Ezekiel 13:2

2 Son of man, prophesy thou to the prophets of Israel that prophesy; and thou shalt say to them that prophesy of their heart, Hear ye the word of the Lord. (Son of man, prophesy thou against the prophets of Israel who prophesy; and thou shalt say to those who prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord.)

Ezekiel 13:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 13:2

Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel
Who called themselves so, and were accounted such by others; though they were not true, but false prophets; and so the Targum calls them: that prophesy;
that is, smooth things to the people; promising a speedy return from the captivity; or that Jerusalem should not be taken by the Chaldeans, and the inhabitants of it, and of the land, be carried captive: and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts;
who were not sent of God, nor spake from him; but of themselves, what came into their heads, and was agreeable to their fancies, imaginations, and carnal hearts; such are false teachers, that go forth without being sent, and teach not according to the word of God, but according to their own carnal reasonings; so the Targum,

``according to the will of their hearts;''
what they pleased themselves: hear ye the word of the Lord;
which came from the Lord himself, and not from man, meaning the following prophecy; so the written word of God should be attended to, both by teachers and hearers, as the only rule of faith and practice; see ( Isaiah 8:20 ) .

Ezekiel 13:2 In-Context

1 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,
2 Son of man, prophesy thou to the prophets of Israel that prophesy; and thou shalt say to them that prophesy of their heart, Hear ye the word of the Lord. (Son of man, prophesy thou against the prophets of Israel who prophesy; and thou shalt say to those who prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord.)
3 The Lord God saith these things, Woe to the unwise prophets, that follow their spirit, and see nothing; (The Lord God saith these things, Woe to the unwise prophets, who follow their own spirit, and so see nothing;)
4 Israel, thy prophets were as foxes in desert[s]. (Israel, thy prophets were like foxes in the desert.)
5 Ye ascended not even against, neither again-setted a wall for the house of Israel, that ye should stand in battle in the day of the Lord. (Ye went not even against, nor set again, or fixed, the broken wall for the house of Israel, so that ye could stand in battle on the day of the Lord.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.