Ezekiel 33:6

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.'

Ezekiel 33:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 33:6

But if the watchman see the sword come
Or those that kill with the sword, as the Targum is; so far doing the duty of his office as to be in the watchtower, and not asleep: and yet blow not the trumpet:
to give the people notice of the enemy, and of their danger: and the people be not warned;
but in the utmost security, not apprehending themselves to be in any danger at all: if the sword come and take any person from among them;
even though but a single person: he is taken away in his iniquity:
having had no time to have it set before him, and to be convinced, and to repent of it, and seek for pardoning mercy for it; it is a dreadful thing thus to be taken out of the world, and snatched into hell at once: but his blood will I require at the watchman's hands;
he shall be punished for not doing his duty, for not giving the due warning of danger, on which account the man was surprised with the enemy, and taken away unawares; and therefore his death shall be laid to the watchman, and he must be answerable for it.

Ezekiel 33:6 In-Context

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.'

7 "And you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; if you hear a word from my mouth, then you must warn them from me.

8 {When I say} to the wicked, 'Wicked [one], you will certainly die,' and you {did not speak} to warn [the] wicked from his way, he, [the] wicked, will die by his guilt, but his blood I will seek from your hand.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "and not he blows on"
• [b] Literally "it takes from them a life"