1 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, speak to ^athe children of your people, and say to them: ^b‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their ^cwatchman,  ‡

5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will¹ save his life.  ‡

6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, ^ahe is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’  ‡