3 And he hath seen the sword coming against the land, And hath blown with a trumpet, and hath warned the people, 4 And the hearer hath heard the voice of the trumpet, and he hath not taken warning, And come in doth the sword, and taketh him away, His blood is on his head. 5 The voice of the trumpet he heard, And he hath not taken warning, his blood is on him, And he who took warning his soul hath delivered. 6 And the watchman, when he seeth the sword coming in, And he hath not blown with a trumpet, And the people hath not been warned, And come in doth a sword, And taketh away of them—a soul, He in his iniquity is taken away, And his blood from the hand of the watchman I require. 7 And thou, son of man, A watchman I gave thee to the house of Israel, And thou hast heard from My mouth a word, And thou hast warned them from Me. 8 In My saying to the wicked, O wicked one—thou dost surely die, And thou hast not spoken to warn the wicked from his way, He—the wicked—in his iniquity doth die, And his blood from thy hand I require. 9 And thou, when thou hast warned the wicked of his way, to turn back from it, And he hath not turned back from his way, He in his iniquity doth die, And thou thy soul hast delivered.
10 And thou, son of man, say unto the house of Israel: Rightly ye have spoken, saying: Surely our transgressions and our sins 'are' on us, And in them we are wasting away, How, then, do we live? 11 Say unto them, I live—an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, I delight not in the death of the wicked, But—in the turning of the wicked from his way, And he hath lived, Turn back, turn back, from your evil ways, Yea, why do ye die, O house of Israel? 12 And thou, son of man, say unto the sons of thy people: The righteousness of the righteous doth not deliver him in the day of his transgression, And the wickedness of the wicked, He doth not stumble for it in the day of his turning from his wickedness, And the righteous is not able to live in it in the day of his sinning. 13 In My saying of the righteous: He surely liveth, And—he hath trusted on his righteousness, And he hath done perversity, All his righteous acts are not remembered, And for his perversity that he hath done, For it he doth die. 14 And in My saying to the wicked: Thou surely diest, And—he hath turned back from his sin, And hath done judgment and righteousness,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 33:3-14
Commentary on Ezekiel 33:1-9
(Read Ezekiel 33:1-9)
The prophet is a watchman to the house of Israel. His business is to warn sinners of their misery and danger. He must warn the wicked to turn from their way, that they may live. If souls perish through his neglect of duty, he brings guilt upon himself. See what those have to answer for, who make excuses for sin, flatter sinners, and encourage them to believe they shall have peace, though they go on. How much wiser are men in their temporal than in their spiritual concerns! They set watchmen to guard their houses, and sentinels to warn of the enemies' approach, but where the everlasting happiness or misery of the soul is at stake, they are offended if ministers obey their Master's command, and give a faithful warning; they would rather perish, listening to smooth things.
Commentary on Ezekiel 33:10-20
(Read Ezekiel 33:10-20)
Those who despaired of finding mercy with God, are answered with a solemn declaration of God's readiness to show mercy. The ruin of the city and state was determined, but that did not relate to the final state of persons. God says to the righteous, that he shall surely live. But many who have made profession, have been ruined by proud confidence in themselves. Man trusts to his own righteousness, and presuming on his own sufficiency, he is brought to commit iniquity. If those who have lived a wicked life repent and forsake their wicked ways, they shall be saved. Many such amazing and blessed changes have been wrought by the power of Divine grace. When there is a settled separation between a man and sin, there shall no longer be a separation between him and God.