Ezekiel 33:3

3 Now if, upon seeing the sword coming against that country, he blows the shofar and warns the people;

Ezekiel 33:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 33:3

If what he seeth the sword come upon the land
Or those that kill with the sword, as the Targum; as soon as he observes a body of armed men, more or less, marching towards the borders of the land with a manifest intention to enter and invade it: he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
warn the people by blowing the trumpet, the signal agreed on; by which they would understand that an enemy was at hand, or danger near; or warn them by word of mouth, as well as by the trumpet, where he could do it, and when it was necessary.

Ezekiel 33:3 In-Context

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, speak to your people; say to them, 'Suppose I bring the sword on a country, and the people of that country take one of their men and appoint him their watchman.

3 Now if, upon seeing the sword coming against that country, he blows the shofar and warns the people;

4 then, if the sword comes and takes away someone who heard the sound of the shofar but paid no attention to it, the responsibility for that person's death will be his own -

5 he heard the shofar but paid no attention, so the responsibility for his death is his own; whereas if he had paid attention, he would have saved his life.