Profeetat
Ezekiel Called as Watchman for the House of Israel
God establishes Ezekiel's role as a spiritual watchman for the house of Israel: If he does not warn the wicked, the wicked will die in their sin, but God will require their blood from the prophet's hand. If he warns and the wicked do not turn away, the prophet has saved his own life. The same principle applies to the righteous who turn away from their righteousness.
Hesekiel 3,17-21
17"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them for me.
בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם צֹפֶ֥ה נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ מִפִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֥ אוֹתָ֖ם מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
18If I say to the wicked, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak to warn the wicked man away from his wicked way so that he may live, that wicked man will die in his guilt, but I will hold you accountable for his blood.
בְּאָמְרִ֤י לָֽרָשָׁע֙ מ֣וֹת תָּמ֔וּת וְלֹ֣א הִזְהַרְתּ֗וֹ וְלֹ֥א דִבַּ֛רְתָּ לְהַזְהִ֥יר רָשָׁ֛ע מִדַּרְכּ֥וֹ הָרְשָׁעָ֖ה לְחַיֹּת֑וֹ ה֤וּא רָשָׁע֙ בַּעֲוֺנ֣וֹ יָמ֔וּת וְדָמ֖וֹ מִיָּדְךָ֥ אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
19But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he will die in his guilt, but you will have saved your life.
וְאַתָּה֙ כִּֽי־הִזְהַ֣רְתָּ רָשָׁ֔ע וְלֹא־שָׁב֙ מֵֽרִשְׁע֔וֹ וּמִדַּרְכּ֖וֹ הָרְשָׁעָ֑ה ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֺנ֣וֹ יָמ֔וּת וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ ס
20And if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does wrong, and I place a stumbling block before him, he will die. Because you did not warn him, he will die in his sin, and the righteous deeds he did will not be remembered—and I will hold you accountable for his blood.
וּבְשׁ֨וּב צַדִּ֤יק מִצִּדְקוֹ֙ וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֔וֶל וְנָתַתִּ֥י מִכְשׁ֛וֹל לְפָנָ֖יו ה֣וּא יָמ֑וּת כִּ֣י לֹ֤א הִזְהַרְתּוֹ֙ בְּחַטָּאת֣וֹ יָמ֔וּת וְלֹ֣א תִזָכַ֗רְןָ צִדְקֹתָו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְדָמ֖וֹ מִיָּדְךָ֥ אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
21But if you warn the righteous man not to sin, and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took the warning, and you will have saved your life."
וְאַתָּ֞ה כִּ֧י הִזְהַרְתּ֣וֹ צַדִּ֗יק לְבִלְתִּ֥י חֲטֹ֛א צַדִּ֖יק וְה֣וּא לֹא־חָטָ֑א חָי֤וֹ יִֽחְיֶה֙ כִּ֣י נִזְהָ֔ר וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ ס