Ezekiel 33:3

3 When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn 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 Once again a message came to me from the LORD :

2 “Son of man, give your people this message: ‘When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman.

3 When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people.

4 Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die.

5 They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives.