False Prophets Denounced

13 Then the Lord’s message came to me: ² “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to the prophets who prophesy from their imagination:^[a] ‘Listen to the Lord’s message! ³ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit but have seen nothing! ⁴ Your prophets have become like jackals among the ruins, O Israel. ⁵ You have not gone up in the breaks in the wall, nor repaired a wall for the house of Israel that it would stand strong in the battle on the day of the Lord. ⁶ They see delusion and their omens are a lie.^[b] They say, “The Lord declares,” though the Lord has not sent them;^[c] yet they expect their word to be confirmed.^{[d] 7} Have you not seen a false vision and announced a lying omen when you say, “The Lord declares,” although I myself never spoke?

⁸ “‘Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have spoken false words and forecast delusion, look,^[e] I am against you,^[f] declares the Sovereign Lord. ⁹ My hand will be against the prophets who see delusion and announce lying omens. They will not be included in the council^[g] of my people, nor be written in the registry^[h] of the house of Israel, nor enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.

¹⁰ “‘This is because they have led my people astray saying, “All is well,”^[i] when things are not well. When anyone builds a wall without mortar,^[j] they coat it with whitewash. ¹¹ Tell the ones who coat it with whitewash that it will fall. When there is a deluge of rain, hailstones^[k] will fall and a violent wind will break out.^{[l] 12} When the wall has collapsed, people will ask you, “Where is the whitewash you coated it with?”

¹³ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my rage I will make a violent wind break out. In my anger there will be a deluge of rain and hailstones in destructive fury. ¹⁴ I will break down the wall you coated with whitewash and knock it to the ground so that its foundation is exposed. When it falls you will be destroyed beneath it,^[m] and you will know that I am the Lord. ¹⁵ I will vent my rage against the wall and against those who coated it with whitewash. Then I will say to you, “The wall is no more and those who whitewashed it are no more— ¹⁶ those prophets of Israel who would prophesy about Jerusalem and would see visions of peace for it, when there was no peace,” declares the Sovereign Lord.’

¹⁷ “As for you, son of man, turn toward^[n] the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their imagination.^[o] Prophesy against them ¹⁸ and say ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to those who sew bands^[p] on all their wrists^[q] and make headbands^[r] for heads of every size to entrap people’s lives!^[s] Will you entrap my people’s lives, yet preserve your own lives? ¹⁹ You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. You have put to death people^[t] who should not die and kept alive those who should not live by your lies to my people, who listen to lies!

²⁰ “‘Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take note^[u] that I am against your wristbands with which you entrap people’s lives^[v] like birds. I will tear them from your arms and will release the people’s lives, which you hunt like birds. ²¹ I will tear off your headbands and rescue my people from your power;^[w] they will no longer be prey in your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord. ²² This is because you have disheartened the righteous person with lies (although I have not grieved him), and because you have encouraged the wicked person not to turn from his evil conduct and preserve his life. ²³ Therefore you will no longer see false visions and practice divination. I will rescue my people from your power, and you^[x] will know that I am the Lord.’”