Ezekiel 13:13-23

13:13 “‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: In my rage I will make a violent wind break out. In my anger there will be a deluge of rain and hailstones in destructive fury. 13:14 I will break down the wall you coated with whitewash and knock it to the ground so that its foundation is exposed. When it falls you will be destroyed beneath it, ¹  and you will know that I am the Lord. 13:15 I will vent my rage against the wall, and against those who coated it with whitewash. Then I will say to you, “The wall is no more and those who whitewashed it are no more – 13:16 those prophets of Israel who would prophesy about Jerusalem ²  and would see visions of peace for it, when there was no peace,” declares the sovereign Lord.’

13:17 “As for you, son of man, turn toward ³  the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their imagination. ⁴  Prophesy against them 13:18 and say ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to those who sew bands ⁵  on all their wrists ⁶  and make headbands ⁷  for heads of every size to entrap people’s lives! ⁸  Will you entrap my people’s lives, yet preserve your own lives? 13:19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. You have put to death people ⁹  who should not die and kept alive those who should not live by your lies to my people, who listen to lies!

13:20 “‘Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Take note ¹⁰  that I am against your wristbands with which you entrap people’s lives ¹¹  like birds. I will tear them from your arms and will release the people’s lives, which you hunt like birds. 13:21 I will tear off your headbands and rescue my people from your power; ¹²  they will no longer be prey in your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 13:22 This is because you have disheartened the righteous person with lies (although I have not grieved him), and because you have encouraged the wicked person not to turn from his evil conduct and preserve his life. 13:23 Therefore you will no longer see false visions and practice divination. I will rescue my people from your power, and you ¹³  will know that I am the Lord.’”

[13:14]  ¹ tn Or “within it,” referring to the city of Jerusalem.

[13:16]  ¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[13:17]  ¹ tn Heb “set your face against.”

[13:17]  ² tn Heb “from their heart.”

[13:18]  ¹ sn The wristbands mentioned here probably represented magic bands or charms. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:413.

[13:18]  ² tn Heb “joints of the hands.” This may include the elbow and shoulder joints.

[13:18]  ³ tn The Hebrew term occurs in the Bible only here and in v. 21. It has also been understood as a veil or type of head covering. D. I. Block (Ezekiel [NICOT], 1:414) suggests that given the context of magical devices, the expected parallel to the magical arm bands, and the meaning of this Hebrew root (סָפַח [safakh, “to attach” or “join”]), it may refer to headbands or necklaces on which magical amulets were worn.

[13:18]  ⁴ tn Heb “human lives” or “souls” (three times in v. 18 and twice in v. 19).

[13:19]  ¹ tn Heb “human lives” or “souls.”

[13:20]  ¹ tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.

[13:20]  ² tn Heb “human lives” or “souls.”

[13:21]  ¹ tn Heb “from your hand(s).” This refers to their power over the people.

[13:23]  ¹ tn The Hebrew verb is feminine plural, indicating that it is the false prophetesses who are addressed here.