Jezekiel 13

1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, and you shall prophesy, and shall say to them, Hear you the word of the Lord:

3 Thus says the Lord, Woe to them that prophesy out of their own heart, and who see nothing at all.

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

5 They have not continued steadfast, and they have gathered flocks against the house of Israel, they that say,

6 In the day of the Lord, have not stood, seeing false [visions], prophesying vanities, who say, The Lord says, and the Lord has not sent them, and they began [to try] to confirm the word.

7 Have you not seen a false vision? and spoken vain prophecies?

8 And therefore say, Thus says the Lord; Because your words are false, and your prophecies are vain, therefore, behold, I am against you, says the Lord.

9 And I will stretch forth my hand against the prophets that see false [visions], and those that utter vanities: they shall not partake of the instruction of my people, neither shall they be written in the roll of the house of Israel, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

10 Because they have caused my people to err, saying, Peace; and there is no peace; and one builds a wall, and they plaster it, —it shall fall.

11 Say to them that plaster [it], It shall fall; and there shall be a flooding rain; and I will send great stones upon their joinings, and they shall fall; and there shall be a sweeping wind, and it shall be broken.

12 And behold! the wall has fallen; and will they not say to you, Where is your plaster wherewith you plastered [it]?

13 Therefore thus says the Lord; I will even cause to burst forth a sweeping blast with fury, and there shall be a flooding rain in my wrath; and in [my] fury I will bring on great stones for complete destruction.

14 And I will break down the wall which you have plastered, and it shall fall; and I will lay it on the ground, and its foundations shall be discovered, and it shall fall; and you shall be consumed with rebukes: and you shall know that I am the Lord.

15 And I will accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that plaster it; it shall fall: and I said to you, The wall is not, nor they that plaster it,

16 even the prophets of Israel, who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see [visions of] peace for her, and there is no peace, says the Lord.

17 And you, son of man, set your face firmly against the daughters of your people, that prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy against them.

18 And you shall say, Thus says the Lord, Woe to the [women] that sew pillows under every elbow, and make kerchiefs on the head of every stature to pervert souls! The souls of my people are perverted, and they have saved souls alive.

19 And they have dishonoured me before my people for a handful of barley, and for pieces of bread, to kill the souls which should not die, and to save alive the souls which should not live, while you speak to a people hearing vain speeches.

20 Therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against your pillows, whereby you there confound souls, and I will tear them away from your arms, and will set at liberty their souls which you pervert to scatter them.

21 And I will tear your kerchiefs, and will rescue my people out of your hands, and they shall no longer be in your hands to be confounded; and you shall know that I am the Lord.

22 Because you have perverted the heart of the righteous, whereas I perverted him not, and [that] in order to strengthen the hands of the wicked, that he should not at all turn from his evil way and live:

23 therefore you shall not see false [visions], and you shall no more utter prophecies: but I will deliver my people out of your hand; and you shall know that I am the Lord.