Ezekiel 13:2-12

2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Yisra'el who prophesy, and say you to those who prophesy out of their own heart, Hear you the word of the LORD:

3 Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

4 Yisra'el, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.

5 You have not gone up into the gaps, neither built up the wall for the house of Yisra'el, to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.

6 They have seen falsehood and lying divination, who say, the LORD says; but the LORD has not sent them: and they have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed.

7 Haven't you seen a false vision, and haven't you spoken a lying divination, in that you say, the LORD says; but I have not spoken?

8 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have spoken falsehood, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, says the Lord GOD.

9 My hand shall be against the prophets who see false visions, and who divine lies: they shall not be in the council of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Yisra'el, neither shall they enter into Eretz-Yisra'el; and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Shalom; and there is no shalom; and when one builds up a wall, behold, they daub it with whitewash:

11 tell those who daub it with whitewash, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and you, great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it.

12 Behold, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said to you, Where is the daubing with which you have daubed it?

Ezekiel 13:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

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.