Ezekiel 33:7

7 "You, human, are the one I have made a watchman for Israel. If you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them for me.

Ezekiel 33:7 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 33:7

So thou, O son of man
Here begins the application of the parable to the prophet himself, describing his office and his duty: I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel;
which is repeated from ( Ezekiel 3:17 ) , (See Gill on Ezekiel 3:17). The Targum is,

``I have appointed thee a teacher;''

a spiritual watchman; so pastors, teachers, ministers of the Gospel, are watchmen, ( 2 Timothy 4:5 ) ( Hebrews 13:17 ) : therefore thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and warn them
from me.
The Targum is,

``thou shalt receive the word from my Word, and warn them from sinning before me.''

Ezekiel 33:7 In-Context

5 They heard the sound of the trumpet but didn't do anything. So they are to blame for their own deaths. If they had done something, they would have saved their own lives.

6 But if the watchman sees the enemy coming to attack and does not blow the trumpet, the people will not be warned. Then if the enemy comes and kills any of them, they have died because of their own sin. But I will punish the watchman for their deaths.'

7 "You, human, are the one I have made a watchman for 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. Then they will die because they were sinners, but I will punish you for their deaths.

9 But if you warn the wicked to stop doing evil and they do not stop, they will die because they were sinners. But you have saved your life.