And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.

And you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem, with your arm bared, and you shall prophesy against the city.

“Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,

Disaster comes upon disaster; rumor follows rumor. They seek a vision from the prophet, while the law perishes from the priest and counsel from the elders.

Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, O son of man.”

And it came to pass, while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell down on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?”

False Prophets Condemned

The word of the Lord came to me:

“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’

Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel.

My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God.

Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash,

the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord God.

“And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own hearts. Prophesy against them

Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols,

For any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who separates himself from me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult me through him, I the Lord will answer him myself.

And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

And they shall bear their punishment—the punishment of the prophet and the punishment of the inquirer shall be alike—

“Son of man, set your face toward the southland; preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb.

“Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel

“Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord, say: “A sword, a sword is sharpened and also polished,

“As for you, son of man, prophesy. Clap your hands and let the sword come down twice, yes, three times, the sword for those to be slain. It is the sword for the great slaughter, which surrounds them,

“And you, son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach; say, A sword, a sword is drawn for the slaughter. It is polished to consume and to flash like lightning—

The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.

And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord has not spoken.