God makes Ezekiel a watchman once more: if the watchman warns and the people ignore him, their blood is on their heads. God says he has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. When a fugitive reports that Jerusalem has fallen, Ezekiel can speak freely again.
1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying ,
2 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 .
5 He heard the sound of the trumpet , and took not warning ; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul .
6 But if the watchman see the sword come , and blow not the trumpet , and the people be not warned ; if the sword come , and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity ; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand .
7 So thou, O son of man , I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel ; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth , and warn them from me.
8 When I say unto the wicked , O wicked man, thou shalt surely die ; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way , that wicked man shall die in his iniquity ; but his blood will I require at thine hand .
9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way , he shall die in his iniquity ; but thou hast delivered thy soul .
10 Therefore, O thou son of man , speak unto the house of Israel ; Thus ye speak , saying , If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live ?
11 Say unto them, As I live , saith the Lord GOD , I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn from his way and live : turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways ; for why will ye die , O house of Israel ?
12 Therefore, thou son of man , say unto the children of thy people , The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression : as for the wickedness of the wicked , he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness ; neither 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 he 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 die for it.
14 Again, when I say unto the wicked , Thou shalt surely die ; if he turn from his sin , and do that which is lawful and right ;
15 If the wicked restore the pledge , give again that he had robbed , walk in the statutes of life , without committing iniquity ; he shall 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 .
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 .
18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness , and committeth iniquity , he shall even die thereby.
19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness , and do that which is lawful and right , he shall live thereby.
20 Yet ye say , The way of the Lord is not equal . O ye house of Israel , I will judge you every one after his ways .
21 And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity , in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month , that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying , The city is smitten .
22 Now the hand 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 my 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 that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak , saying , Abraham was one , and he inherited the land : but we are many ; the land is given us for inheritance .
25 Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD ; Ye eat with the blood , and lift up your eyes toward your idols , and shed blood : and shall ye possess the land ?
26 Ye stand upon your sword , ye work abomination , and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife : and shall ye possess the land ?
27 Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD ; As I live , surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword , and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured , and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence .
28 For I will lay the land most desolate , and the pomp of her strength shall cease ; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate , that none shall pass through .
29 Then shall they know that I am the LORD , when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed .
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 .
31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh , and they sit before thee as my people , and they hear thy words , but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love , but their heart goeth after their covetousness .
32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice , and can play well on an instrument : for they hear thy words , but they do them not.
33 And when this cometh to pass ,(lo, it will come ,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.