Ezekiel 13:1-16

False Prophets Condemned

1 The 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!

3 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish^[a] prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!

4 Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins.

5 You 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.

6 Their 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.

7 Have 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.

9 My 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,

11 therefore 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.

12 When 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.

14 I 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^[b] falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the LORD.

15 So 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,

16 those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign LORD.” ’

Ezekiel 13:1-16 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.

Cross References

• 1. S Isaiah 9:15
• 2. Jeremiah 28:15
• 3. ver 17; S Jeremiah 23:16; S Jeremiah 37:19; Ezekiel 22:28
• 4. S Lamentations 2:14; Hosea 9:7
• 5. S Jeremiah 23:25-32
• 6. Isaiah 58:12; Ezekiel 22:30
• 7. S Ezekiel 7:19; Ezekiel 30:3
• 8. S Jeremiah 5:1; Jeremiah 23:16
• 9. S Jeremiah 14:14
• 10. S Jeremiah 28:15; S Jeremiah 29:9; Ezekiel 12:24-25; Ezekiel 22:28
• 11. S Isaiah 30:10
• 12. S Jeremiah 21:13
• 13. S Deuteronomy 13:3
• 14. S Exodus 32:32; S Jeremiah 17:13
• 15. S Exodus 6:2; Jeremiah 20:3-6; Ezekiel 20:38
• 16. S Jeremiah 23:13; S Jeremiah 50:6
• 17. S Jeremiah 4:10
• 18. S Ezekiel 7:25; Ezekiel 22:28
• 19. S Joshua 10:11
• 20. S Job 38:23
• 21. Psalms 11:6; Ezekiel 38:22
• 22. S Joshua 10:11; Revelation 11:19; Revelation 16:21
• 23. Job 14:19
• 24. S Exodus 9:25; S Job 38:23; Isaiah 30:30
• 25. S Isaiah 22:5
• 26. Micah 1:6
• 27. Jeremiah 6:15
• 28. S Isaiah 57:21; Jeremiah 6:14; S Ezekiel 7:25

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "wicked"
• [b]. Or "the city"