Ezekiel13

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.

Prophecy Against False Male Prophets

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being, prophesy against the prophets of Isra'el who prophesy. Tell those prophesying out of their own thoughts, 'Listen to what ADONAI says!

Adonai ELOHIM says: "Woe to the vile prophets who follow their own spirits and things which they have not seen!

Isra'el, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins.

You [prophets] have not gone up to the breaks in the barricade or repaired it for the house of Isra'el, so that they can stand fast in battle on the day of ADONAI.

Their visions are futile and their divination is false; they say, 'ADONAI says,' when ADONAI has not sent them; yet they hope that the word will be confirmed.

Haven't you had a futile vision and spoken a false divination when you say, 'ADONAI says,' and I have not spoken?

Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM does say: 'Because you have spoken futilities and seen falsehoods, therefore I am against you,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

"'"My hand will be against the prophets who have futile visions and produce false divinations; they will not be allowed into the council of my people, or be written in the register of the house of Isra'el, or enter the land of Isra'el. Then you will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.

The Wall of Untempered Mortar

They deserve this, because they have led my people astray by saying there is peace when there is no peace. If someone builds a wall without mortar, they 'plaster' it with whitewash [to make it appear strong].

Tell these 'plasterers' that a cloudburst is coming, with huge hailstones and gale-force winds;

and the wall will fall down. Then people will ask you, 'Where is the whitewash you used to "plaster" it?'"

Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says: "In my rage I will cause gale-force winds to break out, and in my anger there will come a cloudburst, with huge hailstones to consume it in fury.

This is how I will break down the wall you covered with whitewash - I will smash it to the ground, so that its foundation will be revealed. The wall will fall down, and you will be consumed with it. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.

In this way I will spend my fury on the wall and on those who covered it with whitewash; and I will say to you, 'The wall is gone, and so are those who "plastered" it,'

that is, the prophets of Isra'el who prophesy about Yerushalayim and see visions of peace for her when there is no peace," says Adonai ELOHIM.'

Judgment Against False Prophetesses

"You, human being, turn your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own thoughts. Prophesy against them;

tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Woe to the women who sew magic pads for all arm joints and put veils over people of all sizes, in order to hunt human lives! Will you hunt down the lives of my people while you keep your own lives safe?

You dishonor me before my people for a few handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread, killing people who should not die and sparing those who should not live, by your lying to my people, who love hearing lies.'

Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am against your pads, with which you hunt human lives like birds; I will tear them from your arms and let the lives go, yes, the human lives that you hunt like birds.

I will also tear your veils and rescue my people from your clutches, so that they will no longer be in your power for you to hunt. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.

Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies when I was not trying to cause them pain and have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their wicked ways and thus be saved,

therefore you will have no more futile visions, and you will produce no more divinations. I will rescue my people from your clutches, and you will know that I am ADONAI.'"

Study Notes for Ezekiel 13

Verse 2

Ezekiel's ministry often involved confronting those who claimed divine authority but spoke falsehoods, a critical issue during the Babylonian exile and the decade leading up to Jerusalem's fall.

Verse 3

The core charge against false prophecy is that it originates from human desire or imagination ('their own spirit'), not divine revelation. They speak without having received any true vision from God.

Verse 4

Foxes symbolize cunning, destructiveness, and failure to guard the flock. The prophets are ineffective scavengers rather than strong protectors needed to defend Israel.

Verse 5

This military metaphor means the prophets failed to stand in the breach or defend the city (or the people's spiritual well-being) against God's impending judgment.

Verse 6

The visions they claim to receive are 'vanity' (Hebrew: *shav*), meaning empty, worthless, and deceitful, yet they used them to manipulate the people into believing the false message.

Verse 9

This is a severe triple curse: exclusion from the covenant community (assembly), removal from the register of citizens (writing of Israel), and denial of return to the promised land.

Verse 10

The prophets offered a message of 'Peace' when war and judgment were imminent, echoing the false comfort criticized by Jeremiah (Jer. 6:14). Untempered mortar is weak plaster mixed without proper binding agents, symbolizing a flimsy, temporary cover over a structurally unsound situation.

Verse 11

The judgment is described using natural disaster imagery (hailstones, stormy wind), showing that God’s powerful wrath will easily destroy the weak structure the prophets attempted to uphold.

Verse 16

This reiterates the central theological failure: the false prophets offered immediate, unconditional comfort instead of calling the people to repentance in the face of imminent destruction.

Verse 17

This indicates that women also functioned as prophets or diviners in Israel, often associated with cultic practices or domestic magic, and they are held equally accountable for their falsehoods.

Verse 18

The 'pillows' and 'kerchiefs' (veils/bands) are likely ritualistic or magical items used by the prophetesses to control or manipulate those seeking guidance, perhaps symbolizing comfort or ensnarement. The goal is to 'hunt souls' for personal gain.

Verse 19

The prophetesses commercialized their supposed power, selling cheap divination for basic necessities (barley and bread), thus profaning God’s reputation among the people for personal gain.

Verse 22

The false message confused moral boundaries: it discouraged the faithful (who knew judgment was coming) and gave false assurance to the wicked, preventing them from turning back to God through repentance.

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Ezekiel13

Prophecy Against False Male Prophets

The Wall of Untempered Mortar

Judgment Against False Prophetesses

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