Ezekiel 13:12

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

Lo, when the wall {H7023} is fallen {H5307}, shall it not be said {H559} unto you, Where is the daubing {H2915} wherewith ye have daubed {H2902} it?

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

Surely when the wall has fallen, you will not be asked, ‘Where is the whitewash with which you covered it?’

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

Ezekiel 13:12 KJV is a powerful and direct question posed by God through the prophet Ezekiel, exposing the futility of false prophecy and deceptive assurances.

Context of Ezekiel 13:12

The prophet Ezekiel served during the tumultuous period of the Babylonian exile, delivering messages of judgment and hope to the exiled Israelites. In Ezekiel chapter 13, God vehemently condemns false prophets and prophetesses who spoke "peace, when there is no peace" (Ezekiel 13:10). These deceivers are likened to builders who erect a flimsy wall and then cover it with "untempered mortar" or whitewash, making it appear strong and sound. This "wall" represents their deceptive messages and promises of safety and prosperity, which were built on lies rather than divine truth. Verse 12 vividly describes the inevitable collapse of this fragile structure, leaving the false prophets exposed and their deceit evident.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Exposure of Deception: The verse highlights that falsehood, no matter how well disguised, will ultimately be revealed. The "daubing" (whitewash or plaster) cannot hide the inherent weakness of the wall built on lies.
  • Divine Judgment on Falsehood: God's judgment is certain against those who mislead His people for personal gain or popularity. The collapse of the wall signifies the devastating consequences awaiting those who propagate untruths and those who rely on them.
  • The Need for Discernment: This passage implicitly calls God's people to exercise spiritual discernment, to not be swayed by smooth words that lack substance, but to seek authentic truth from God.
  • Consequences of Superficiality: The "daubing" symbolizes superficial solutions and easy answers that avoid facing hard truths. When real trials come, these superficial coverings offer no genuine protection.

Linguistic Insights

The term "daubing" in this context refers to a plaster or whitewash. The Hebrew word used earlier in the chapter (Ezekiel 13:10-11) for "untempered mortar" is tāphēl (טָפֵל), which denotes something tasteless, insipid, or improperly mixed mortar that lacks binding quality. It emphasizes the utterly worthless and deceptive nature of the false prophets' messages. When the wall falls, the question, "Where is the daubing?" becomes a rhetorical indictment, highlighting the complete failure of their deceptive work.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 13:12 serves as a timeless warning for believers today. We are called to:

  • Test Every Spirit: Just as the ancient Israelites faced false prophets, we must discern messages and teachings, ensuring they align with God's unchanging Word (1 John 4:1).
  • Build on a Solid Foundation: Rather than relying on superficial promises or easy answers, we are encouraged to build our lives and faith on the solid foundation of Christ and His truth (Matthew 7:24).
  • Embrace Truth, Not Comfort: Sometimes, God's truth can be challenging, but it is always ultimately reliable. False prophets offer comfort without truth, which inevitably leads to ruin.

The collapse of the daubed wall serves as a stark reminder that only God's truth endures, and all deception will eventually be exposed.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Lamentations 2:14

    Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.

  • Lamentations 2:15

    All that pass by clap [their] hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, [saying, Is] this the city that [men] call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

  • Judges 9:38

    Then said Zebul unto him, Where [is] now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who [is] Abimelech, that we should serve him? [is] not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with them.

  • Judges 10:14

    Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

  • 2 Kings 3:13

    And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

  • Jeremiah 29:31

    Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:

  • Jeremiah 29:32

    Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back