Ezekiel 33 (Yechezkel) in Hebrew and English
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Text (469) 608-9944Ezekiel, Chapter 33
Hashem sets the son of man as a watchman over the house of Israel to warn the wicked to turn and live; a fugitive from Yerushalayim brings word that the city is smitten; those left in the wastes who claim the land are told they shall not possess it, and the people hear the prophet’s words but do them not.
33:1Again the word of Hashem came unto me, saying,
אוַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
33:2“Son of man, speak to the children of your 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:
בבֶּן־אָדָ֗ם דַּבֵּ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֶ֕רֶץ כִּֽי־אָבִ֥יא עָלֶ֖יהָ חָ֑רֶב וְלָקְח֨וּ עַם־הָאָ֜רֶץ אִ֤ישׁ אֶחָד֙ מִקְצֵיהֶ֔ם וְנָתְנ֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ לָהֶ֖ם לְצֹפֶֽה׃
33:3If when he sees the sword come upon the land, he blow the shofar (trumpet), and warn the people;
גוְרָאָ֥ה אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב בָּאָ֣ה עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְתָקַ֥ע בַּשּׁוֹפָ֖ר וְהִזְהִ֥יר אֶת־הָעָֽם׃
33:4Then whosoever hears the sound of the shofar, and takes not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
דוְשָׁמַ֨ע הַשֹּׁמֵ֜עַ אֶת־ק֤וֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר֙ וְלֹ֣א נִזְהָ֔ר וַתָּ֥בוֹא חֶ֖רֶב וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ דָּמ֥וֹ בְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ יִֽהְיֶֽה׃
33:5He heard the sound of the shofar, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that takes warning shall deliver his soul.
האֵת֩ ק֨וֹל הַשּׁוֹפָ֤ר שָׁמַע֙ וְלֹ֣א נִזְהָ֔ר דָּמ֖וֹ בּ֣וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֑ה וְה֥וּא נִזְהָ֖ר נַפְשׁ֥וֹ מִלֵּֽט׃
33:6But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the shofar, 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.’
ווְ֠הַצֹּפֶה כִּֽי־יִרְאֶ֨ה אֶת־הַחֶ֜רֶב בָּאָ֗ה וְלֹֽא־תָקַ֤ע בַּשּׁוֹפָר֙ וְהָעָ֣ם לֹֽא־נִזְהָ֔ר וַתָּב֣וֹא חֶ֔רֶב וַתִּקַּ֥ח מֵהֶ֖ם נָ֑פֶשׁ ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֺנ֣וֹ נִלְקָ֔ח וְדָמ֖וֹ מִיַּֽד־הַצֹּפֶ֥ה אֶדְרֹֽשׁ׃
33:7So you, O son of man, I have set you a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me.
זוְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם צֹפֶ֥ה נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ מִפִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
33:8When I say unto the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die’; if you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand.
חבְּאָמְרִ֣י לָרָשָׁ֗ע רָשָׁע֙ מ֣וֹת תָּמ֔וּת וְלֹ֣א דִבַּ֔רְתָּ לְהַזְהִ֥יר רָשָׁ֖ע מִדַּרְכּ֑וֹ ה֤וּא רָשָׁע֙ בַּעֲוֺנ֣וֹ יָמ֔וּת וְדָמ֖וֹ מִיָּדְךָ֥ אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
33:9Nevertheless, if you 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 you have delivered your soul.
טוְ֠אַתָּה כִּֽי־הִזְהַ֨רְתָּ רָשָׁ֤ע מִדַּרְכּוֹ֙ לָשׁ֣וּב מִמֶּ֔נָּה וְלֹא־שָׁ֖ב מִדַּרְכּ֑וֹ ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֺנ֣וֹ יָמ֔וּת וְאַתָּ֖ה נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃
33:10Therefore, O you son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, ‘Thus you speak, saying, “If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?”’
יוְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם אֱמֹר֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֵּ֤ן אֲמַרְתֶּם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כִּֽי־פְשָׁעֵ֥ינוּ וְחַטֹּאתֵ֖ינוּ עָלֵ֑ינוּ וּבָ֛ם אֲנַ֥חְנוּ נְמַקִּ֖ים וְאֵ֥יךְ נִֽחְיֶֽה׃
33:11Say unto them, ‘As I live, says the Lord Hashem, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn you, turn you from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?’
יאאֱמֹ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם חַי־אָ֣נִי ׀ נְאֻ֣ם ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה אִם־אֶחְפֹּץ֙ בְּמ֣וֹת הָרָשָׁ֔ע כִּ֣י אִם־בְּשׁ֥וּב רָשָׁ֛ע מִדַּרְכּ֖וֹ וְחָיָ֑ה שׁ֣וּבוּ שׁ֜וּבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֧ם הָרָעִ֛ים וְלָ֥מָּה תָמ֖וּתוּ בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
33:12Therefore, you son of man, say unto the children of your 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 turns from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sins.’
יבוְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם אֱמֹ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙ צִדְקַ֣ת הַצַּדִּ֗יק לֹ֤א תַצִּילֶ֨נּוּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם פִּשְׁע֔וֹ וְרִשְׁעַ֤ת הָֽרָשָׁע֙ לֹֽא־יִכָּ֣שֶׁל בָּ֔הּ בְּי֖וֹם שׁוּב֣וֹ מֵֽרִשְׁע֑וֹ וְצַדִּ֗יק לֹ֥א יוּכַ֛ל לִֽחְי֥וֹת בָּ֖הּ בְּי֥וֹם חֲטֹאתֽוֹ׃
33:13When 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 has committed, he shall die for it.
יגבְּאָמְרִ֤י לַצַּדִּיק֙ חָיֹ֣ה יִֽחְיֶ֔ה וְהֽוּא־בָטַ֥ח עַל־צִדְקָת֖וֹ וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֑וֶל כָּל־צִדְקֹתָיו֙ (כתיב צדקתו) לֹ֣א תִזָּכַ֔רְנָה וּבְעַוְל֥וֹ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה בּ֥וֹ יָמֽוּת׃
33:14Again, when I say unto the wicked, ‘You shall surely die’; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
ידוּבְאָמְרִ֥י לָֽרָשָׁ֖ע מ֣וֹת תָּמ֑וּת וְשָׁב֙ מֵֽחַטָּאת֔וֹ וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָֽה׃
33:15If 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.
טוחֲבֹ֨ל יָשִׁ֤יב רָשָׁע֙ גְּזֵלָ֣ה יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם בְּחֻקּ֤וֹת הַֽחַיִּים֙ הָלַ֔ךְ לְבִלְתִּ֖י עֲשׂ֣וֹת עָ֑וֶל חָי֥וֹ יִֽחְיֶ֖ה לֹ֥א יָמֽוּת׃
33:16None of his sins that he has committed shall be mentioned unto him: he has done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
טזכָּל־חַטֹּאתָיו֙ (כתיב חטאתו) אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֔א לֹ֥א תִזָּכַ֖רְנָה ל֑וֹ מִשְׁפָּ֧ט וּצְדָקָ֛ה עָשָׂ֖ה חָי֥וֹ יִֽחְיֶֽה׃
33:17Yet the children of your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal’: but as for them, their way is not equal.
יזוְאָמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמְּךָ֔ לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵ֖ן דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲדֹנָ֑י וְהֵ֖מָּה דַּרְכָּ֥ם לֹֽא־יִתָּכֵֽן׃
33:18When the righteous turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
יחבְּשׁוּב־צַדִּ֥יק מִצִּדְקָת֖וֹ וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֑וֶל וּמֵ֖ת בָּהֶֽם׃
33:19But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
יטוּבְשׁ֤וּב רָשָׁע֙ מֵֽרִשְׁעָת֔וֹ וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָ֑ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם ה֥וּא יִֽחְיֶֽה׃
33:20Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ O you house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.”
כוַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵ֖ן דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲדֹנָ֑י אִ֧ישׁ כִּדְרָכָ֛יו אֶשְׁפּ֥וֹט אֶתְכֶ֖ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל פ
33:21And 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 Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) came unto me, saying, “The city is smitten.”
כאוַיְהִ֞י בִּשְׁתֵּ֧י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֗ה בָּעֲשִׂרִ֛י בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ לְגָלוּתֵ֑נוּ בָּא־אֵלַ֨י הַפָּלִ֧יט מִירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם לֵאמֹ֖ר הֻכְּתָ֥ה הָעִֽיר׃
33:22Now the hand of Hashem 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.
כבוְיַד־יְהוָה֩ הָיְתָ֨ה אֵלַ֜י בָּעֶ֗רֶב לִפְנֵי֙ בּ֣וֹא הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיִּפְתַּ֣ח אֶת־פִּ֔י עַד־בּ֥וֹא אֵלַ֖י בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיִּפָּ֣תַח פִּ֔י וְלֹ֥א נֶאֱלַ֖מְתִּי עֽוֹד׃
33:23Then the word of Hashem came unto me, saying,
כגוַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
33:24“Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, ‘Avraham (Abraham) was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.’
כדבֶּן־אָדָ֗ם יֹ֠שְׁבֵי הֶחֳרָב֨וֹת הָאֵ֜לֶּה עַל־אַדְמַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֹמְרִ֣ים לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶחָד֙ הָיָ֣ה אַבְרָהָ֔ם וַיִּירַ֖שׁ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ רַבִּ֔ים לָ֛נוּ נִתְּנָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ לְמוֹרָשָֽׁה׃
33:25Wherefore say unto them, ‘Thus says the Lord Hashem, “You eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall you possess the land?
כהלָכֵן֩ אֱמֹ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֗ה עַל־הַדָּ֧ם ׀ תֹּאכֵ֛לוּ וְעֵינֵכֶ֛ם תִּשְׂא֥וּ אֶל־גִּלּוּלֵיכֶ֖ם וְדָ֣ם תִּשְׁפֹּ֑כוּ וְהָאָ֖רֶץ תִּירָֽשׁוּ׃
33:26You stand upon your sword, you work abomination, and you defile every one his neighbour’s wife: and shall you possess the land?”’
כועֲמַדְתֶּ֤ם עַֽל־חַרְבְּכֶם֙ עֲשִׂיתֶ֣ן תּוֹעֵבָ֔ה וְאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת רֵעֵ֖הוּ טִמֵּאתֶ֑ם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ תִּירָֽשׁוּ׃
33:27Say you thus unto them, ‘Thus says the Lord Hashem, “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 are in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
כזכֹּֽה־תֹאמַ֨ר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם כֹּה־אָמַ֨ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֮ חַי־אָנִי֒ אִם־לֹ֞א אֲשֶׁ֤ר בֶּֽחֳרָבוֹת֙ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֔לוּ וַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לַחַיָּ֥ה נְתַתִּ֖יו לְאָכְל֑וֹ וַאֲשֶׁ֛ר בַּמְּצָד֥וֹת וּבַמְּעָר֖וֹת בַּדֶּ֥בֶר יָמֽוּתוּ׃
33:28For 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.
כחוְנָתַתִּ֤י אֶת־הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ שְׁמָמָ֣ה וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה וְנִשְׁבַּ֖ת גְּא֣וֹן עֻזָּ֑הּ וְשָֽׁמְמ֛וּ הָרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֵ֥ין עוֹבֵֽר׃
33:29Then shall they know that I am Hashem, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.”’
כטוְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה בְּתִתִּ֤י אֶת־הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ שְׁמָמָ֣ה וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה עַ֥ל כָּל־תּוֹעֲבֹתָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשֽׂוּ׃
33:30Also, you son of man, the children of your people still are talking against you 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 comes forth from Hashem.’
לוְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם בְּנֵ֣י עַמְּךָ֗ הַנִּדְבָּרִ֤ים בְּךָ֙ אֵ֣צֶל הַקִּיר֔וֹת וּבְפִתְחֵ֖י הַבָּתִּ֑ים וְדִבֶּר־חַ֣ד אֶת־אַחַ֗ד אִ֤ישׁ אֶת־אָחִיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֹּֽאוּ־נָ֣א וְשִׁמְע֔וּ מָ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר הַיּוֹצֵ֖א מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃
33:31And they come unto you as the people comes, and they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness.
לאוְיָב֣וֹאוּ אֵ֠לֶיךָ כִּמְבוֹא־עָ֞ם וְיֵשְׁב֤וּ לְפָנֶ֨יךָ֙ עַמִּ֔י וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ וְאוֹתָ֖ם לֹ֣א יַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּֽי־עֲגָבִ֤ים בְּפִיהֶם֙ הֵ֣מָּה עֹשִׂ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֥י בִצְעָ֖ם לִבָּ֥ם הֹלֵֽךְ׃
33:32And, lo, you are unto them as a very lovely song of one that has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear your words, but they do them not.
לבוְהִנְּךָ֤ לָהֶם֙ כְּשִׁ֣יר עֲגָבִ֔ים יְפֵ֥ה ק֖וֹל וּמֵטִ֣ב נַגֵּ֑ן וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ וְעֹשִׂ֥ים אֵינָ֖ם אוֹתָֽם׃
33:33And when this comes to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet has been among them.”
לגוּבְבֹאָ֑הּ הִנֵּ֣ה בָאָ֔ה וְיָ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י נָבִ֖יא הָיָ֥ה בְתוֹכָֽם׃
Sources & method
- Hebrew text
- The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
- English translation
- The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
- Verse numbers
- Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In Ezekiel they differ from most English Bibles, or a verse is divided differently, in chapters 20 and 21; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
- Hebrew font
- SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.