This verse addresses the case where the watchman does not do his duty and fails to warn the people of the coming danger. If some of them die as a result, God will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.

But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned: See Ezek 33.3. A possible model here is “However, if the watchman sees the enemy coming and does not blow the horn to warn the people.”

And the sword comes may be rendered “and the enemy attacks.”

And takes any one of them is literally “and takes from them [a] life.” This clause may refer to one or more than one person being killed by the enemy. New Century Version says “and kills any of them,” and New International Reader’s Version has “and kill one of them.”

That man is taken away in his iniquity: The Hebrew here may be understood in two ways. It may mean “they have died because of their own sin” (New Century Version; similarly New International Reader’s Version). This interpretation reflects the ancient view that death is the result of some sin. Another interpretation is that, because the watchman had not sounded the warning, these people had not had the chance to repent of their sins and were still living their sinful lives when they died (so Revised English Bible, which renders this clause and the previous one as “and if anyone who is killed is caught with his sins on him”). This interpretation adds another reason to why the watchman is guilty, but either interpretation is acceptable. The Hebrew word for iniquity refers to sin that is due to crookedness of character (see the comments on 3.19).

But his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand: See the comments on 3.18. If the watchman fails to warn the people of the coming danger, God will hold him responsible if someone dies. Good News Translation says “but I will hold the lookout responsible for their death” (similarly Contemporary English Version), and New Century Version has “But I will punish the watchman for their deaths.” Models for this clause and the previous one are “The enemy kills that sinful person [or, that person who is still a sinner], but I will hold the watchman responsible for his death” and “The enemy kills those sinful people, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.”

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .