Ezekiel 13

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, prophesy against the prophets of Isra'el who prophesy. Tell those prophesying out of their own thoughts, 'Listen to what ADONAI says!

3 Adonai ELOHIM says: "Woe to the vile prophets who follow their own spirits and things which they have not seen!

4 Isra'el, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins.

5 You [prophets] have not gone up to the breaks in the barricade or repaired it for the house of Isra'el, so that they can stand fast in battle on the day of ADONAI.

6 Their visions are futile and their divination is false; they say, 'ADONAI says,' when ADONAI has not sent them; yet they hope that the word will be confirmed.

7 Haven't you had a futile vision and spoken a false divination when you say, 'ADONAI says,' and I have not spoken?

8 Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM does say: 'Because you have spoken futilities and seen falsehoods, therefore I am against you,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

9 "'"My hand will be against the prophets who have futile visions and produce false divinations; they will not be allowed into the council of my people, or be written in the register of the house of Isra'el, or enter the land of Isra'el. Then you will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.

10 They deserve this, because they have led my people astray by saying there is peace when there is no peace. If someone builds a wall without mortar, they 'plaster' it with whitewash [to make it appear strong].

11 Tell these 'plasterers' that a cloudburst is coming, with huge hailstones and gale-force winds;

12 and the wall will fall down. Then people will ask you, 'Where is the whitewash you used to "plaster" it?'"

13 Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says: "In my rage I will cause gale-force winds to break out, and in my anger there will come a cloudburst, with huge hailstones to consume it in fury.

14 This is how I will break down the wall you covered with whitewash - I will smash it to the ground, so that its foundation will be revealed. The wall will fall down, and you will be consumed with it. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.

15 In this way I will spend my fury on the wall and on those who covered it with whitewash; and I will say to you, 'The wall is gone, and so are those who "plastered" it,'

16 that is, the prophets of Isra'el who prophesy about Yerushalayim and see visions of peace for her when there is no peace," says Adonai ELOHIM.'

17 "You, human being, turn your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own thoughts. Prophesy against them;

18 tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Woe to the women who sew magic pads for all arm joints and put veils over people of all sizes, in order to hunt human lives! Will you hunt down the lives of my people while you keep your own lives safe?

19 You dishonor me before my people for a few handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread, killing people who should not die and sparing those who should not live, by your lying to my people, who love hearing lies.'

20 Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am against your pads, with which you hunt human lives like birds; I will tear them from your arms and let the lives go, yes, the human lives that you hunt like birds.

21 I will also tear your veils and rescue my people from your clutches, so that they will no longer be in your power for you to hunt. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.

22 Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies when I was not trying to cause them pain and have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their wicked ways and thus be saved,

23 therefore you will have no more futile visions, and you will produce no more divinations. I will rescue my people from your clutches, and you will know that I am ADONAI.'"

Ezekiel 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

Heavy judgments against lying prophets. (1-9) The insufficiency of their work. (10-16) Woes against false prophetesses. (17-23)

Verses 1-9 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.

Verses 10-16 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.

Verses 17-23 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 13

It being said in Eze 12:24; that there should be no more a vain vision, nor a flattering divination; the prophet is ordered to prophesy against the false prophets and prophetesses, Eze 13:1,2,17; the former are described as prophesying out of their own hearts, Eze 13:2; as foolish ones, following their own spirit, and seeing nothing, Eze 13:3; they are compared to foxes in the deserts, Eze 13:4; and are represented as unconcerned to stand in the gap for the people, Eze 13:5; and as seeing vanity and lying divination; wherefore the Lord was against them, Eze 13:6-8; what they are threatened with are, that they should not be in the assembly of God's people; nor written in the writing of the house of Israel; nor enter into the land of Israel, Eze 13:9; the reason of which was, because they seduced the Lord's people, by speaking peace to them when there was none; which is figuratively expressed by building a wall, and daubing it with untempered mortar, Eze 13:10; upon which the wall is threatened to be rent, and caused to fall with a stormy wind; signifying the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldean army; and the false prophets to have the wrath of God poured on them who doubted it, Eze 13:11-16; and then follows the order to the prophet to prophesy against the false prophetesses, and set his face against them, and pronounce woe upon them in the name of the Lord; who are described as prophesying out of their own hearts; sowing pillows to all armholes; and making kerchiefs on the head of all sorts of persons; and which they did for poor small gain, and to the detriment of immortal souls, good and bad, Eze 13:17-19; wherefore the Lord threatens to tear off their pillows and kerchiefs, and deliver his people out of their hands, no more to be hunted by them, Eze 13:20,21; the reason of which was, because they saddened the hearts of the righteous, and strengthened the hands of the wicked, Eze 13:22; and the chapter is concluded with a resolution that they should see no more vanity nor divine divinations; and that the Lord's people should be delivered from them, and they should know that he was the Lord, Eze 13:23.