרzâhar · to warnH2094
• if the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• and take him awayלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• his bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• shall be upon his own headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218

Cross-references for Ezekiel 33:4

• 2 Chronicles 25:16While he was speaking, Amaziah said to him, “Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop prophesying or else you will be killed!” So the prophet stopped, but added, “I know that the Lord has decided to destroy you, because you have done this thing and refused to listen to my advice.”
• Proverbs 29:1The one who stiffens his neck after numerous rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy.
• Jeremiah 6:17The Lord said, “I appointed prophets as watchmen to warn you, saying: ‘Pay attention to the warning sound of the trumpet!’” But they said, “We will not pay attention!”
• Jeremiah 42:20You are making a fatal mistake. For you sent me to the Lord your God and asked me, ‘Pray to the Lord our God for us. Tell us what the Lord our God says and we will do it.’
• Zechariah 1:2The Lord was very angry with your ancestors.
• James 1:22But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.
• Ezekiel 33:5He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, so he is responsible for himself. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life.
• Ezekiel 18:13engages in usury and charges interest. Will he live? He will not! Because he has done all these abominable deeds he will certainly die. He will bear the responsibility for his own death.
• Leviticus 20:9“‘If anyone curses his father and mother he must be put to death. He has cursed his father and mother; his blood guilt is on himself.
• 2 Samuel 1:16David said to him, “Your blood be on your own head! Your own mouth has testified against you, saying ‘I have put the Lord’s anointed to death.’”
• Acts 18:6When they opposed him and reviled him, he protested by shaking out his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am guiltless! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!”
• Acts 20:26Therefore I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of you all.

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