Ezekiel 13
Expanded Bible
Ezekiel Speaks Against False Prophets
13 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], prophesy against the prophets of Israel. Say to those who ·make up their own prophecies [prophesy from their hearts/imagination]: ‘Listen to the word of the Lord. 3 This is what the Lord God says: ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the foolish prophets who follow their own ·ideas [L spirit] and have ·not seen a vision from me [L seen nothing]! 4 People of Israel, your prophets have been like ·wild dogs [jackals] among ruins. 5 You have not gone up into the ·broken places [breaches] or repaired the wall for the ·nation [L house of] Israel [C Israel is portrayed as a house or fortress in ruins]. So how can Israel ·hold back the enemy [stand firm] in the battle on the ·Lord’s day of judging [L Day of the Lord]? 6 ·Your prophets [L They] see false visions and ·prophesy [their divinations are] lies. They say, “This is the message of the Lord,” when the Lord has not sent them. But they still hope their words will ·come true [stand]. 7 You said, “This is the message of the Lord,” but ·you have seen false visions and your prophecies are lies [L have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination…?], because I have not spoken.
8 “‘So this is what the Lord God says: Because you prophets spoke things that are false and saw ·visions that do not come true [lying visions], [L look; T behold] I am against you, says the Lord God. 9 ·I will punish [L My hand will be against] the prophets who see false visions and ·prophesy lies [utter lying divinations]. They will ·have no place among [L not be in the council of] my people. Their names will not be written on the ·list [records; registry] of the ·people [L house] of Israel, and they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.
10 “‘It is because they lead my people ·the wrong way [astray] by saying, “Peace!” when there is no peace. When the people build a ·weak [flimsy] wall, the prophets cover it with whitewash [C to make it look strong or to cover its flaws]. 11 So tell those who cover ·a weak wall [L it] with whitewash that it will fall down. ·Rain will pour down [There will be a deluge of rain], hailstones will fall, and a windstorm will break the wall down. 12 When the wall has fallen, people will ask you, “Where is the whitewash you used on the wall?”
13 “‘So this is what the Lord God says: I will break the wall with a windstorm. In my ·anger [wrath; rage] ·rain will pour down [there will be a deluge of rain], and hailstones will ·destroy the wall [fall with destructive fury]. 14 I will tear down the wall on which you put whitewash. I will level it to the ground so that ·people will see the wall’s foundation [L its foundations will be laid bare/exposed]. And when the wall falls, you will ·be destroyed [perish] ·under [or within] it. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 15 So I will ·carry out my anger [spend my wrath/rage] on the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. Then I will tell you, “The wall is gone, and those who covered it with whitewash are gone. 16 The prophets of Israel who prophesy ·to [or about] Jerusalem and who see visions of peace for the city, when there is no peace, will be gone, says the Lord God.”’
False Women Prophets
17 “Now, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], look toward the ·women among [L daughters of] your people who ·make up their own prophecies [L prophesy from their own hearts/imaginations]. Prophesy against them. 18 Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to the] women who sew ·magic charms [L bands] on their wrists and make ·veils [or headbands] of every length to trap people! You ·ruin [entrap; ensnare] the ·lives [souls] of my people but ·try to [will you…?] save your own ·lives [souls]. 19 For handfuls of barley and ·pieces [scraps] of bread, you have ·dishonored [profaned; C ritually] me among my people. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have ·killed people [put to death souls] who should not die, and you have kept alive those who should not live.
20 “‘So this is what the Lord God says: I am against your magic ·charms [bands], by which you ·trap [ensnare; hunt] ·people [souls] as if they were birds. I will tear ·those charms [L them] off your arms, and I will free those ·people [souls] you have ·trapped [ensnare; hunt] like birds. 21 I will also tear off your ·veils [or headbands] and save my people from your hands. They will no longer be ·trapped by your power [L prey in your hand]. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 22 By your lies you have ·caused those who did right to be sad [disheartened the righteous], when I did not ·make them sad [grieve them]. And you have encouraged the wicked not to ·stop being wicked [turn from their wicked ways], which would have saved their lives. 23 So you will not see false visions or ·prophesy [practice divination] anymore, and I will save my people from your ·power [L hands] so you will know that I am the Lord.’”
Ezekiel 13
New American Standard Bible
False Prophets Condemned
13 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the (A)prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy from their own [a]inspiration, ‘(B)Listen to the word of the Lord! 3 This is what the Lord [b]God says: “Woe to the (C)foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have (D)seen nothing! 4 Israel, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not (E)gone up into the (F)breaches, nor did you build up a stone wall around the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the (G)day of the Lord. 6 They see (H)deceit and lying divination, those who are saying, ‘The Lord declares,’ when the Lord has not sent them; (I)yet they wait for the fulfillment of their word! 7 (J)Did you not see a false vision and tell a lying divination when you said, ‘The Lord declares,’ but it is not I who have spoken?”’”
8 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: “Because you have spoken deceit and have seen a lie, therefore behold, (K)I am against you,” declares the Lord God. 9 “So My hand will be against the (L)prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will [c]have no place in the council of My people, (M)nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, [d]so that you may know that I am the Lord God. 10 It is definitely because they have (N)misled My people by saying, ‘(O)Peace!’ when there is (P)no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash; 11 so tell those who plaster it over with whitewash, that it will fall. A (Q)flooding rain will come, and you, hailstones, will fall, and a violent wind will break out. 12 Behold, when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, ‘Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?’” 13 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: “I will make a violent wind break out in My wrath. There will also be in My anger a flooding rain and (R)hailstones to consume it in wrath. 14 So I will tear down the wall which you plastered over with whitewash and hurl it down to the ground, so that its (S)foundation is exposed; and when it falls, you will (T)perish in its midst. And you will (U)know that I am the Lord. 15 So I will expend My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it over with whitewash; and I will say to you, ‘The wall [e]is gone and those who plastered it are gone, 16 along with the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem, and who (V)see a vision of peace for her when there is (W)no peace,’ declares the Lord God.
17 “Now you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who are (X)talking like prophets (Y)from their own [f]imagination. Prophesy against them 18 and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Woe to the women who sew magic bands on [g]all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to (Z)capture souls! Will you capture the souls of My people, but keep the souls of others alive for yourselves? 19 (AA)For handfuls of barley and pieces of bread, you have profaned Me to My people, to put to death [h]some who should not die, and to (AB)keep [i]others alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies.”’”
20 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: “Behold, I am against your magic bands by which you capture souls there as [j]birds, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let [k]them go, those souls whom you capture as [l]birds. 21 I will also tear off your veils and (AC)save My people from your hands, and they will no longer be in your hands as prey; and you will know that I am the Lord. 22 Because you (AD)disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him pain, but you have [m](AE)encouraged the wicked not to (AF)turn from his wicked way to keep him alive, 23 therefore you women will no longer see (AG)deceitful visions or practice divination, and I will (AH)save My people from your hands. So you will (AI)know that I am the Lord.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 13:2 Lit heart
- Ezekiel 13:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
- Ezekiel 13:9 Lit not be in
- Ezekiel 13:9 Or and you will know
- Ezekiel 13:15 Lit is not...are not
- Ezekiel 13:17 Lit heart
- Ezekiel 13:18 Lit all joints of the hand; MT of my hands
- Ezekiel 13:19 Lit souls
- Ezekiel 13:19 Lit souls
- Ezekiel 13:20 Or flying ones
- Ezekiel 13:20 Or flying ones
- Ezekiel 13:20 Or flying ones
- Ezekiel 13:22 Lit strengthened the hands of
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