וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר׃   33:1

Ezek. 33:1   And the word of the Lord occurred to me saying,

בֶּן־אָדָם דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי־עַמְּךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם אֶרֶץ כִּי־אָבִיא עָלֶיהָ חָרֶב וְלָקְחוּ עַם־הָאָרֶץ אִישׁ אֶחָד   33:2 מִקְצֵיהֶם וְנָתְנוּ אֹתֹו לָהֶם לְצֹפֶה׃

Ezek. 33:2   “Human, Speak to the children of your people, and you shall say to them, ‘A land, when I bring a sword against it, and the people of the land take one man from their borders and set him as a watchman for them,

וְרָאָה אֶת־הַחֶרֶב בָּאָה עַל־הָאָרֶץ וְתָקַע בַּשֹּׁופָר וְהִזְהִיר אֶת־הָעָם׃   33:3

Ezek. 33:3   and he sees the sword coming upon the land, and he gives a blast on the horn and warns the people,

וְשָׁמַע הַשֹּׁמֵעַ אֶת־קֹול הַשֹּׁופָר וְלֹא נִזְהָר וַתָּבֹוא חֶרֶב וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ דָּמֹו בְרֹאשֹׁו יִהְיֶה׃   33:4

Ezek. 33:4   and whoever hears the sound of the horn and does not heed and the sword comes and gets him, his blood shall be on his head.’

אֵת קֹול הַשֹּׁופָר שָׁמַע וְלֹא נִזְהָר דָּמֹו בֹּו יִהְיֶה וְהוּא נִזְהָר נַפְשֹׁו מִלֵּט׃   33:5

Ezek. 33:5   ‘He heard the sound of the horn but not did heed; his blood must be on him; if he took heed he delivered his soul.’

וְהַצֹּפֶה כִּי־יִרְאֶה אֶת־הַחֶרֶב בָּאָה וְלֹא־תָקַע בַּשֹּׁופָר וְהָעָם לֹא־נִזְהָר וַתָּבֹוא חֶרֶב וַתִּקַּח מֵהֶם   33:6      נָפֶשׁ הוּא בַּעֲוֹנֹו נִלְקָח וְדָמֹו מִיַּד־הַצֹּפֶה אֶדְרֹשׁ׃

Ezek. 33:6   ‘But if the watchman sees the sword coming but does not sound a blast on the horn that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and gets any one from them, he was taken in his iniquity, but I shall require his blood from the hand of the watchman.’”

וְאַתָּה בֶן־אָדָם צֹפֶה נְתַתִּיךָ לְבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשָׁמַעְתָּ מִפִּי דָּבָר וְהִזְהַרְתָּ אֹתָם מִמֶּנִּי׃   33:7

Ezek. 33:7   “Now I have appointed you, human, a watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear the word from My mouth, then you shall warn them from Me.”

I will have more to say about this chapter at the end.  But for now, I want to say that I believe the foregoing six verses are a warning not so much to the Jews (as implied in v. 33:2), but primarily to Ezekiel, and they support my contention that Ezekiel is not merely a reluctant prophet, but a recalcitrant, taciturn one.  This belief is also supported below, as I will point out.  As I’ve already remarked, I believe Ezekiel has not yet interacted orally with his community (except maybe once).  So thus far he has been primarily little more than a scribe.  The lecture to Ezekiel continues further.

בְּאָמְרִי לָרָשָׁע רָשָׁע מֹות תָּמוּת וְלֹא דִבַּרְתָּ לְהַזְהִיר רָשָׁע מִדַּרְכֹּו הוּא רָשָׁע בַעֲוֹנֹו יָמוּת וְדָמֹו   33:8       מִיָּדְךָ אֲבַקֵּשׁ׃

Ezek. 33:8   “On My saying to the wicked, ‘Wicked one, Surely you shall die,’ and you did not speak to warn the wicked one from his way, that wicked one shall die because of his iniquity, and I shall require his blood from your hand.”

וְאַתָּה כִּי־הִזְהַרְתָּ רָשָׁע מִדַּרְכֹּו לָשׁוּב מִמֶּנָּה וְלֹא־שָׁב מִדַּרְכֹּו הוּא בַּעֲוֹנֹו יָמוּת וְאַתָּה נַפְשְׁךָ   33:9          הִצַּלְתָּ׃

Ezek. 33:9   “But you if you warn the wicked one from his way to return from it, but he does not turn from his way, he shall die because of his iniquity, and you have delivered your soul.”

וְאַתָּה בֶן־אָדָם אֱמֹר אֶל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל כֵּן אֲמַרְתֶּם לֵאמֹר כִּי־פְשָׁעֵינוּ וְחַטֹּאתֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ וּבָם אֲנַחְנוּ   33:10 נְמַקִּים וְאֵיךְ נִחְיֶה׃

Ezek. 33:10   “So you, human, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus you speak saying, ‘If our transgressions and our sins are on us, and because of them we are decaying, then how can we live?’”

אֱמֹר אֲלֵיהֶם חַי־אָנִי נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה אִם־אֶחְפֹּץ בְּמֹות הָרָשָׁע כִּי אִם־בְּשׁוּב רָשָׁע מִדַּרְכֹּו וְחָיָה   33:11 שׁוּבוּ שׁוּבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶם הָרָעִים וְלָמָּה תָמוּתוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

Ezek. 33:11   “Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Master, the Lord, I can have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but only in the return of the wicked from his way that he might live.  Return!  Return from your ways of evil!  Then why would you die, house of Israel?’”

וְאַתָּה בֶן־אָדָם אֱמֹר אֶל־בְּנֵי־עַמְּךָ צִדְקַת הַצַּדִּיק לֹא תַצִּילֶנּוּ בְּיֹום פִּשְׁעֹו וְרִשְׁעַת הָרָשָׁע   33:12               לֹא־יִכָּשֶׁל בָּהּ בְּיֹום שׁוּבֹו מֵרִשְׁעֹו וְצַדִּיק לֹא יוּכַל לִחְיֹות בָּהּ בְּיֹום חֲטֹאתֹו׃

Ezek. 33:12   “And you, human, say to the children of your people, ‘The righteousness of the just man would not deliver him on the day of his transgression, and the wickedness of the wicked one, he shall not stumble because of it on the day of his turning from his wickedness; yea, the righteous one would not be able to stay alive because of it on the day of his sin.’

בְּאָמְרִי לַצַּדִּיק חָיֹה יִחְיֶה וְהוּא־בָטַח עַל־צִדְקָתֹו וְעָשָׂה עָוֶל כָּל־(צִדְקָתֹו) [צִדְקֹתָיו] לֹא תִזָּכַרְנָה    33:13 וּבְעַוְלֹו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה בֹּו יָמוּת׃

Ezek. 33:13   ‘By My saying to a righteous one surely he shall live, so he has confidence because of his righteousness and acts unjustly, all of his righteous acts will not be remembered, but because of his injustice that he committed, because of it he shall die.’

The word in parentheses, which I translate as his righteous acts, is spelled in the singular form (as is its earlier correct appearance in this verse), but this one should be plural.  The correction is in the brackets.

וּבְאָמְרִי לָרָשָׁע מֹות תָּמוּת וְשָׁב מֵחַטָּאתֹו וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה׃   33:14

Ezek. 33:14   ‘And by My saying to a wicked one, ‘Surely you shall die,’ and he turns from his sin and does justly and righteously,

חֲבֹל יָשִׁיב רָשָׁע גְּזֵלָה יְשַׁלֵּם בְּחֻקֹּות הַחַיִּים הָלַךְ לְבִלְתִּי עֲשֹׂות עָוֶל חָיֹו יִחְיֶה לֹא יָמוּת׃   33:15

Ezek. 33:15   the pledge would restore the wicked one, repay robbery.  Walking in the statutes of life, thus not committing injustice, he would preserve his life, he would not die.’

כָּל־(חַטָּאתֹו) [חַטֹּאתָיו] אֲשֶׁר חָטָא לֹא תִזָּכַרְנָה לֹו מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה עָשָׂה חָיֹו יִחְיֶה׃   33:16

Ezek. 33:16   ‘All his sins that he committed would not be remembered for him; he has acted justly and righteously; his life he has preserved.’”

The word in error found in the parentheses, translated as his sins, is also a case of incorrect singular spelling.  And the correction is in the brackets.

וְאָמְרוּ בְּנֵי עַמְּךָ לֹא יִתָּכֵן דֶּרֶךְ אֲדֹנָי וְהֵמָּה דַּרְכָּם לֹא־יִתָּכֵן׃   33:17

Ezek. 33:17   “Now the children of your people say, ‘The way of the Master can not be equal,’ but they, their way would not be equal.”

בְּשׁוּב־צַדִּיק מִצִּדְקָתֹו וְעָשָׂה עָוֶל וּמֵת בָּהֶם׃   33:18

Ezek. 33:18   “On the turning of a righteous one from his righteousness that he acts unjustly, then he would die because of them.”

וּבְשׁוּב רָשָׁע מֵרִשְׁעָתֹו וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה עֲלֵיהֶם הוּא יִחְיֶה׃   33:19

Ezek. 33:19   “And by the turning of a wicked one from his wickedness that he acts justly and rightly, because of them he shall live.”

וַאֲמַרְתֶּם לֹא יִתָּכֵן דֶּרֶךְ אֲדֹנָי אִישׁ כִּדְרָכָיו אֶשְׁפֹּוט אֶתְכֶם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל׃   33:20

Ezek. 33:20   “Still you say, ‘The way of the Master cannot be equal.’  I will judge you each according to his ways, house of Israel.”

וַיְהִי בִּשְׁתֵּי עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה בָּעֲשִׂרִי בַּחֲמִשָּׁה לַחֹדֶשׁ לְגָלוּתֵנוּ בָּא־אֵלַי הַפָּלִיט מִירוּשָׁלִַם לֵאמֹר הֻכְּתָה   33:21 הָעִיר׃

Ezek. 33:21   And it was in our captivity's twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, the refugee from Jerusalem came to me saying, “The city has been smitten.”

Assuming this is still the twelfth month, it took a while for the refugee to reach Ezekiel -- seven months.

וְיַד־יְהוָה הָיְתָה אֵלַי בָּעֶרֶב לִפְנֵי בֹּוא הַפָּלִיט וַיִּפְתַּח אֶת־פִּי עַד־בֹּוא אֵלַי בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּפָּתַח פִּי וְלֹא   33:22 נֶאֱלַמְתִּי עֹוד׃

Ezek. 33:22   Now the “hand” of the Lord had been by me on the evening before the arrival of the refugee, and He had opened my mouth during His coming to me in the morning, and my mouth was opened and I was not dumb any more.

The implication of this verse is that Ezekiel had not spoken until now.  Again I believe Ezekiel was slumbering when the “hand” of the Lord came on him, both evening and morning.

וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר׃   33:23

Ezek. 33:23   And the word of the Lord occurred to me saying,

בֶּן־אָדָם יֹשְׁבֵי הֶחֳרָבֹות הָאֵלֶּה עַל־אַדְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֹמְרִים לֵאמֹר אֶחָד הָיָה אַבְרָהָם וַיִּירַשׁ   33:24            אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וַאֲנַחְנוּ רַבִּים לָנוּ נִתְּנָה הָאָרֶץ לְמֹורָשָׁה׃

Ezek. 33:24   “Human, the inhabitants of those waste places on the soil of Israel are speaking saying, ‘Abraham was one and he inherited the land; but we are many; the land was given to us for a possession.’”

לָכֵן אֱמֹר אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה עַל־הַדָּם תֹּאכֵלוּ וְעֵינֵכֶם תִּשְׂאוּ אֶל־גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם וְדָם תִּשְׁפֹּכוּ   33:25    וְהָאָרֶץ תִּירָשׁוּ׃

Ezek. 33:25   “Therefore, say to them, ‘Thus says the Master, the Lord:  You would eat with the blood, and you would raise your eyes to your idols and shed blood.  Then should you possess the land?’

עֲמַדְתֶּם עַל־חַרְבְּכֶם עֲשִׂיתֶן תֹּועֵבָה וְאִישׁ אֶת־אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ טִמֵּאתֶם וְהָאָרֶץ תִּירָשׁוּ׃   33:26

Ezek. 33:26   ‘You remain with your sword, you practice abomination, and you each defile the wife of his neighbor.  Then should you possess the land?’”

כֹּה־תֹאמַר אֲלֵהֶם כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה חַי־אָנִי אִם־לֹא אֲשֶׁר בֶּחֳרָבֹות בַּחֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ וַאֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי   33:27 הַשָּׂדֶה לַחַיָּה נְתַתִּיו לְאָכְלֹו וַאֲשֶׁר בַּמְּצָדֹות וּבַמְּעָרֹות בַּדֶּבֶר יָמוּתוּ׃

Ezek. 33:27   “Thus you shall say to them:  ‘Thus says the Master, the Lord:  As I live, surely who are in the waste places by the sword shall fall, and who is on the surface of the field, I give him to the beast to devour him, and who are in strongholds and in caves shall die by pestilence.’

וְנָתַתִּי אֶת־הָאָרֶץ שְׁמָמָה וּמְשַׁמָּה וְנִשְׁבַּת גְּאֹון עֻזָּהּ וְשָׁמְמוּ הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֵין עֹובֵר׃   33:28

Ezek. 33:28   ‘And I will make the land a desolation and a horror, and the majesty of its strength shall be ended; even the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, with none passing over.’

וְיָדְעוּ כִּי־אֲנִי יְהוָה בְּתִתִּי אֶת־הָאָרֶץ שְׁמָמָה וּמְשַׁמָּה עַל כָּל־תֹּועֲבֹתָם אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ׃   33:29

Ezek. 33:29   ‘And they may know that I am the Lord by My making the land a desolation and a horror because of all their abominations that they had done.’”

וְאַתָּה בֶן־אָדָם בְּנֵי עַמְּךָ הַנִּדְבָּרִים בְּךָ אֵצֶל הַקִּירֹות וּבְפִתְחֵי הַבָּתִּים וְדִבֶּר־חַד אֶת־אַחַד אִישׁ   33:30    אֶת־אָחִיו לֵאמֹר בֹּאוּ־נָא וְשִׁמְעוּ מָה הַדָּבָר הַיֹּוצֵא מֵאֵת יְהוָה׃

Ezek. 33:30   “And you, human, those children of your people talking of you by the walls and at the doors of houses and speaking one with another, each with his kinsman saying, ‘Come now and hear what is the word coming forth from the Lord,’

וְיָבֹואוּ אֵלֶיךָ כִּמְבֹוא־עָם וְיֵשְׁבוּ לְפָנֶיךָ עַמִּי וְשָׁמְעוּ אֶת־דְּבָרֶיךָ וְאֹותָם לֹא יַעֲשׂוּ כִּי־עֲגָבִים   33:31         בְּפִיהֶם הֵמָּה עֹשִׂים אַחֲרֵי בִצְעָם לִבָּם הֹלֵךְ׃

Ezek. 33:31   and come to you like the people who come, and My people sit before you and hear your words but will not do them -- for they are accomplishing seduction with their mouths: their heart goes after their own gain,

וְהִנְּךָ לָהֶם כְּשִׁיר עֲגָבִים יְפֵה קֹול וּמֵטִב נַגֵּן וְשָׁמְעוּ אֶת־דְּבָרֶיךָ וְעֹשִׂים אֵינָם אֹותָם׃   33:32

Ezek. 33:32   and, lo, you are like a song of love, a beautiful sound, for them, even of pleasant strings playing, that they will hear your words but none of them are doing them,

וּבְבֹאָהּ הִנֵּה בָאָה וְיָדְעוּ כִּי נָבִיא הָיָה בְתֹוכָם׃   33:33

Ezek. 33:33   but with its coming -- behold, it is coming -- then they will know that a prophet had been among them.”

As I read and interpret this chapter, I see it as mostly about Ezekiel, not the Jews in exile.  Of the 29 informational  verses (ignoring 33:1 and 33:21, 22, and 23), I believe that 24 of them comprise a lecture (and warning) to Ezekiel, much of which is repetition, and perhaps five (vss. 33:25, 26, 27, 28, and 29) pertain directly to the people.

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