יְחֶזְקֵאל 33

1 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

2 בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם דַּבֵּ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֶ֕רֶץ כִּֽי־אָבִ֥יא עָלֶ֖יהָ חָ֑רֶב וְלָקְח֨וּ עַם־הָאָ֜רֶץ אִ֤ישׁ אֶחָד֙ מִקְצֵיהֶ֔ם וְנָתְנ֥וּ אֹתֹ֛ו לָהֶ֖ם לְצֹפֶֽה׃

“Son of man, tell your people: If I brought an army to attack a country, the people there would choose one of them to be their watchman.

3 וְרָאָ֥ה אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב בָּאָ֣ה עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְתָקַ֥ע בַּשֹּׁופָ֖ר וְהִזְהִ֥יר אֶת־הָעָֽם׃

When he saw the army advancing to attack the country, he would blow the trumpet to warn everyone.

4 וְשָׁמַ֨ע הַשֹּׁמֵ֜עַ אֶת־קֹ֤ול הַשֹּׁופָר֙ וְלֹ֣א נִזְהָ֔ר וַתָּ֥בֹוא חֶ֖רֶב וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ דָּמֹ֥ו בְרֹאשֹׁ֖ו יִֽהְיֶֽה׃

So if you hear the trumpet but don't pay attention to the warning, and you're killed in the attack, you will be responsible for your own death.

5 אֵת֩ קֹ֨ול הַשֹּׁופָ֤ר שָׁמַע֙ וְלֹ֣א נִזְהָ֔ר דָּמֹ֖ו בֹּ֣ו יִֽהְיֶ֑ה וְה֥וּא נִזְהָ֖ר נַפְשֹׁ֥ו מִלֵּֽט׃

Since you heard the trumpet but didn't pay attention to the warning, then you will be responsible for your own death. If you had paid attention the warning, you could have saved your life.

6 וְ֠הַצֹּפֶה כִּֽי־יִרְאֶ֨ה אֶת־הַחֶ֜רֶב בָּאָ֗ה וְלֹֽא־תָקַ֤ע בַּשֹּׁופָר֙ וְהָעָ֣ם לֹֽא־נִזְהָ֔ר וַתָּבֹ֣וא חֶ֔רֶב וַתִּקַּ֥ח מֵהֶ֖ם נָ֑פֶשׁ ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֹנֹ֣ו נִלְקָ֔ח וְדָמֹ֖ו מִיַּֽד־הַצֹּפֶ֥ה אֶדְרֹֽשׁ׃ ס

But if the watchman saw the attack coming and didn't blow the trumpet to warn everyone, and someone is killed, then that person will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their death.

7 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם צֹפֶ֥ה נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ מִפִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the people of Israel. Listen to what I tell you and warn them for me.

8 בְּאָמְרִ֣י לָרָשָׁ֗ע רָשָׁע֙ מֹ֣ות תָּמ֔וּת וְלֹ֣א דִבַּ֔רְתָּ לְהַזְהִ֥יר רָשָׁ֖ע מִדַּרְכֹּ֑ו ה֤וּא רָשָׁע֙ בַּעֲוֹנֹ֣ו יָמ֔וּת וְדָמֹ֖ו מִיָּדְךָ֥ אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃

If I tell the wicked ‘You're wicked; you're going to die’; but you don't warn them to change what they're doing, then they'll die in their sins and I will hold your responsible for their deaths.

9 וְ֠אַתָּה כִּֽי־הִזְהַ֨רְתָּ רָשָׁ֤ע מִדַּרְכֹּו֙ לָשׁ֣וּב מִמֶּ֔נָּה וְלֹא־שָׁ֖ב מִדַּרְכֹּ֑ו ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֹנֹ֣ו יָמ֔וּת וְאַתָּ֖ה נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ ס

But if you warn the wicked to change what they're doing, and they don't, they will die in their sins, but you will save your own life.

10 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם אֱמֹר֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֵּ֤ן אֲמַרְתֶּם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כִּֽי־פְשָׁעֵ֥ינוּ וְחַטֹּאתֵ֖ינוּ עָלֵ֑ינוּ וּבָ֛ם אֲנַ֥חְנוּ נְמַקִּ֖ים וְאֵ֥יךְ נִֽחְיֶֽה׃

Son of man, tell the people of Israel that this is what they've been saying, ‘We recognize our sins and wrongs, and they weigh on us, wearing us out. How can we go on living?’

11 אֱמֹ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם חַי־אָ֣נִי ׀ נְאֻ֣ם ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה אִם־אֶחְפֹּץ֙ בְּמֹ֣ות הָרָשָׁ֔ע כִּ֣י אִם־בְּשׁ֥וּב רָשָׁ֛ע מִדַּרְכֹּ֖ו וְחָיָ֑ה שׁ֣וּבוּ שׁ֜וּבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֧ם הָרָעִ֛ים וְלָ֥מָּה תָמ֖וּתוּ בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

Tell them: As I live, declares the Lord God, it brings me no pleasure when wicked people die. I wish they would stop sinning and live! Stop! Stop sinning! Why should you die, people of Israel?

12 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם אֱמֹ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙ צִדְקַ֣ת הַצַּדִּ֗יק לֹ֤א תַצִּילֶ֙נּוּ֙ בְּיֹ֣ום פִּשְׁעֹ֔ו וְרִשְׁעַ֤ת הָֽרָשָׁע֙ לֹֽא־יִכָּ֣שֶׁל בָּ֔הּ בְּיֹ֖ום שׁוּבֹ֣ו מֵֽרִשְׁעֹ֑ו וְצַדִּ֗יק לֹ֥א יוּכַ֛ל לִֽחְיֹ֥ות בָּ֖הּ בְּיֹ֥ום חֲטֹאתֹֽו׃

So, son of man, tell your people: All the good things a good person has done won't save them when they sin; while the bad things a bad person has done won't be a problem for them if they stop sinning. But good people won't live if they start sinning.

13 בְּאָמְרִ֤י לַצַּדִּיק֙ חָיֹ֣ה יִֽחְיֶ֔ה וְהֽוּא־בָטַ֥ח עַל־צִדְקָתֹ֖ו וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֑וֶל כָּל־צִדְקָתֹו (צִדְקֹתָיו֙) לֹ֣א תִזָּכַ֔רְנָה וּבְעַוְלֹ֥ו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה בֹּ֥ו יָמֽוּת׃

If I tell a good person that they will live and then they rely on their goodness and start sinning, then none of the good things they did will be remembered; he will die because of the sins.

14 וּבְאָמְרִ֥י לָֽרָשָׁ֖ע מֹ֣ות תָּמ֑וּת וְשָׁב֙ מֵֽחַטָּאתֹ֔ו וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָֽה׃

But if I tell a bad person, ‘You're going to die’ and they stop sinning and do what is good and right,

15 חֲבֹ֨ל יָשִׁ֤יב רָשָׁע֙ גְּזֵלָ֣ה יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם בְּחֻקֹּ֤ות הַֽחַיִּים֙ הָלַ֔ךְ לְבִלְתִּ֖י עֲשֹׂ֣ות עָ֑וֶל חָיֹ֥ו יִֽחְיֶ֖ה לֹ֥א יָמֽוּת׃

if they return security given for a loan, pay back what they've stolen, and follows my laws about how to live, not doing wrong—then they will live; they won't die.

16 כָּל־חַטָּאתֹו (חַטֹּאתָיו֙) אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֔א לֹ֥א תִזָּכַ֖רְנָה לֹ֑ו מִשְׁפָּ֧ט וּצְדָקָ֛ה עָשָׂ֖ה חָיֹ֥ו יִֽחְיֶֽה׃

None of their sins will be remembered; they have done what is good and right and so they will live.

17 וְאָמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמְּךָ֔ לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵ֖ן דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲדֹנָ֑י וְהֵ֖מָּה דַּרְכָּ֥ם לֹֽא־יִתָּכֵֽן׃

However, your people are complaining, ‘What the Lord does isn't right.’ But it's what they're doing that isn't right.

18 בְּשׁוּב־צַדִּ֥יק מִצִּדְקָתֹ֖ו וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֑וֶל וּמֵ֖ת בָּהֶֽם׃

If a good person stops doing good and sins, they will die because of it.

19 וּבְשׁ֤וּב רָשָׁע֙ מֵֽרִשְׁעָתֹ֔ו וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָ֑ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם ה֥וּא יִֽחְיֶֽה׃

On the other hand, if a bad person turns from their sins and they do what is good and right, they will live as a result.

20 וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵ֖ן דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲדֹנָ֑י אִ֧ישׁ כִּדְרָכָ֛יו אֶשְׁפֹּ֥וט אֶתְכֶ֖ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

So how can you say, ‘What the Lord does isn't right’? Well, I'm going to judge each of you depending on what you've done, people of Israel.”

21 וַיְהִ֞י בִּשְׁתֵּ֧י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֗ה בָּעֲשִׂרִ֛י בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ לְגָלוּתֵ֑נוּ בָּא־אֵלַ֨י הַפָּלִ֧יט מִירוּשָׁלַ֛͏ִם לֵאמֹ֖ר הֻכְּתָ֥ה הָעִֽיר׃

On the fifth day of the tenth month of the twelfth year of our exile, a refugee who'd escaped from Jerusalem arrived and told me, “The city has been captured!”

22 וְיַד־יְהוָה֩ הָיְתָ֨ה אֵלַ֜י בָּעֶ֗רֶב לִפְנֵי֙ בֹּ֣וא הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיִּפְתַּ֣ח אֶת־פִּ֔י עַד־בֹּ֥וא אֵלַ֖י בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיִּפָּ֣תַח פִּ֔י וְלֹ֥א נֶאֱלַ֖מְתִּי עֹֽוד׃ פ

The previous evening before the messenger arrived the Lord had touched me so I could speak again. This was before the man came to see me in the morning. I wasn't mute any longer—I could speak again.

23 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

24 בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם יֹ֠שְׁבֵי הֶחֳרָבֹ֨ות הָאֵ֜לֶּה עַל־אַדְמַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֹמְרִ֣ים לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶחָד֙ הָיָ֣ה אַבְרָהָ֔ם וַיִּירַ֖שׁ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ רַבִּ֔ים לָ֛נוּ נִתְּנָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ לְמֹורָשָֽׁה׃ ס

“Son of man, people living among the ruins in Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, but the country was given to him to own. There's plenty of us, so the country should belong to us.’

25 לָכֵן֩ אֱמֹ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֗ה עַל־הַדָּ֧ם ׀ תֹּאכֵ֛לוּ וְעֵינֵכֶ֛ם תִּשְׂא֥וּ אֶל־גִּלּוּלֵיכֶ֖ם וְדָ֣ם תִּשְׁפֹּ֑כוּ וְהָאָ֖רֶץ תִּירָֽשׁוּ׃

So tell them that this is what the Lord God says: You eat meat with the blood still in it. You go and worship your idols. You commit murder. Do you really think the country should belong to you?

26 עֲמַדְתֶּ֤ם עַֽל־חַרְבְּכֶם֙ עֲשִׂיתֶ֣ן תֹּועֵבָ֔ה וְאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת רֵעֵ֖הוּ טִמֵּאתֶ֑ם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ תִּירָֽשׁוּ׃ ס

You rely on your swords to get your way. You have done some disgusting things. You're all having sex with each other's wives. Should the country belong to you?

27 כֹּֽה־תֹאמַ֨ר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם כֹּה־אָמַ֨ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֮ חַי־אָנִי֒ אִם־לֹ֞א אֲשֶׁ֤ר בֶּֽחֳרָבֹות֙ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֔לוּ וַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לַחַיָּ֥ה נְתַתִּ֖יו לְאָכְלֹ֑ו וַאֲשֶׁ֛ר בַּמְּצָדֹ֥ות וּבַמְּעָרֹ֖ות בַּדֶּ֥בֶר יָמֽוּתוּ׃

Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: As I live, in the people living among the ruins will be killed by the sword. Those living in the countryside will be eaten by wild animals. Those living in the fortresses and caves will die from disease.

28 וְנָתַתִּ֤י אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁמָמָ֣ה וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה וְנִשְׁבַּ֖ת גְּאֹ֣ון עֻזָּ֑הּ וְשָֽׁמְמ֛וּ הָרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֵ֥ין עֹובֵֽר׃

I will turn the country into a wasteland, and power you are so proud of will be ended. The mountains of Israel will become wild places that no one will want to travel through.

29 וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה בְּתִתִּ֤י אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁמָמָ֣ה וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה עַ֥ל כָּל־תֹּועֲבֹתָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשֽׂוּ׃ ס

Then the people will acknowledge that I am the Lord, when I have turned the country into a wasteland because of all the disgusting things they have done.

30 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם בְּנֵ֣י עַמְּךָ֗ הַנִּדְבָּרִ֤ים בְּךָ֙ אֵ֣צֶל הַקִּירֹ֔ות וּבְפִתְחֵ֖י הַבָּתִּ֑ים וְדִבֶּר־חַ֣ד אֶת־אַחַ֗ד אִ֤ישׁ אֶת־אָחִיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֹּֽאוּ־נָ֣א וְשִׁמְע֔וּ מָ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר הַיֹּוצֵ֖א מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃

Son of man, your people are talking about you out in the streets and in the doorways of their houses. They encourage one another, saying, ‘Come on! Let's go and hear a message from the Lord!’

31 וְיָבֹ֣ואוּ אֵ֠לֶיךָ כִּמְבֹוא־עָ֞ם וְיֵשְׁב֤וּ לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ עַמִּ֔י וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ וְאֹותָ֖ם לֹ֣א יַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּֽי־עֲגָבִ֤ים בְּפִיהֶם֙ הֵ֣מָּה עֹשִׂ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֥י בִצְעָ֖ם לִבָּ֥ם הֹלֵֽךְ׃

So my people come and visit you like they usually do. They sit and listen to the message you share, but they don't do anything about it. Even though they talk about love, all they're thinking about is how to cheat others.

32 וְהִנְּךָ֤ לָהֶם֙ כְּשִׁ֣יר עֲגָבִ֔ים יְפֵ֥ה קֹ֖ול וּמֵטִ֣ב נַגֵּ֑ן וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ וְעֹשִׂ֥ים אֵינָ֖ם אֹותָֽם׃

In fact, to them you're just someone who sings love songs with a lovely voice and who is a fine musician. They listen to the message you share, but they don't do anything about it.

33 וּבְבֹאָ֑הּ הִנֵּ֣ה בָאָ֔ה וְיָ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י נָבִ֖יא הָיָ֥ה בְתֹוכָֽם׃ ס

So when what you say does happen (and it will), then they will realize that they did have a prophet among them.”