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17 As for you, mortal, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imaginations; prophesy against them(A) 18 and say: Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew bands on all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every height, in the hunt for lives! Will you hunt down lives among my people and maintain your own lives?(B) 19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death those who should not die and keeping alive those who should not live, by your lies to my people, who listen to lies.(C)

20 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I am against your bands with which you hunt lives;[a] I will tear them from your arms and let the lives go free, the lives that you hunt down like birds. 21 I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands; they shall no longer be prey in your hands, and you shall know that I am the Lord. 22 Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not disheartened them, and you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their wicked way and save their lives,(D) 23 therefore you shall no longer see false visions or practice divination; I will save my people from your hand. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 13.20 Gk Syr: Heb lives for birds

17 “Now, son of man, set your face(A) against the daughters(B) of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them(C) 18 and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? 19 You have profaned(D) me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread.(E) By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.(F)

20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.(G) 21 I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(H) 22 Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies,(I) when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives,(J) 23 therefore you will no longer see false visions(K) or practice divination.(L) I will save(M) my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.(N)’”

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