Again the word of the LORD
came unto me, saying
,
Son of man
, speak
to the children
of thy 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
:
If when he seeth the sword
come
upon the land
, he blow
the trumpet
, and warn
the people
;
Then whosoever heareth
the sound
of the trumpet
, and taketh not warning
; if the sword
come
, and take him away
, his blood
shall be upon his own head
.
He heard the sound
of the trumpet
, and took not warning
; his blood
shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning
shall deliver
his soul
.
But if the watchman see
the sword
come
, and blow
not the trumpet
, 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
.
So thou, O son of man
, I have set
thee a watchman
unto the house
of Israel
; therefore thou shalt hear
the word
at my mouth
, and warn
them from me.
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
.
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
.
Therefore, O thou son of man
, speak
unto the house
of Israel
; Thus ye speak
, saying
, If our transgressions
and our sins
be upon us, and we pine away
in them, how should we then live
?
Say unto them, As I live
, saith
the Lord
GOD
, I have no pleasure
in the death
of the wicked
; but that the wicked
turn
from his way
and live
: turn
ye, turn
ye from your evil
ways
; for why will ye die
, O house
of Israel
?
Therefore, thou son of man
, say
unto the children
of thy 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 turneth
from his wickedness
; neither shall the righteous
be able
to live
for his righteousness in the day
that he sinneth
.
When 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 hath committed
, he shall die
for it.
Again, when I say unto the wicked
, Thou shalt surely
die
; if he turn
from his sin
, and do
that which is lawful
and right
;
If 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
.
None of his sins that he hath committed
shall be mentioned
unto him: he hath done
that which is lawful
and right
; he shall surely
live
.
Yet the children of thy people
say
, The way
of the Lord
is not equal
: but as for them, their way
is not equal
.
When the righteous turneth
from his righteousness
, and committeth
iniquity
, he shall even die
thereby.
But if the wicked turn
from his wickedness
, and do
that which is lawful
and right
, he shall live
thereby.
Yet ye say, The way
of the Lord
is not equal
. O ye house
of Israel
, I will judge
you every one
after his ways
.
And 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 Jerusalem
came
unto me, saying
, The city
is smitten
.
Now the hand of the LORD
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
.
Then the word of the LORD
came unto me, saying
,
Son of man
, they that inhabit
those wastes
of the land
of Israel
speak
, saying
, Abraham
was one
, and he inherited
the land
: but we are many
; the land
is given
us for inheritance
.
Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith
the Lord
GOD
; Ye eat
with the blood
, and lift up
your eyes
toward your idols
, and shed
blood
: and shall ye possess
the land
?
Ye stand upon your sword
, ye work
abomination
, and ye defile
every one
his neighbour's
wife
: and shall ye possess
the land
?
Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith
the Lord
GOD
; 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 be in the forts
and in the caves
shall die
of the pestilence
.
For 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
.
Then shall they know that I am the LORD
, when I have laid
the land
most
desolate
because of all their abominations
which they have committed
.
Also, thou son of man
, the children
of thy people
still are talking
against
thee 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 cometh forth
from the LORD
.
And they come unto thee as the people
cometh
, and they sit
before
thee as my people
, and they hear
thy words
, but they will not do
them: for with their mouth
they shew
much love
, but their heart
goeth
after
their covetousness
.
And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song
of one that hath a pleasant
voice
, and can play well
on an instrument
: for they hear
thy words
, but they do
them not.
And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come
,) then shall they know
that a prophet
hath been among
them.