Old Testament Commentary - Ezekiel 13

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
           CHAPTER 13            

Ezekiel reproves false prophets, both male and female, who speak lies and to whom God hath not spoken.

 1 AND the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
 2 Son of man, prophesy against the aprophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own heartsa, Hear ye the word of the LORD;
 3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the afoolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
 2a that phrophesy out of their own hearts False prophets prophesy not the word of God but the words of men. Of such words of men are those which the desires of the hearts of men would have God say and do as they 'feel' upon their own contrivance what they's have God be and do. Even in our own imaginations of what God would or would not have of us, we are prone to supose that which suits ourselves rather than that which God in truth has said or directed. In this we need take care that in our own worship of God that we do not make him after our own contrived image of what we would have him be. We need to take care to come to a true understanding of just what he is and worship him in true and not according to the dictates of our own mind and heart's pretence of what we would have him be. This is what has given rise to so many sects and divisions, this 'self' divination of God to be what a man, any man, so inovates him to be.
 4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
 5 Ye have not gone up into the agaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.
 6 They have seen vanity and lying adivination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
 7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; aalbeit I have not spoken?
 8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken avanity, and seen blies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.
 9 And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the awriting of the house of Israel, neither shall they benter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
 10 ¶ Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, aPeace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered bmorter:
 11 Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.
 12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the adaubing wherewith ye have daubed it?
 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great ahailstones in my fury to consume it.
 14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
 15 Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;
 16 To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of apeace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.
 17 ¶ Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,
 18 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew apillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?
 19 And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for apieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?
 20 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your apillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them bfly.
 21 Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
 22 Because with alies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, bby promising him life:
 23 Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor adivine bdivinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.