Ezekiel 13

King James Version

Full text for Ezekiel Chapter 13

1¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;

3Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

4O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

5Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.

6They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made [others] to hope that they would confirm the word.

7Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith [it]; albeit I have not spoken?

8Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I [am] against you, saith the Lord GOD.

9And 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 writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter 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, Peace; and [there was] no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered [morter]:

11Say 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].

12Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where [is] the daubing wherewith ye have daubed [it]?

13Therefore 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 hailstones in [my] fury to consume [it].

14So 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.

15Thus 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 peace 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,

18And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the [women] that sew pillows 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?

19And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces 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?

20Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against your pillows, 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] fly.

21Your 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.

22Because with lies 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, by promising him life:

23Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Ezekiel 13 condemns the false prophets and prophetesses of Israel who speak from their own hearts, not from the Lord. They offer vain visions and lying divinations, promising peace when there is none, likened to daubing a weak wall with untempered mortar. The Lord declares His judgment against them, promising to tear down their false security and deliver His people from their deceptive practices. Both male and female deceivers face divine wrath for their spiritual manipulation and lies.

Medium Summary

The Lord commands Ezekiel to prophesy against the false prophets of Israel who follow their own spirit and speak from their own hearts, seeing nothing of truth. These prophets are likened to foxes, failing to protect the nation, and are guilty of speaking vanity and lying divinations, falsely claiming divine authority. God declares His hand is against them, promising their exclusion from His people and the land. Furthermore, these false prophets are accused of seducing the people by promising peace when none exists, building a fragile wall of false security with "untempered morter." The Lord vows to destroy this wall with a storm of wind, shower, and hailstones, consuming both the wall and its builders. The chapter also condemns false prophetesses who use deceptive devices like "pillows" and "kerchiefs" to "hunt souls" for material gain, polluting God's name and strengthening the wicked. God promises to tear away their devices and deliver His people from their grasp, ensuring they will no longer practice their lying divinations.

Long Summary

Ezekiel 13 opens with the Lord's command to prophesy against the prophets of Israel who speak from their own hearts, not from divine inspiration. These foolish prophets are condemned for following their own spirit and seeing nothing, likened to foxes that offer no defense for the house of Israel. They are accused of seeing vain visions and speaking lying divinations, falsely attributing their words to the Lord when He has not sent them. Consequently, the Lord declares Himself against them, stating they will be excluded from the assembly of His people, not written in the register of Israel, and denied entry into the land, so that they may know He is the Lord GOD. The chapter then introduces the metaphor of the "untempered morter," illustrating how these false prophets have seduced the people by proclaiming "Peace" when there was no peace. They are depicted as building a weak wall of false security and then daubing it with ineffective mortar. The Lord promises a devastating judgment upon this wall: an overflowing shower, great hailstones, and a stormy wind will rend and break it down to its foundation, consuming those who built and daubed it. This destruction will reveal the futility of their false promises and confirm the Lord's wrath against them, particularly those prophets who saw visions of peace for Jerusalem when none existed. The prophecy then turns to the "daughters of thy people," the false prophetesses, who also prophesy out of their own hearts. They are condemned for using specific deceptive practices, such as sewing "pillows to all armholes" and making "kerchiefs upon the head of every stature," with the intent to "hunt souls." They are accused of polluting God's name for material gain, specifically "handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread," by slaying the righteous and saving the wicked through their lies. The Lord declares His opposition to their devices, promising to tear away their pillows and kerchiefs, delivering His people from their manipulative grasp. Their lies have saddened the righteous and strengthened the wicked, but the Lord will ensure they see no more vanity or divine divinations, thus delivering His people and revealing His sovereignty.

Core Concepts

  • False ProphecyThe chapter condemns prophets who speak from their own hearts and spirits, not from the Lord, offering vain visions and lying divinations while falsely claiming divine authority. These individuals are explicitly stated to 'have seen nothing' from God.
  • Untempered MortarThis metaphor describes the false security and deceptive promises offered by false prophets, likened to a weak wall built and daubed with ineffective material. This fragile construction is destined to collapse under the Lord's judgment, revealing its futility.
  • Hunting SoulsThis refers to the manipulative and deceptive practices of false prophetesses who use symbolic items like 'pillows to all armholes' and 'kerchiefs upon the head of every stature' to ensnare and control people for personal gain, leading to spiritual harm.
  • Divine JudgmentGod's active opposition and punishment against false prophets and prophetesses are central, involving their exclusion from Israel, the destruction of their false constructs, and the tearing away of their deceptive tools. This judgment serves to reveal His sovereignty and deliver His people.
  • Deceptive PeaceFalse prophets are condemned for proclaiming 'Peace' when there is no peace, thereby seducing the people into a dangerous state of complacency and false hope. This misrepresentation of reality directly contradicts the Lord's true message.
  • Strengthening the WickedA dire consequence of false prophecy is that the lies and false promises of the prophets encourage the wicked in their sinful ways, preventing their repentance. Conversely, their deceit also 'made the heart of the righteous sad'.