Ezekiel 33:4

4 forsooth a man that heareth, whoever he is, the sound of the clarion, and keepeth not himself, and the sword cometh, and taketh him away, the blood of him shall be on the head of him. (if anyone, whoever he is, heareth the sound of the trumpet, and keepeth not himself safe, or taketh no heed, and the sword cometh, and taketh him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.)

Ezekiel 33:4 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 33:4

Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh no
warning
Does not mind the notice given him; is incredulous of the danger he is in, or negligent of providing for his safety; fancies it is an alarm, and nothing else; and imagines there is no real danger, or what is a mere trifle; or, that the enemy is at a great distance, and it is time enough to provide for his defence: if the sword come and take him away;
those that kill with the sword, as the Targum, come suddenly on him, and take away his life, or carry him captive: his blood shall be upon his own head; the guilt of his slaughter, as the Targum; the sin will be his own; it must be brought in wilful murder; no blame can be laid upon any but himself; the watchman will be clear.

Ezekiel 33:4 In-Context

2 Thou, son of man, speak to the sons of thy people, and thou shalt say to them, A land when I bring in a sword on it, and the people of the land take one man of his last men, and maketh him a beholder, either espyer, on him, (Thou, son of man, speak to the sons of thy people, and thou shalt say to them, When I bring in a sword against a land, and if the people of that land take one man of their last men, and maketh him a watchman, or a lookout, for them,)
3 and (when) he seeth a sword coming on the land, and soundeth with a clarion (and bloweth a trumpet), and telleth to the people,
4 forsooth a man that heareth, whoever he is, the sound of the clarion, and keepeth not himself, and the sword cometh, and taketh him away, the blood of him shall be on the head of him. (if anyone, whoever he is, heareth the sound of the trumpet, and keepeth not himself safe, or taketh no heed, and the sword cometh, and taketh him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.)
5 He heard the sound of the clarion, and kept not himself, his blood shall be in him; forsooth if he keepeth himself, he shall save his life. (He heard the sound of the trumpet, and did not keep himself safe, or did not take heed, and so his blood shall be upon him; but if he keepeth himself safe, or taketh heed, he shall save his own life.)
6 That if the beholder, or the espyer, seeth a sword coming, and soundeth not with a clarion, and the people keepeth not himself, and the sword cometh, and taketh away a man of them, soothly he is taken in his wickedness; but I shall seek the blood of him of the hand of the espyer. (But if the watchman, or the lookout, seeth a sword coming, and bloweth not the trumpet, and the people do not keep themselves safe, or do not take heed, and the sword cometh, and taketh away some of them, they shall be caught in their own wickedness; but I shall seek payment for their blood at the hand of the lookout.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.