Ezekiel 33:9
in Ezekiel 33But if you warn the wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from it, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved your life.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he turn not from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Ezekiel 33
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThe substance of this we had before, ch. iii. He must let them know upon what terms they stand with God, that they are upon their trial, upon their good behaviour, that if a wicked man repent he shall not perish, but that if a righteous man apostatize he shall perish,
This site's exposition
I have made you a watchman
on Ezekiel 33:7-9
The general law becomes personal, “I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel”, the charge first given at 3:17. If Ezekiel stays silent, “I will hold you accountable for his blood”. Keil marks the charge as repeated at the hinge of the book.
This site's exposition
you will have saved your life
The prophet's duty ends when the warning is given. The response belongs to the hearer. Paul claims the same clear conscience at Acts 20:26-27, innocent of the blood of all, since he declared the whole counsel of God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Chapter XXXIII, Verse 1 and following) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, speak to the children of your people and say to them: When I bring a sword upon a land and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land and 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 upon his own head.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
He is a watchman to the house of Israel. He had occasionally given warning to the nations about, but to the house of Israel he was a watchman by office, for they were the children of the prophets and the covenant They did not set him for a watchman, as the people of the land,
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.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way,.... See Gill on Eze 3:19.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
So have you spoken Therefore, you do not wish to repent, because you believe that repentance will not avail you.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְ֠אַתָּה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | if | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הִזְהַ֨רְתָּ | hizharta | you have warned | H2094 → | 22 times |
| רָשָׁ֤ע | rasha' | [the] wicked [person] | H7563 → | 263 times |
| מִדַּרְכּוֹ֙ | midarko | from way his | H1870 → | 707 times |
| לָשׁ֣וּב | lashuv | to turn back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| מִמֶּ֔נָּה | mimenah | from it | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁ֖ב | shav | he has turned back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| מִדַּרְכּ֑וֹ | midarko | from way his | H1870 → | 707 times |
| ה֚וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| בַּעֲוֹנ֣וֹ | baavono | in iniquity his | H5771 → | 233 times |
| יָמ֔וּת | yamut | he will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| וְאַתָּ֖ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| נַפְשְׁךָ֥ | nafshekha | life your | H5315 → | 754 times |
| הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ ס | hitzalta | you have delivered | H5337 → | 212 times |
וְ֠אַתָּהand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
כִּֽי־if
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הִזְהַ֨רְתָּyou have warned
hizhartaH2094 →22 times
רָשָׁ֤ע[the] wicked [person]
rasha'H7563 →263 times
מִדַּרְכּוֹ֙from way his
midarkoH1870 →707 times
לָשׁ֣וּבto turn back
lashuvH7725 →1056 times
מִמֶּ֔נָּהfrom it
mimenahH4480 →1188 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
שָׁ֖בhe has turned back
shavH7725 →1056 times
מִדַּרְכּ֑וֹfrom way his
midarkoH1870 →707 times
ה֚וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
בַּעֲוֹנ֣וֹin iniquity his
baavonoH5771 →233 times
יָמ֔וּתhe will die
yamutH4191 →839 times
וְאַתָּ֖הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
נַפְשְׁךָ֥life your
nafshekhaH5315 →754 times
הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ סyou have delivered
hitzaltaH5337 →212 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 15:10Discipline is harsh for him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.
it leads to
- Proverbs 12:1
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
- John 3:20
Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
- Proverbs 13:1
A wise son heeds his father’s discipline, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.
- Proverbs 10:17
Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.
- Proverbs 12:1
Through
Ezekiel 3:19But if you warn a wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness and his wicked way, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved yourself.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 4:16
Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 14:20
then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves.
- 1 Timothy 4:16
Through
Acts 20:26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
it leads to
- Acts 18:6
But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to…
- Acts 18:6
Through
Ezekiel 3:21But if you warn the righteous man not to sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he heeded your warning, and you will have saved yourself.”
it leads to
- Proverbs 9:9
Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.
- Proverbs 9:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel and Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible.