Ezekiel 33:8

If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to dissuade him from his way, then that wicked man will die in his iniquity, yet I will hold you accountable for his blood.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Ezekiel as a watchman for the house of Israel, assigning him the duty to deliver divine warnings at this specific moment of prophetic commission.

The words — The Hebrew לָ/רָשָׁ֗ע (la./ra.Sha') translates literally to "to the wicked," while דִבַּ֔רְתָּ (di.Bar.ta) means "you have spoken," marking the required verbal act.

The thread — This warning mandate and its consequences appear in Ezekiel 33:6 and Ezekiel 33:9, while the principle of messenger accountability parallels Acts 20:26.

Why it lands — The text commands the watchman to speak a direct warning to the wicked before judgment arrives, establishing that failure to proclaim the message transfers accountability to the messenger.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

בְּאָמְרִ֣יbe./'a.me.R/iwhen/ say/ I לָרָשָׁ֗עla./ra.Sha'to the/ wicked [person]רָשָׁע֙ra.Sha'O wicked [person]מ֣וֹתMotsurely <die>תָּמ֔וּתta.Mutyou will die וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not דִבַּ֔רְתָּdi.Bar.tayou have spoken לְהַזְהִ֥ירle./haz.Hirto/ warn רָשָׁ֖עra.Sha'[the] wicked [person]מִדַּרְכּ֑וֹmi./dar.K/ofrom/ way/ his ה֤וּאhu'that רָשָׁע֙ra.Sha'wicked [person]בַּעֲוֹנ֣וֹba./'a.vo.N/oin/ iniquity/ his יָמ֔וּתya.Muthe will die וְדָמ֖וֹve./da.M/oand/ blood/ his מִיָּדְךָ֥mi./ya.de./Khafrom/ hand/ your אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃'a.va.KeshI will require

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Acts 20:26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
Ezekiel 33:6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and fails to blow the horn to warn the people, and the sword comes and takes away a life, then that one will be taken away in his iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.’
Ezekiel 33:14 But if I tell the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and he turns from his sin and does what is just and right—
Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
Genesis 3:4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent told the woman.
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.
Proverbs 11:21 Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.
Isaiah 3:11 Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.
Jeremiah 8:11 They dress the wound of the daughter of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.
Ezekiel 18:18 As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.