God Appoints Ezekiel as a Lookout
(Ezekiel 3.16-21)1 The Lord spoke to me. 2 “Mortal man,” he said, “tell your people what happens when I bring war to a land. The people of that country choose one of their number to be a lookout. 3 When he sees the enemy approaching, he sounds the alarm to warn everyone. 4 If someone hears it but pays no attention and the enemy comes and kills him, then he is to blame for his own death. 5 His death is his own fault, because he paid no attention to the warning. If he had paid attention, he could have escaped. 6 If, however, the lookout sees the enemy coming and does not sound the alarm, the enemy will come and kill those sinners, but I will hold the lookout responsible for their death.
7 “Now, mortal man, I am making you a lookout for the nation of Israel. You must pass on to them the warnings I give you. 8 If I announce that an evil person is going to die but you do not warn him to change his ways so that he can save his life, then he will die, still a sinner, and I will hold you responsible for his death. 9 If you do warn an evil person and he doesn't stop sinning, he will die, still a sinner, but your life will be spared.”
Individual Responsibility
10 The Lord spoke to me. “Mortal man,” he said, “repeat to the Israelites what they are saying: ‘We are burdened with our sins and the wrongs we have done. We are wasting away. How can we live?’ 11 Tell them that as surely as I, the Sovereign Lord, am the living God, I do not enjoy seeing sinners die. I would rather see them stop sinning and live. Israel, stop the evil you are doing. Why do you want to die?
12 “Now, mortal man, tell the Israelites that when someone good sins, the good he has done will not save him. If an evil person stops doing evil, he won't be punished, and if a good man starts sinning, his life will not be spared. 13 I may promise life to someone good, but if he starts thinking that his past goodness is enough and begins to sin, I will not remember any of the good he did. He will die because of his sins. 14 I may warn someone evil that he is going to die, but if he stops sinning and does what is right and good— 15 for example, if he returns the security he took for a loan or gives back what he stole—if he stops sinning and follows the laws that give life, he will not die, but live. 16 I will forgive the sins he has committed, and he will live because he has done what is right and good.
17 “And your people say that what I do isn't right! No, it's their way that isn't right. 18 When someone righteous stops doing good and starts doing evil, he will die for it. 19 When someone evil quits sinning and does what is right and good, he has saved his life. 20 But Israel, you say that what I do isn't right. I am going to judge you by what you do.”
The News of Jerusalem's Fall
21 On the fifth day of the tenth month of the twelfth year of our exile, someone who had escaped from Jerusalem came and told me that the city had fallen. 22 The evening before he came, I had felt the powerful presence of the Lord. When the man arrived the next morning, the Lord gave me back the power of speech.
The Sins of the People
23 The Lord spoke to me. 24 “Mortal man,” he said, “the people who are living in the ruined cities of the land of Israel are saying: ‘Abraham was only one man, and he was given the whole land. There are many of us, so now the land is ours.’
25 “Tell them what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying: You eat meat with the blood still in it. You worship idols. You commit murder. What makes you think that the land belongs to you? 26 You rely on your swords. Your actions are disgusting. Everyone commits adultery. What makes you think that the land is yours?
27 “Tell them that I, the Sovereign Lord, warn them that as surely as I am the living God, the people who live in the ruined cities will be killed. Those living in the country will be eaten by wild animals. Those hiding in the mountains and in caves will die of disease. 28 I will make the country a desolate wasteland, and the power they were so proud of will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be so wild that no one will be able to travel through them. 29 When I punish the people for their sins and make the country a wasteland, then they will know that I am the Lord.”
The Results of the Prophet's Message
30 The Lord said, “Mortal man, your people are talking about you when they meet by the city walls or in the doorways of their houses. They say to one another, ‘Let's go and hear what word has come from the Lord now.’ 31 So my people crowd in to hear what you have to say, but they don't do what you tell them to do. Loving words are on their lips, but they continue their greedy ways. 32 To them you are nothing more than an entertainer singing love songs or playing a harp. They listen to all your words and don't obey a single one of them. 33 But when all your words come true—and they will come true—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
1 Again, the woorde of the Lord came vnto me, saying, 2 Sonne of man, speake to the children of thy people, and say vnto them, When I bring the sworde vpon a lande, if the people of the lande take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, 3 If when hee seeth the sworde come vpon ye land, he blow the trumpet, and warne the people, 4 Then hee that heareth the sounde of the trumpet, and will not bee warned, if the sworde come, and take him away, his blood shall be vpon his owne head. 5 For he heard the sound of the trumpet, and woulde not bee admonished: therefore his blood shall be vpon him: but he that receiueth warning, shall saue his life. 6 But if the watchman see the sworde come, and blowe not the trumpet, and the people be not warned: if the sworde come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away for his iniquitie, but his blood will I require at the watchmans hande. 7 So thou, O sonne of man, I haue made thee a watchman vnto the house of Israel: therefore thou shalt heare the woorde at my mouth, and admonish them from me. 8 When I shall say vnto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt die the death, if thou doest not speake, and admonish the wicked of his way, that wicked man shall die for his iniquitie, but his blood will I require at thine hand. 9 Neuerthelesse, If thou warne the wicked of his way, to turne from it, if he doe not turne from his way, he shall die for his iniquitie, but thou hast deliuered thy soule. 10 Therefore, O thou sonne of man, speake vnto the house of Israel, Thus yee speake and say, If our transgressions and our sinnes bee vpon vs, and we are consumed because of them, howe should we then liue? 11 Say vnto them, As I liue, sayeth the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his way and liue: turne you, turne you from your euill waies, for why will ye die, O ye house of Israel? 12 Therefore thou sonne of man, saye vnto the children of thy people, The righteousnesse of the righteous shall not deliuer him in the day of his transgression, nor the wickednesse of the wicked shall cause him to fall therein, in the day that he returneth from his wickednesse, neither shall the righteous liue for his righteousnesse in the day that he sinneth. 13 When I shall say vnto the righteous, that he shall surely liue, if he trust to his owne righteousnes, and commit iniquitie, all his righteousnes shall be no more remembred, but for his iniquitie that he hath committed, he shall die for the same. 14 Againe when I shall say vnto the wicked, thou shalt die the death, if he turne from his sinne, and doe that which is lawfull and right, 15 To wit, if the wicked restore the pledge, and giue againe that he had robbed, and walke in the statutes of life, without committing iniquitie, he shall surely liue, and not die. 16 None of his sinnes that he hath comitted, shall be mentioned vnto him: because he hath done that, which is lawful, and right, he shall surely liue. 17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equall: but their owne way is vnequall. 18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousnesse, and committeth iniquitie, he shall euen die thereby. 19 But if the wicked returne from his wickednesse, and doe that which is lawfull and right, hee shall liue thereby. 20 Yet yee say, The way of the Lord is not equall. O ye house of Israel, I will iudge you euery one after his waies. 21 Also in the twelfth yere of our captiuitie, in the tenth moneth, and in the fift day of the moneth, one that had escaped out of Ierusalem, came vnto me, and said, The citie is smitten. 22 Now the hand of the Lord had bene vpon me in ye euening afore hee that had escaped, came, and had opened my mouth vntill he came to me in the morning: and when hee had opened my mouth, I was no more dumme. 23 Againe the worde of the Lord came vnto me, and saide, 24 Sonne of man, these that dwel in the desolate places of the land of Israel, talke and say, Abraham was but one, and hee possessed the lande: but we are many, therefore the lande shall be giuen vs in possession. 25 Wherefore say vnto them, Thus saieth the Lord God, Ye eate with the blood, and lift vp your eyes towarde your idoles, and sheade blood: should ye then possesse the land? 26 Ye leane vpon your swordes: ye worke abomination, and yee defile euery one his neighbours wife: should ye then possesse the land? 27 Say thus vnto them, Thus saieth the Lord God, As I liue, so surely they that are in the desolate places, shall fall by the sword: and him that is in the open field, will I giue vnto the beasts to be deuoured: and they that be in the forts and in the caues, shall die of the pestilence. 28 For I will lay the land desolate and waste, and the pompe of her strength shall cease: and the moutaines of Israel shalbe desolate, and none shall passe through. 29 Then shall they know that I am the Lord, when I haue laid ye land desolate and wast, because of al their abominations, that they haue committed. 30 Also thou sonne of man, the children of thy people that talke of thee by the wals and in the dores of houses, and speake one to another, euery one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord. 31 For they come vnto thee, as the people vseth to come: and my people sit before thee, and heare thy wordes, but they will not doe them: for with their mouthes they make iestes, and their heart goeth after their couetousnesse. 32 And loe, thou art vnto them, as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voyce, and can sing well: for they heare thy woordes, but they doe them not. 33 And when this commeth to passe (for loe, it will come) then shall they know, that a Prophet hath bene among them.