Verses 18-19 describe Ezekiel’s responsibility to sinful people. If he does not warn them that God is about to punish them, they will continue to sin. Then, when God punishes them, Ezekiel will be to blame for their deaths, because he did not warn them. On the other hand, if they do not repent when he warns them, then Ezekiel will not be blamed for their deaths.

If I say to the wicked, that is, when God gives Ezekiel a message for bad people. This clause may be rendered “Suppose I say to a bad person.”

You shall surely die: The message is that God will punish and kill evil people. The translation must not imply that they will die a natural death. The Hebrew here is emphatic to show that God has made his decision and he will certainly carry it out. A model that conveys this emphasis is “You are heading toward certain death” (similarly Bible en français courant).

And you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life: Ezekiel’s task is to warn the bad people that God will punish them, so that they will have a chance to repent and save themselves. His wicked way is the bad life they live. If they do repent, “they won’t be punished” (Contemporary English Version).

That wicked man shall die in his iniquity: But if Ezekiel does not give the warning, that wicked man shall die, that is, God will destroy the bad people. In his iniquity gives the reason for God’s punishment, namely, because of their sin (so New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Revised English Bible). Some versions take this clause to mean that they will die while they are still sinning; for example, Good News Translation says “he will die, still a sinner.” This is also a possible rendering.

But his blood I will require at your hand: If Ezekiel does not warn the bad people that they will be punished, God says he will hold Ezekiel responsible for their deaths. God will blame Ezekiel for their deaths, because he did not warn them and give them a chance to repent. Ezekiel will be as responsible for their deaths as if he had murdered them himself. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “but I will hold you responsible for it [that is, his death] as for a murder.”

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 .