1. The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:
2. “Human, speak to your people and say to them: ‘Suppose I bring a war against a land. The people of the land may choose one of their men and make him their watchman.
3. When he sees the enemy coming to attack the land, he will blow the trumpet and warn the people.
4. If they hear the sound of the trumpet but do nothing, the enemy will come and kill them. They will be responsible for their own deaths.
5. They heard the sound of the trumpet but didn’t do anything. So they are to blame for their own deaths. If they had done something, they would have saved their own lives.
6. But if the watchman sees the enemy coming to attack and does not blow the trumpet, the people will not be warned. Then if the enemy comes and kills any of them, they have died because of their own sin. But I will punish the watchman for their deaths.’
7. “You, human, are the one I have made a watchman for Israel. If you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them for me.