New International Version
Ezekiel 33:6
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 33:6 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.
- 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.’
- New Living Translation (NLT)But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.’
Context of Ezekiel 33:6
4then 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. 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.’ 7“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. 8When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
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 56:10Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep.
- Ezekiel 33:8When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
- Ezekiel 18:20The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.
- Proverbs 14:32When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.
- John 8:21Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”
- Ezekiel 3:18When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
- Ezekiel 34:10This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.
- Genesis 9:5And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
- Genesis 42:22Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.”
- 2 Samuel 4:11How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!”
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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