New English Translation
Ezekiel 33:6
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 33:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
- New International Version (NIV)But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’
Context of Ezekiel 33:6
4but 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. But 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.’ 7“As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them on my behalf. 8When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you must certainly die,’ and you do not warn the wicked about his behavior, the wicked man will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death.
Read all of Ezekiel 33Ezekiel 33:6 word by word
וְ֠הַצֹּפֶה כִּֽי־יִרְאֶ֨ה אֶת־הַחֶ֜רֶב בָּאָ֗ה וְלֹֽא־תָקַ֤ע בַּשּׁוֹפָר֙ וְהָעָ֣ם לֹֽא־נִזְהָ֔ר וַתָּב֣וֹא חֶ֔רֶב וַתִּקַּ֥ח מֵהֶ֖ם נָ֑פֶשׁ ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֹנ֣וֹ נִלְקָ֔ח וְדָמ֖וֹ מִיַּֽד־הַצֹּפֶ֥ה אֶדְרֹֽשׁ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But if the watchmanצָפָהtsâphâh · to watchH6822
- seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and blowתָּקַעtâqa‛ · to blowH8628
- not the trumpetשֹׁפָרshôphâr shôphâr · trumpetH7782
- and the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- be not warnedזָהַרzâhar · to warnH2094
- and takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- personנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: personH5315
- in his iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
- but his bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- will I requireדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
- handיָדyâd · handH3027
Cross-references for Ezekiel 33:6
- Isaiah 56:10All their watchmen are blind, they are unaware. All of them are like mute dogs, unable to bark. They pant, lie down, and love to snooze.
- Ezekiel 33:8When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you must certainly die,’ and you do not warn the wicked about his behavior, the wicked man will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death.
- Ezekiel 18:20The person who sins is the one who will die. A son will not suffer for his father’s iniquity, and a father will not suffer for his son’s iniquity; the righteous person will be judged according to his righteousness, and the wicked person according to his wickedness.
- Proverbs 14:32The wicked will be thrown down in his trouble, but the righteous have refuge even in the threat of death.
- John 8:21Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will look for me but will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.”
- Ezekiel 3:18When I say to the wicked, “You will certainly die,” and you do not warn him – you do not speak out to warn the wicked to turn from his wicked deed and wicked lifestyle so that he may live – that wicked person will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death.
- Ezekiel 34:10This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand my sheep from their hand. I will no longer let them be shepherds; the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore. I will rescue my sheep from their mouth, so that they will no longer be food for them.
- Genesis 9:5For your lifeblood I will surely exact punishment, from every living creature I will exact punishment. From each person I will exact punishment for the life of the individual since the man was his relative.
- Genesis 42:22Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy,’ but you wouldn’t listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!”
- 2 Samuel 4:11Surely when wicked men have killed an innocent man as he slept in his own house, should I not now require his blood from your hands and remove you from the earth?”
Commentaries on Ezekiel 33:6
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-9Ezekiel's message urged the people of Israel to repent so they could live. The Lord had warned of an army coming against their country, and this was happening. Ezekiel had been faithful as a watchman. No one who heard his prophecy could say he did not warn them of the coming judgment. But the people did not listen to the warning. If they did not turn away from their sin and return to God, they would die in their sins.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. his iniquity--his negligence in not maintaining constant watchfulness, as they who are in warfare ought to do. The thing signified here appears from under the image.Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 33:6
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries