Ezekiel 33:2

¹ Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:

³ If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

⁴ Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “Son of man, speak to your people and tell them: ‘Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the people of that land choose a man from among them, appointing him as their watchman,
KJV: Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
WEB: “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and tell them, ‘When I bring the sword on a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman,
ASV: Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;
DARBY: Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them all, and set him for their watchman:
BLB: “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people, and say to them: ‘A land, when I bring upon it the sword, and the people of the land take a single man from their borders and set him to them as watchman,

ÅB: Menneskesønn! Tal til ditt folks barn og si til dem: Når jeg lar sverdet komme over et land, og landets folk tar en mann av sin midte og setter ham til vekter for seg,
OTB: "Menneskesønn, tal til ditt folks barn og si til dem: 'Når jeg fører et sverd over et land, og folket i landet velger ut en mann blant seg og setter ham til vaktmann,
B1930: Menneskesønn! Tal til ditt folks barn og si til dem: Når jeg lar sverdet komme over et land, og landets folk tar en mann av sin midte og setter ham til vekter for sig,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Ezekiel 33:30
Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.
Read in context
Ezekiel 33:17
Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
Read in context
Ezekiel 14:17
Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
Read in context
Ezekiel 3:11
And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
Read in context
Ezekiel 3:27
But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.
Read in context
Zechariah 13:7
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
Read in context
Jeremiah 15:2–3
And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.
Read in context
Isaiah 62:6
I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
Read in context