Ezekiel 13

1 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

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

2 “Son of man, you are to prophesy against the prophets of Israel who right now are busy prophesying. Tell those who make up their own prophecies: Listen to the word of the Lord!

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 This is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to these foolish prophets who follow their own ideas. They haven't seen anything.

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

4 Israel, your prophets are like foxes that live in the ruins.

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

5 They didn't go and help repair the gaps in the wall that defends the people of Israel so that it would stand secure during the battle on the Day of the Lord.

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

6 The visions they see are false, and the prophecies they give are lies. They claim, ‘This is what the Lord says,’ when the Lord didn't send them. Even so they still expect their message to be fulfilled!

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 Isn't it a false vision that you people saw? Isn't it a prophecy of lies when you announce, ‘This is what the Lord says,’ even though I haven't said anything?

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

8 So this is what the Lord God says: Since you've spoken lies and claimed to see false visions, then watch out, because I'm against you, declares the Lord God.

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 I will punish the prophets who see false visions and give prophecies that are lies. They will not belong to the assembly of my people or be listed in the register of Israelites, and they won't be allowed to enter the country of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.

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 They have deceived my people by saying, ‘We shall have peace,’ when there won't be any peace. It's like they're putting a coat of whitewash on an unstable wall of loose stones that the people have built.

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 So tell those people whitewashing the wall that it's going to collapse. Rain will come pouring down. I will send hailstones crashing down on it. A windstorm will blow hard against it.

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 Don't you think that when the wall collapses people are going to ask you, ‘What happened to the whitewash you painted it with?’

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

13 So this is what the Lord God says: In my furious anger I'm going to send a windstorm, pouring rain, and hailstones to destroy the wall.

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 I will demolish the wall you whitewashed, knocking it to the ground to reveal its foundations. The city is going to fall, and you're going to be destroyed with it. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

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 Once the wall and those who whitewashed it have experienced my anger, I will tell you: The wall is no more, and those who whitewashed it are no more,

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 those ‘prophets’ of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and claimed to have seen a vision of peace for her when there wasn't going to be any peace, declares the Lord God.

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 Now, son of man, you are to oppose those Israelite women who make up prophecies in their own minds. Prophesy against them

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 tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the women who sew bracelets of magic charms for their wrists and make veils for all kinds of people to wear as ways to trap and exploit them. Do you think you can trap the lives of my people yet still keep your own?

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 You have disgraced me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people who believe in you, you have killed those who shouldn't have died and let others live who shouldn't.

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 So this is what the Lord God says: Watch out! I condemn the magic charms you use to trap people like birds, and I will rip them off your arms. I will set free those you have trapped.

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 I will also rip off your veils and rescue my people from your power, so that they will no longer be your victims. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

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 discouraged good people with your lies, even though I didn't have anything against them, and because you have encouraged the wicked that they shouldn't give up from their evil ways to save their lives,

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 from now on you won't claim these false visions or practice magic. I will rescue my people from your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

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.