Ezekiel 13

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

The LORD’s word 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 who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Hear the LORD’s word:

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.

The Lord GOD says, “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

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

Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.

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.

You have not gone up into the gaps or built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the LORD’s day.

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!

They have seen falsehood and lying divination, who say, ‘The LORD says;’ but the LORD has not sent them. They have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed.

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?

Haven’t you seen a false vision, and haven’t you spoken a lying divination, in that you say, ‘The LORD says;’ but I have not spoken?”

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.

“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Because you have spoken falsehood and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you,” says the Lord GOD.

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.

“My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who utter lying divinations. They will not be in the council of my people, neither will they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither will they enter into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.”

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, even because they have seduced my people, saying, “Peace;” and there is no peace. When one builds up a wall, behold, they plaster it with whitewash.

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.

Tell those who plaster it with whitewash that it will fall. There will be an overflowing shower; and you, great hailstones, will fall. A stormy wind will tear it.

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?’

Behold, when the wall has fallen, won’t it be said to you, “Where is the plaster with which you have 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 the Lord GOD says: “I will even tear it with a stormy wind in my wrath. There will be an overflowing shower in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it.

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.

So I will break down the wall that you have plastered with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered. It will fall, and you will be consumed in the middle of it. Then you will 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,

Thus I will accomplish my wrath on the wall, and on those who have plastered it with whitewash. I will tell you, ‘The wall is no more, nor those who plastered 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.

to wit, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace,’” says the Lord GOD.’”

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

You, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who 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 say, “The Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all elbows and make veils for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people and save souls alive for yourselves?

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.

You have profaned me amongst my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to kill the souls who should not die and to save the souls alive who should not live, by your lying to my people who listen to lies.’

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 the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I am against your magic bands, with which you hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms. I will let the souls fly free, even the souls whom you ensnare like birds.

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.

I will also tear your veils and deliver my people out of your hand; and they will no longer be in your hand to be ensnared. Then you will 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 with lies you have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive.

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 no more see false visions nor practise divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”