The Meaning of Ezekiel 33:2 Explained

Ezekiel 33:2

KJV: Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:

YLT: Son of man, speak unto the sons of thy people, and thou hast said unto them: A land -- when I bring in against it a sword, And the people of the land have taken one man out of their borders, And made him to them for a watchman.

Darby: Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them all, and set him for their watchman:

ASV: Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Son  of man,  speak  to the children  of thy people,  and say  unto them, When I bring  the sword  upon a land,  if the people  of the land  take  a  man  of their coasts,  and set  him for their watchman: 

What does Ezekiel 33:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezekiel 33:1-16 - "why Will Ye Die?"
The prophet depicts the peasantry of a fertile valley as engaged in pastoral pursuits. It is a peaceful, happy scene; but, creeping through the mountain passes, are their deadliest foes. How necessary that there should be a watchman, trumpet in hand, to give notice; and how unspeakable his guilt if he forbear to sound a warning! We are not responsible for those who refuse to take warning from our announcements, faithfully given; but if we perceive a soul in mortal danger and forbear to warn it, we are not only responsible for its ruin, but we bring awful retribution upon ourselves. Well might Richard Baxter lie awake at night beneath his awful sense of responsibility for the souls of men. God desires our salvation. If only the sinner will confess his sins to the faithful and merciful High Priest, and make such restitution as he can, not one of his sins shall be remembered against him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 33

1  According to the duty of a watchman in warning the people
7  Ezekiel is admonished of his duty
10  God shows the justice of his ways toward the penitent and toward revolters
17  He maintains his justice
21  Upon the news of the taking of Jerusalem
25  he prophecies the desolation of the land
30  God's judgment upon the mockers of the prophets

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 33:2 mean?

Son of man speak to the sons of your people and say to them a land when I bring upon the sword and take the people of the land man a from their territory and make him their watchman
בֶּן־ אָדָ֗ם דַּבֵּ֤ר אֶל־ בְּנֵֽי־ עַמְּךָ֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֶ֕רֶץ כִּֽי־ אָבִ֥יא עָלֶ֖יהָ חָ֑רֶב וְלָקְח֨וּ עַם־ הָאָ֜רֶץ אִ֤ישׁ אֶחָד֙ מִקְצֵיהֶ֔ם וְנָתְנ֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ לָהֶ֖ם לְצֹפֶֽה

בֶּן־  Son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אָדָ֗ם  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
דַּבֵּ֤ר  speak 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
בְּנֵֽי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עַמְּךָ֙  of  your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣  and  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֶ֕רֶץ  a  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אָבִ֥יא  I  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עָלֶ֖יהָ  upon 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
חָ֑רֶב  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
וְלָקְח֨וּ  and  take 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
עַם־  the  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הָאָ֜רֶץ  of  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אִ֤ישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִקְצֵיהֶ֔ם  from  their  territory 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: קָצֶה 
Sense: end, extremity.
וְנָתְנ֥וּ  and  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְצֹפֶֽה  watchman 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch.