Ezekiel 13:17

¶ 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,

Likewise, thou son {H1121} of man {H120}, set {H7760} thy face {H6440} against the daughters {H1323} of thy people {H5971}, which prophesy {H5012} out of their own heart {H3820}; and prophesy {H5012} thou against them,

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

Now, O son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them

And thou, son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, that prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,

Context

Ezekiel 13 focuses on God's severe condemnation of false prophets in Israel, both male and female, who offered deceptive messages of peace and prosperity contrary to God's impending judgment through the Babylonian exile. This specific verse, Ezekiel 13:17, introduces a distinct rebuke against female false prophets, referred to as "the daughters of thy people." At a time when the people desperately needed truth and repentance, these individuals offered comforting lies, building "a wall" of false hope and daubing it with "untempered mortar" (Ezekiel 13:10).

Key Themes

  • Divine Opposition to Falsehood: God explicitly commands Ezekiel to "set thy face against" these false prophetesses, signifying a firm stance of opposition and judgment against those who mislead His people. This highlights God's intolerance for spiritual deception.
  • The Source of Prophecy: The core accusation is that they "prophesy out of their own heart." This sharply contrasts with true divine revelation, which originates from God's Spirit. Their messages were products of their own imagination, desires, or self-interest, not divine inspiration.
  • The Danger of Deception: These false prophecies created a dangerous delusion among the people, preventing them from acknowledging their sin and seeking true repentance. This echoed warnings against false prophets found throughout the Old Testament, such as in Jeremiah 14:14.
  • Ezekiel's Commission: As "son of man," Ezekiel is again called to confront evil directly, even within his own community. His role is to speak God's truth, regardless of how unpopular or challenging it might be.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "set thy face against" (Hebrew: sim panecha el) denotes a resolute and determined posture of confrontation, often implying judgment or strong opposition. It's used elsewhere in Ezekiel to describe the prophet's stance against Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4:7) or other nations. The crucial phrase "prophesy out of their own heart" emphasizes that their messages stemmed from their personal desires or imaginations (Hebrew: libbam, 'their heart/mind'), lacking any divine origin or authority, a stark contrast to true prophetic inspiration.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a timeless warning against spiritual deception. In any age, there are those who claim to speak for God but merely echo their own thoughts, desires, or even manipulative intentions. Believers are called to exercise spiritual discernment, testing every message against the unchanging truth of God's Word. The standard for true prophecy remains: does it align with Scripture, does it come to pass, and does it draw people closer to God, not human wisdom? We are admonished to beware of those who prophesy "out of their own heart," as their words can lead to false security and spiritual harm, just as Jesus warned against false prophets in sheep's clothing.

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.

  • Ezekiel 13:2

    Son 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;

  • Revelation 2:20

    Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

  • Judges 4:4

    ¶ And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

  • 2 Kings 22:14

    So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

  • Luke 2:36

    And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;

  • 2 Peter 2:1

    ¶ But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

  • Ezekiel 21:2

    Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop [thy word] toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,

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