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 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 the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 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. 5He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6But 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.’

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 25:16So it was, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, “Have we made you the king’s counselor? Cease! Why should you be killed?” Then the prophet ceased, and said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”
• Proverbs 29:1He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
• Jeremiah 6:17Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
• Jeremiah 42:20For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the Lord your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the Lord our God, and according to all that the Lord your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.’
• Zechariah 1:2“The Lord has been very angry with your fathers.
• James 1:22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
• Ezekiel 33:5He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life.
• Ezekiel 18:13If he has exacted usury Or taken increase— Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, He shall surely die; His blood shall be upon him.
• Leviticus 20:9‘For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon him.
• 2 Samuel 1:16So David said to him, “Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”
• Acts 18:6But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
• Acts 20:26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.

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