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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die.

Context of Ezekiel 33:4

2“Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 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. 5Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves. 6But 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.’

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 still speaking, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you an adviser to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” So the prophet stopped but said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”
• Proverbs 29:1Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
• Jeremiah 6:17I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.’
• Jeremiah 42:20that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the Lord your God and said, ‘Pray to the Lord our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’
• Zechariah 1:2“The Lord was very angry with your ancestors.
• James 1:22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
• Ezekiel 33:5Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves.
• Ezekiel 18:13He lends at interest and takes a profit. Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.
• Leviticus 20:9“ ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head.
• 2 Samuel 1:16For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”
• Acts 18:6But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to 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 declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.

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