(33:2-6) When God is getting ready to kill people with the sword, it's the watchman's duty to warn them about it by
blowing a trumpet. If the people hear the trumpet but don't "take warning," then God will kill the people but not the watchman. But if the watchman doesn't
blow the trumpet when he sees God coming, then God will kill the people and the watchman.
(33:2) "When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:"
(33:3) "If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;"
(33:4) "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."
(33:5) "He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him."
(33:6) "But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned ...
his blood will I require at the watchman's hand."
33:1
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
33:2
Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I
bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their
coasts, and set him for their watchman:
33:3If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and
warn the people;
33:4Then 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.
33:5He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall
be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
33:6But 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.
33:7So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of
Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from
me.
(33:7-9) God tells Ezekiel that he is the watchman. So the usual watchman rules apply to him.
(33:7) "So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of
Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me."
(33:8) "When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way,
that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."
(33:9) "Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way,
he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul."
33:8When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou
dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in
his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
33:9Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do
not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered
thy soul.
33:10
Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye
speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine
away in them, how should we then live?
33:11
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the
death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn
ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
(33:12-13) If a "righteous" person does something wrong, God will forget every good thing
that that person has ever done. Then God will kill him for the single mistake.
(33:12) "The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his
transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall
thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the
righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth." Has there ever been a righteous person?
(33:13) "When I shall say to the righteous, that he
shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall
not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it."
33:12
Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The
righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his
transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall
thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the
righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
33:13When I shall say to the righteous, that he
shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall
not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
33:14
Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from
his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
33:15
If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in
the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he
shall not die.
33:16
None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he
hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
33:17Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but
as for them, their way is not equal.
(33:17, 20) "Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal."
The Israelites rightly recognize the injustice in God's killing rules.
33:18
When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth
iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
33:19But if the wicked turn
from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live
thereby.
33:20Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will
judge you every one after his ways.
33:21
And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth
month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of
Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.
33:22
Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was
escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning;
and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.
33:23
Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
33:24
Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak,
saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the
land is given us for inheritance.
33:25
Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood,
and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye
possess the land?
33:26
Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his
neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land?
(33:27-29) God plans some more killing by the sword, beasts, and the pestilence.
"Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate."
(33:27) "Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will
I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence."
(33:29) "Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate."
33:27
Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the
wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I
give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the
caves shall die of the pestilence.
33:28
For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall
cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass
through.
33:29Then shall they know
that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of
all their abominations which they have committed.
33:30
Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking
against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to
another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what
is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.
33:31
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as
my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with
their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their
covetousness.
33:32
And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a
pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words,
but they do them not.
33:33
And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know
that a prophet hath been among them.
