Ezekiel 13

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

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou to them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;

“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Tell those who prophesy out of their own imagination: Hear the word of the LORD!

3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

This is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, yet have seen nothing.

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

Your prophets, O Israel, are like foxes among the ruins.

5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.

You did not go up to the gaps or restore the wall around the house of Israel so that it would stand in the battle on the Day of the LORD.

6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made [others] to hope that they would confirm the word.

They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message.

7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith [it], although I have not spoken?

Haven’t you seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination when you proclaim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ even though I have not spoken?

8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I [am] against you, saith the Lord GOD.

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Because you have uttered vain words and seen false visions, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD.

9 And my hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.

My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and speak lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of My people or be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.

10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and [there was] no peace; and one built up a wall, and lo, others daubed it with untempered [mortar]:

Because they have led My people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and whitewashing any flimsy wall that is built,

11 Say to them who daub [it] with untempered [mortar], that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend [it].

tell those whitewashing the wall that it will fall. Rain will come in torrents, I will send hailstones plunging down, and a windstorm will burst forth.

12 Lo, when the wall hath fallen, shall it not be said to you, Where [is] the daubing with which ye have daubed [it]?

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

13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend [it] with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in my anger, and great hailstones in [my] fury to consume [it].

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: In My wrath I will release a windstorm, and in My anger torrents of rain and hail will fall with destructive fury.

14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered [mortar], and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation shall be made bare, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst of it: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

I will tear down the wall you whitewashed and level it to the ground, so that its foundation is exposed. The city will fall, and you will be destroyed within it. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

15 Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered [mortar], and will say to you, The wall [is] no [more], neither they that daubed it;

And after I have vented My wrath against the wall and against those who whitewashed it, I will say to you: ‘The wall is gone, and so are those who whitewashed it—

16 [To wit], the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her, and [there is] no peace, saith the Lord GOD.

those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw a vision of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Lord GOD.’

17 Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, who prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou 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

18 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the [women] that sew pillows to all arm-holes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive [that come] to you?

and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils for the heads of people of every height, in order to ensnare their souls. Will you ensnare the souls of My people but preserve your own?

19 And will ye profane me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear [your] lies?

You have profaned Me among My people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to My people who would listen, you have killed those who should not have died and spared those who should not have lived.

20 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against your pillows, with which ye there hunt the souls to make [them] fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, [even] the souls that ye hunt to make [them] fly.

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: See, I am against the magic charms with which you ensnare souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. So I will free the souls you have ensnared like birds.

21 Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall no more be in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people from your hands, so that they will no longer be prey in your hands. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

22 Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:

Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies, even though I have caused them no grief, and because you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways to save their lives,

23 Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will deliver My people from your hands. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”