Ezekiel13
New International Version
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 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 fulfill 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 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 them
18and 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 practice divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 13.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Heavy judgments against lying prophets. (1-9). The insufficiency of their work. (10-16). Woes against false prophetesses. (17-23).
vv1-9
Where God gives a warrant to do any thing, he gives wisdom. What they delivered was not what they had seen or heard, as that is which the ministers of Christ deliver. They were not praying prophets, had no intercourse with Heaven; they contrived how to please people, not how to do them good; they stood not against sin. They flattered people into vain hopes. Such widen the breach, by causing men to think themselves deserving of eternal life, when the wrath of God abides upon them.
vv10-16
One false prophet built the wall, set up the notion that Jerusalem should be victorious, and made himself acceptable by it. Others made the matter yet more plausible and promising; they daubed the wall which the first had built; but they would, ere long, be undeceived when their work was beaten down by the storm of God's just wrath; when the Chaldean army desolated the land. Hopes of peace and happiness, not warranted by the word of God, will cheat men; like a wall well daubed, but ill built.
vv17-23
It is ill with those who had rather hear pleasing lies than unpleasing truths. The false prophetesses tried to make people secure, signified by laying them at ease, and to make them proud, signified by the finery laid on their heads. They shall be confounded in their attempts, and God's people shall be delivered out of their hands. It behoves Christians to keep close to the word of God, and in every thing to seek the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Let us so trust the promises of God as to keep his commandments.
Key Words
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אָדָם: ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
נָבָא: to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)
נָבִיא: a prophet or (generally) inspired man
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
לֵב: the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
Cross References
Ezekiel 13Ezekiel's sister passage uses the identical metaphor of standing in the gap to defend the land from destruction.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jeremiah similarly denounces false prophets who speak visions out of their own hearts, not from God's mouth.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Moses represents the true prophet who 'stood in the breach' before God to turn away His wrath.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jeremiah shares the identical phrase condemning false prophets who say 'Peace, peace' when there is no peace.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Jeremiah specifically names false prophets in Babylon who feed the exiles lying expectations.
Supported by JFB
Micah exposes the people's desire for false prophets who speak pleasing lies of wine and strong drink.
Supported by John Calvin
Moses warns that God permits false prophets to test whether Israel truly loves Him with all their heart.
Supported by John Calvin
Jesus warns of false prophets who are inwardly ravenous, matching Ezekiel's comparison to predatory desert foxes.
Supported by Matthew Henry
God's register of His people contrasts with false prophets being blotted out of Israel's writing.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The fall of the house in Jesus' parable echoes Ezekiel's falling wall swept away by storm and rain.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Lamentations mourns that false prophets saw vain and foolish things instead of exposing Israel's iniquity.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Peter warns of false teachers bringing destructive heresies, just as false prophets plagued ancient Israel.
Supported by John Calvin
Nehemiah encounters Noadiah, a false prophetess hired to make him afraid, demonstrating female false prophets.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The corrupt prophets polluting God for 'pieces of bread' parallels Eli's sons begging for pieces of silver.
Supported by Matthew Henry