Ezekiel’s Appointment as a Watchman

12 Then the spirit lifted me up and I heard behind me the sound of great rustling, as the Glory of Jehovah rose from its place; and 13 the sound of the wings of the living creatures touching one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, even the sound of a great rustling. 14 So the spirit lifted me up and took me away and I went in great excitement, for the hand of Jehovah was strong upon me. 15 Then I came to the captives at Tel-abib who dwelt by the canal Chebar, and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.

16 At the end of seven days this word of Jehovah came to me: 17 Son of man, I make thee a watchman to the house of Israel. When thou hearest a word from my mouth, thou shalt warn them from me. 18 When I say to the wicked, ’Thou shalt surely die,’ then if thou speak not to the wicked to warn him from his wicked way, so as to save his life, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand. 19 But if thou warn a wicked man and he turn not from his wickedness nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity. But thou hast saved thyself. 20 Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does wrong, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die; because thou hast not given him warning he shall die in his sin, for the righteous deeds which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thy hand. 21 But if thou warn the righteous man not to sin and he doth not sin, the righteous man shall surely live, because he took warning; and thou hast saved thyself.