A Rebuke to Israel’s Women

¹⁷ “And now, Son of Man, turn toward and oppose^[a] the women^[b] of your people who prophesy according to their own wrong inclinations^[c] and prophesy against them. ¹⁸ Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “How terrible it will be for those women who sew magical bracelets on all their wrists and make one-size-fits all headbands,^[d] in order to entrap their souls. Will you hunt for the souls of my people and remain alive? ¹⁹ You’ve profaned me among my people for a handful of barley and a morsel of bread. You’re causing people to die who shouldn’t have to die, and you’re causing people to live who shouldn’t survive, when you deceive my people who tend to listen to lies.”

²⁰ “‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says, “Watch out! I’m opposing your amulets with which you hunt souls as one would swat at a flying insect.^[e] I’ll tear them off your arms and then deliver those people, whom you’ve hunted like birds. ²¹ I’ll also tear off your headbands^[f] and deliver my people from your grip so that they won’t be under your control anymore. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord.

²² “‘“Because you’ve dismayed the heart of the righteous—whom I never intended to dismay—with lies, and because you’ve encouraged^[g] the wicked so that he wouldn’t abandon his evil behavior and by doing so live, ²³ you’ll no longer see false visions or again practice divination, because I’m going to deliver my people from your power. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord.”’”