Again the word of the Lord came unto me ,.... After the delivery of various prophecies concerning the ruin of other nations, the Ammonites, Tyrians, and Egyptians, a fresh prophecy comes from the Lord concerning the Jews: saying ; as follows: read more
Son of man, speak to the children of thy people ,.... The Jews, of whom the prophet was; and designs those who were with him in the captivity; and who, having behaved so ill, the Lord will not own them for his people, but calls them the prophet's people, and the children of them: and say unto them, when I bring the sword upon a land ; a foreign enemy with an army to invade it, or any other judgment; for there is no public calamity whatever that comes upon a people, but what is by the... read more
If what he seeth the sword come upon the land ,.... Or those that kill with the sword, as the Targum; as soon as he observes a body of armed men, more or less, marching towards the borders of the land with a manifest intention to enter and invade it: he blow the trumpet, and warn the people ; warn the people by blowing the trumpet, the signal agreed on; by which they would understand that an enemy was at hand, or danger near; or warn them by word of mouth, as well as by the trumpet,... read more
Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh no warning ,.... Does not mind the notice given him; is incredulous of the danger he is in, or negligent of providing for his safety; fancies it is an alarm, and nothing else; and imagines there is no real danger, or what is a mere trifle; or, that the enemy is at a great distance, and it is time enough to provide for his defence: if the sword come and take him away ; those that kill with the sword, as the Targum, come suddenly... read more
He heard the sound of the trumpet ,.... The alarm of the enemy being at hand, and so was inexcusable: and took not warning ; which that gave him: his blood shall be upon him ; the fault shall be imputed to himself, and not another; and he must bear it himself, and answer for it, and not the watchman: but he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul ; who, hearing the sound of the trumpet, prepares for his own defence, and provides for his safety, he shall save his life, and not... read more
But if the watchman see the sword come ,.... Or those that kill with the sword, as the Targum is; so far doing the duty of his office as to be in the watchtower, and not asleep: and yet blow not the trumpet : to give the people notice of the enemy, and of their danger: and the people be not warned ; but in the utmost security, not apprehending themselves to be in any danger at all: if the sword come and take any person from among them ; even though but a single person: he is... read more
So thou, O son of man ,.... Here begins the application of the parable to the prophet himself, describing his office and his duty: I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel ; which is repeated from Ezekiel 3:17 ; see Gill on Ezekiel 3:17 . The Targum is, "I have appointed thee a teacher;' a spiritual watchman; so pastors, teachers, ministers of the Gospel, are watchmen, 2 Timothy 4:5 , therefore thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and warn them from me . The... read more
Son of man - if the people of the land take a man - The first ten verses of this chapter are the same with Ezekiel 3:17-22 ; and to what is said there on this most important and awful subject I must refer the reader. Here the People choose the watchman; there, the Lord appoints him. When God chooses, the people should approve. read more
If we may think of Ezekiel as compiling and arranging his own prophecies, we may think of him as returning, with something like a sense of relief, to his own special work as the watchman of the house of Israel. For upwards of two years the messages which it had been given him to write (how far they were in any sense published we have no means of knowing) in Ezekiel 25-32; had dealt exclusively with foreign nations. Now his own people are again the object of his care. He resumes his... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 33:1-9
The prophet had been, by express order from God, taken off from prophesying to the Jews, just then when the news came that Jerusalem was invested, and close siege laid to it, Ezek. 24:27. But now that Jerusalem is taken, two years after, he is appointed again to direct his speech to them; and there his commission is renewed. If God had abandoned them quite, he would not have sent prophets to them; nor, if he had not had mercy in store for them, would he have shown them such things as these. In... read more