17 “Now you, son of man, face[a] the women among your people who prophesy(A) out of their own imagination, and prophesy against them.(B) 18 Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Woe to the women who sew magic bands on the wrist of every hand and who make veils for the heads of people of every size in order to ensnare lives. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own?(C) 19 You profane me among my people for handfuls of barley(D) and scraps of bread; you put those to death who should not die and spare those who should not live, when you lie to my people, who listen to lies.

20 “‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: I am against your magic bands with which you ensnare people like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. I will free the people you have ensnared like birds. 21 I will also tear off your veils and rescue my people from your hands,(E) so that they will no longer be prey in your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 22 Because you have disheartened the righteous person with lies (when I intended no distress),(F) and because you have supported[b] the wicked(G) person so that he does not turn from his evil way to save his life, 23 therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination.(H) I will rescue my people from your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

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Footnotes

  1. 13:17 Lit set your face
  2. 13:22 Lit strengthened the hand of

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