1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, speak to the sons of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring a sword upon the land and the people of the land take a man from within their borders and set him up as a watchman; 3 and he should see the sword coming upon the land, if he should blow the shofar, and warn the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the shofar and does not take warning; and the coming of the sword should take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the shofar and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he that takes warning shall deliver his soul. 6 But if the watchman should see the sword coming and not blow the shofar and the people not be warned, if the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away because of his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.
7 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. 8 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 for his sin; but I will require his blood at thine hand. 9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, if he does not turn from his way, he shall die for his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.