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Ezekiel 33
Expanded Bible
Ezekiel 33
Expanded Bible
Ezekiel Is Watchman for Israel
33 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], speak to your people and say to them: ‘Suppose I bring a war against a land. The people of the land may choose one of their men and make him their watchman. 3 When he sees the ·enemy [L sword] coming ·to attack [against] the land, he will blow the trumpet and warn the people. 4 If they hear the sound of the trumpet but do ·nothing [not heed], the ·enemy [L sword] will come and ·kill them [L take them away]. ·They will be responsible for their own deaths [L Their blood will be on their own head]. 5 They heard the sound of the trumpet but didn’t ·do anything [heed the warning]. So ·they are to blame for their own deaths [L their blood will be on their own head]. If they had ·done something [taken the warning], they would have saved their own lives. 6 But if the watchman sees the ·enemy [L sword] coming to attack and does not blow the trumpet, the people will not be warned. Then if the ·enemy [L sword] comes and ·kills [L takes away] any of them, they have died because of their own sin. But I will ·punish [hold accountable] the watchman for their ·deaths [L blood].’
7 “You, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], are the one I have made a watchman for [L the house of] Israel. If you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them for me. 8 Suppose I say to the wicked: ‘Wicked people, you will surely die,’ but you don’t speak to warn the wicked to ·stop doing evil [turn from their ways]. Then they will die ·because they were sinners [for their iniquity], but I will ·punish you [hold you accountable] for their deaths. 9 But if you warn the wicked to ·stop doing evil [turn from their ways] and they do not stop, they will die ·because they were sinners [for their iniquity]. But you have saved your life.
10 “So you, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], say to [L the house of] Israel: ‘You have said: Surely our ·lawbreaking [transgressions] and sins are ·hurting [L upon] us. ·They will kill us [We are wasting/rotting away because of them]. What can we do so we will live?’ 11 Say to them: ‘The Lord God says: As surely as I live, I ·do not want any who are wicked to die [L take no pleasure in the death of the wicked]. I want them to ·stop doing evil [turn from their ways] and live. ·Stop [Turn]! ·Stop [Turn from] your wicked ways! ·You don’t want to die, do you [L Why will you die], ·people [L house] of Israel?’
12 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], say to your people: ‘The ·goodness [righteousness] of ·those who do right [the righteous] will not save them ·when they sin [L in the day of their rebellion]. The ·evil of wicked people [wickedness of the wicked] will not cause them to ·be punished [stumble] if they stop doing it. If ·good people [the righteous] sin, they will not be able to live by the ·good [righteousness] they did earlier.’ 13 If I tell ·good people [the righteous], ‘You will surely live,’ they might ·think they have done enough good [L trust in their righteousness] and then do evil. Then none of the ·good [righteous] things they did will be remembered. They will die because of the ·evil [iniquity] they have done. 14 Or, if I say to the wicked people, ‘You will surely die,’ they may stop sinning and do what is right and ·honest [just]. 15 For example, ·they [L the wicked one] may ·return what somebody gave them as a promise to repay a loan [restore the pledge], or pay back what they stole. If they live by the ·rules [statutes] that give life and do not ·sin [do evil; practice iniquity], then they will surely live, and they will not die. 16 None of the sins they have committed will be ·held [L remembered] against them. They now do what is right and ·fair [just], so they will surely live.
17 “Your people say: ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ But it is their own ways that are not ·fair [just]. 18 When the ·good people [righteous] ·stop doing good [turn from righteousness] and do evil, they will die for their evil. 19 But when the wicked ·stop doing evil [turn from sin] and do what is right and ·fair [just], they will live. 20 You still say: ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Israel, I will judge all of you ·by [according to] your own ways.”
The Fall of Jerusalem Explained
21 It was in the twelfth year [C since King Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], on the fifth day of the tenth month [C January 19, 585 bc]. A ·person who had escaped [survivor; refugee; fugitive] from Jerusalem came to me and said, “Jerusalem has been ·captured [struck down].” 22 Now ·I had felt the power of the Lord [L the hand of the Lord was] on me the evening before. He had ·made me able to talk again [L opened my mouth] before this person came to me. ·I could speak [L He opened my mouth]; I was not without speech anymore [C see 3:24–27].
23 Then the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 24 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], people who live in the ruins in the land of Israel are saying: ‘Abraham was only one person, yet he was given the land as his own. Surely the land has been given to us, who are many, as our ·very own [possession].’ 25 So say to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says: You eat meat with the blood still in it [C forbidden in the law; Lev. 19:26], you ·ask your idols for help [L raise your eyes to your idols], and you ·murder people [L shed blood]. Should you then ·have the land as your very own [possess the land]? 26 You depend on your sword and do ·terrible things that I hate [detestable/abominable things]. Each of you ·has sexual relations with [defiles] his neighbor’s wife. So should you ·have [possess] the land?’
27 “Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says: As surely as I live, those who are among the city ruins in Israel will ·be killed in war [L fall by the sword]. I will cause those who live in the ·country [open field] to be eaten by wild animals. People ·hiding in [L in] the strongholds and caves will die of ·disease [plague; pestilence]. 28 I will make the land an ·empty desert [desolate wasteland]. ·The people’s pride in the land’s power [L …and her confident pride] will end. The mountains of Israel will become ·empty [desolate] so that no one will pass through them. 29 They will know that I am the Lord when I make the land an ·empty desert [desolate wasteland] because of the things they have done that ·I hate [are detestable/abominable].’
30 “But as for you, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], your people are talking about you by the walls and in the doorways of houses. They say to each other: ‘Come now, and hear the message from the Lord.’ 31 So they come to you in crowds as ·if they were really ready to listen [or they usually do; or people do]. They sit in front of you as if they were my people and hear your words, but they will not ·obey [do] them. With their mouths they ·tell me they love me [or talk lustfully], ·but [or and] their hearts ·desire [pursue] their selfish profits. 32 [L Look; T Behold] To your people you are nothing more than a singer who sings ·love [or sensual; lustful] songs and has a beautiful voice and plays a musical instrument well. They hear your words, but they will not ·obey [do] them.
33 “When this comes true, and it surely will happen, then the people will know that a prophet has been among them.”
Ezekiel 33
New International Version
Ezekiel 33
New International Version
Renewal of Ezekiel’s Call as Watchman
33 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword(A) against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,(B) 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet(C) to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning(D) and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head.(E) 5 Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head.(F) If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves.(G) 6 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.’(H)
7 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman(I) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.(J) 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,(K)’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for[a] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.(L) 9 But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so,(M) they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.(N)
10 “Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away(O) because of[b] them. How then can we live?(P)”’ 11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.(Q) Turn!(R) Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’(S)
12 “Therefore, son of man, say to your people,(T) ‘If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’(U) 13 If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done.(V) 14 And if I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but they then turn away from their sin and do what is just(W) and right— 15 if they give back what they took in pledge(X) for a loan, return what they have stolen,(Y) follow the decrees that give life, and do no evil—that person will surely live; they will not die.(Z) 16 None of the sins(AA) that person has committed will be remembered against them. They have done what is just and right; they will surely live.(AB)
17 “Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just. 18 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil,(AC) they will die for it.(AD) 19 And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so.(AE) 20 Yet you Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to your own ways.”(AF)
Jerusalem’s Fall Explained
21 In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month on the fifth day, a man who had escaped(AG) from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has fallen!(AH)” 22 Now the evening before the man arrived, the hand of the Lord was on me,(AI) and he opened my mouth(AJ) before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened and I was no longer silent.(AK)
23 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 24 “Son of man, the people living in those ruins(AL) in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many;(AM) surely the land has been given to us as our possession.’(AN) 25 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you eat(AO) meat with the blood(AP) still in it and look to your idols and shed blood, should you then possess the land?(AQ) 26 You rely on your sword, you do detestable things,(AR) and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife.(AS) Should you then possess the land?’
27 “Say this to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those who are left in the ruins will fall by the sword, those out in the country I will give to the wild animals to be devoured, and those in strongholds and caves will die of a plague.(AT) 28 I will make the land a desolate waste, and her proud strength will come to an end, and the mountains(AU) of Israel will become desolate so that no one will cross them.(AV) 29 Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land a desolate(AW) waste because of all the detestable things they have done.’(AX)
30 “As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before(AY) you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy(AZ) for unjust gain.(BA) 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs(BB) with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.(BC)
33 “When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.(BD)”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 33:8 Or in; also in verse 9
- Ezekiel 33:10 Or away in
Ezekiel 33
King James Version
Ezekiel 33
King James Version
33 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
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:
3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
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.
5 He 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.
6 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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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;
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.
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.
17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.
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.
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.
23 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
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.
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?
26 Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land?
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.
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.
29 Then 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.
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.
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.
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 And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.
Expanded Bible (EXB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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