He
heard the sound of the trumpet, and didn’t take warning; his blood shall be on him; whereas if he had taken warning, he would have delivered his soul. But if the watchman sees the sword come, and doesn’t blow the trumpet, and the people aren’t warned, and the sword comes, 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.
Ezekiel 33:5-6
Ezekiel 33 [1.] Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and tell them, When I bring the sword on a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman; if, when he sees the sword come on the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet, and doesn’t take warning, if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be on his own head.
Ezekiel 33 [5.] He heard the sound of the trumpet, and didn’t take warning; his blood shall be on him; whereas if he had taken warning, he would have delivered his soul. But if the watchman sees the sword come, and doesn’t blow the trumpet, and the people aren’t warned, and the sword comes, 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. So you, son of man, I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I tell the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you don’t speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand. Nevertheless, if you warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he doesn’t turn from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul.
Ezekiel 33 [10.] You, son of man, tell the house of Israel: Thus you speak, saying, Our transgressions and our sins are on us, and we pine away in them; how then can we live? Tell them, As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, house of Israel? You, son of man, tell the children of your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his disobedience; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turns from his wickedness; neither shall he who is righteous be able to live thereby in the day that he sins. When I tell the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in his iniquity that he has committed, therein shall he die. Again, when I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
Meaning:
God renewed Ezekiel’s call as a watchman shortly before news reached the exiles that Jerusalem had fallen (Ezekiel 33:21). These verses set out the responsibility of those who hear a warning and of the watchman who must give it.
- “He heard the sound of the trumpet, and didn’t take warning; his blood shall be on him”
When an enemy approached, the watchman blew the trumpet. Anyone who heard and ignored it was responsible for his own death; the previous verse says, “his blood shall be on his own head” (Ezekiel 33:4). Paul used this language when the synagogue in Corinth rejected his message: “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean” (Acts 18:6).
- “His blood will I require at the watchman’s hand”
A watchman who saw danger and kept silent would be held accountable for those who perished. Ezekiel himself was this watchman for Israel (Ezekiel 3:17-18). Paul applied the principle to his years in Ephesus: “I am clean from the blood of all men, for I didn’t shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26-27).
- The heart behind the warning
The warning came from love. A few verses later God declares, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11).
The Significance of Ezekiel 33:5-6
- Faithful speaking and humble listening
Everyone who knows God’s truth is called to share it, and everyone who hears it is responsible for the response.
Cross-References:
Acts 18:6: "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean." Paul applies the watchman’s principle in Corinth.
Acts 20:26: "I am clean from the blood of all men," Paul’s faithful ministry in Ephesus.
Hebrews 13:17: "they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account," Leaders as watchmen.
Conclusion: Those who ignored the watchman’s warning bore their own guilt, but a silent watchman would be held responsible. Paul took up the same picture in Corinth and Ephesus. The passage calls God’s people to warn faithfully and to listen humbly, because God desires that the wicked turn and live.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible