(KJV) Ezekiel 33¹

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⥃Ezekiel the Watchman for Israel

[1] Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, [2] Son of man, speak² to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land³, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set⁴ him for their watchman: [3] If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow⁵ the trumpet, and warn the people; [4] Then whosoever heareth⁶ the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood⁷ shall be upon his own head. [5] He heard⁸ the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood⁹ shall be upon him. But¹⁰ he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. [6] But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow¹¹ not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take [any] person from among them, he is¹² taken away in his iniquity; but his blood¹³ will I require at the watchman’s hand.

[7] [¶]So thou, O son of man, I have¹⁴ set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt¹⁵ hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. [8] When I say unto the wicked, O wicked¹⁶ [man], thou shalt surely die; if thou¹⁷ dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked¹⁸ [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. [9] Nevertheless, if thou¹⁹ warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he²⁰ do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast²¹ delivered thy soul.

⥃The Message of the Watchman

[10] Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our²² transgressions and our sins [be] upon us, and we pine away in them, how²³ should we then live? [11] Say unto them, [As] I live²⁴, saith the Lord God, I have²⁵ no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye²⁶, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? [12] Therefore, thou son of man, say²⁷ unto the children of thy people, The righteousness²⁸ of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for²⁹ the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither³⁰ shall the righteous be able to live for his [righteousness] in the day that he sinneth. [13] When I shall say to the righteous, [that] he shall surely live; if he³¹ trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die³² for it. [14] Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt³³ surely die; if he³⁴ turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right³⁵; [15] [If] the wicked restore³⁶ the pledge, give³⁷ again that he had robbed, walk³⁸ in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall³⁹ surely live, he shall not die. [16] None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.⁴⁰

[17] [¶]Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.⁴¹ [18] When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.⁴² [19] But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.⁴³

[20] [¶]Yet⁴⁴ ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will⁴⁵ judge you every one after his ways.

⥃Word of Jerusalem’s Fall

[21] And it came to pass in the twelfth⁴⁶ year of our captivity, in the tenth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, [that] one⁴⁷ that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city⁴⁸ is smitten. [22] Now the hand⁴⁹ of the Lord was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my⁵⁰ mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb. [23] Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, [24] Son of man, they that⁵¹ inhabit those wastes⁵² of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham⁵³ was one, and he inherited the land: but we⁵⁴ [are] many; the land is given us for inheritance. [25] Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Ye eat⁵⁵ with the blood, and lift up⁵⁶ your eyes toward your idols, and shed⁵⁷ blood: and shall ye⁵⁸ possess the land? [26] Ye stand⁵⁹ upon your sword, ye work⁶⁰ abomination, and ye⁶¹ defile every one his neighbour’s wife: and shall⁶² ye possess the land? [27] Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; [As] I live, surely⁶³ they that [are] in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that [is] in the open field will I⁶⁴ give to the beasts to be devoured⁶⁵, and they that [be] in the forts and in the caves⁶⁶ shall die of the pestilence. [28] For I will lay⁶⁷ the land most desolate⁶⁸, and the pomp⁶⁹ of her strength shall cease; and the mountains⁷⁰ of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. [29] Then shall⁷¹ they know that I [am] the Lord, when I have laid the land most desolate because⁷² of all their abominations which they have committed.

[30] Also, thou son of man, the children⁷³ of thy people still are talking against thee⁷⁴ by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come⁷⁵, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. [31] And they come unto thee as the people cometh⁷⁶, and they sit before thee [as] my people⁷⁷, and they⁷⁸ hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with⁷⁹ their mouth they shew much love⁸⁰, [but] their⁸¹ heart goeth after their covetousness. [32] And, lo, thou [art] unto them as a very lovely song of one⁸² that hath a pleasant voice⁸³, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. [33] And when⁸⁴ this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall⁸⁵ they know that a prophet hath been among them.

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