Ezekiel 33:4

4 and {anyone who listens} hears the sound of the horn and {he does not take warning} and [the] sword comes and it takes him, his blood will be on 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 "Son of man, speak to {your people}, and you must say to them, 'A land, if I bring over it a sword and the people of the land take a man, one from their number, and they appoint him for them as a watchman,

3 and he sees the sword coming against the land, and he blows on the horn and he warns the people,

4 and {anyone who listens} hears the sound of the horn and {he does not take warning} and [the] sword comes and it takes him, his blood will be on his [own] head.

5 [For] he heard the sound of the horn and he did not take warning; his blood will be on him. But [if] he took warning, he saved his life.

6 And [as for] the watchman, if he sees the sword coming and {he does not blow} the horn, and the people [are] not warned, and [the] sword comes and it takes {their lives}, he will be taken through his guilt, but his blood from the hand of the watchman I will seek.'

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "the listening"
• [b] Literally "not he takes warning"