1The word of the Lord came to me:2‘Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: “Hear the word of the Lord!3This is what the Sovereign Lord says: woe to the foolish[1] prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!4Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins.5You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.6Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent them, they say, ‘The Lord declares’, and expect him to fulfil their words.7Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, ‘The Lord declares’, though I have not spoken?8‘ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign Lord.9My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.10‘ “Because they lead my people astray, saying, ‘Peace’, when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash,11therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth.12When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, ‘Where is the whitewash you covered it with?’13‘ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: in my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with destructive fury.14I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it[2] falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord.15So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, ‘The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it,16those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ ”17‘Now, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them18and say, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own?19You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.20‘ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.21I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.22Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives,23therefore you will no longer see false visions or practise divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.” ’
Ezekiel 13
English Standard Version
False Prophets Condemned
1The word of the Lord came to me:2“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ (Jer 23:16; Jer 23:26; Eze 2:1; Eze 13:17)3Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!4Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel.5You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the Lord. (Ps 80:12; Ps 106:23; Isa 5:5; Isa 58:12; Eze 22:30)6They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. (Jer 5:31; Jer 14:14; Eze 12:24; Eze 13:23; Eze 21:29; Eze 22:28)7Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the Lord,’ although I have not spoken?” (Jer 23:21)8Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord God. (Jer 21:13; Eze 5:8; Eze 21:3; Eze 26:3; Eze 28:22; Eze 29:3; Eze 30:22; Eze 34:10; Eze 35:3; Eze 38:3)9My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God. (Ezr 2:59; Ezr 2:62; Ne 7:5; Ps 69:28; Ps 87:6; Eze 6:7; Eze 20:38)10Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash,[1] (Jer 6:14; Eze 13:16; Eze 22:28; Mic 3:5)11say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. (Isa 28:2; Isa 28:17; Isa 30:13; Eze 38:22)12And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?’13Therefore thus says the Lord God: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end. (Eze 13:11)14And I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the Lord. (Eze 6:7)15Thus will I spend my wrath upon the wall and upon those who have smeared it with whitewash, and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it,16the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord God. (Eze 13:10)17“And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own hearts. Prophesy against them (Ex 15:20; Jud 4:4; 2Ki 22:14; Eze 6:2; Eze 13:2)18and say, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people and keep your own souls alive? (Eze 13:20; Eze 13:21)19You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death souls who should not die and keeping alive souls who should not live, by your lying to my people, who listen to lies. (Pr 28:21; Mic 3:5)20“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds. (Eze 13:8; Eze 13:18)21Your veils also I will tear off and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand as prey, and you shall know that I am the Lord. (Eze 6:7; Eze 34:10)22Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life, (Jer 14:14; Jer 23:14; Jer 28:15; Eze 18:21)23therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. And you shall know that I am the Lord.” (Eze 13:6; Eze 13:9)