Ezekiel 33:9

But if you warn the wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from it, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved your life.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Ezekiel, defining the prophet’s obligation to issue a warning to the wicked. This directive immediately follows Ezekiel 33:8, where God establishes that silence on the prophet’s part makes him accountable for the wicked man’s blood.

The words — The Hebrew הִזְהַ֨רְתָּ (hiz.Har.ta) carries the literal sense of issuing a formal warning or caution, while רָשָׁ֤ע (ra.Sha') specifies the wicked person as the target. These terms establish the prophetic task as a direct, unambiguous confrontation rather than a suggestion.

The thread — This structural pattern repeats in Ezekiel 3:19, where the identical warning and consequence are given, and functions as the underlying principle in Acts 20:26. It parallels Proverbs 15:10 by consistently tying the rejection of correction to inescapable death.

Why it lands — The text states that delivering the warning removes the prophet’s liability, regardless of whether the wicked man turns. The reader is asked to fulfill the proclamation duty precisely, accepting that the outcome rests on the listener’s response, not the messenger’s effort.

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

וְ֠אַתָּהVe./'a.tahand/ you כִּֽי־ki-if הִזְהַ֨רְתָּhiz.Har.tayou have warned רָשָׁ֤עra.Sha'[the] wicked [person]מִדַּרְכּוֹ֙mi./dar.K/ofrom/ way/ his לָשׁ֣וּבla./Shuvto/ turn back מִמֶּ֔נָּהmi.Me./nahfrom/ it וְלֹא־ve./lo'-and/ not שָׁ֖בshavhe has turned back מִדַּרְכּ֑וֹmi./dar.K/ofrom/ way/ his ה֚וּאhu'he בַּעֲוֹנ֣וֹba./'a.vo.N/oin/ iniquity/ his יָמ֔וּתya.Muthe will die וְאַתָּ֖הve./'a.Tahand/ you נַפְשְׁךָ֥naf.she./Khalife/ your הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ סhi.Tzal.tayou have delivered

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Ezekiel 3:19 But if you warn a wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness and his wicked way, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved yourself.
Acts 20:26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
Proverbs 15:10 Discipline is harsh for him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.
Ezekiel 3:21 But if you warn the righteous man not to sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he heeded your warning, and you will have saved yourself.”
Proverbs 29:1 A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.
Luke 12:47 That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.
John 8:24 That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
Acts 13:40 Watch out, then, that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you:
Acts 18:5 And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
Acts 28:23 So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.