Old Testament · Prophets

Ezekiel chapter 13

The word of came to me:“, against the prophets of Israel who are prophesying. Say to those who invent their own visions: Listen to the word of Yahweh!”This is what Yahweh, the , says: the foolish prophets who follow their own imagination and have seen nothing at all!Israel, your prophets have become like scavenging among ruins.You have not gone up into the , or repaired it for the people of Israel, so that it would stand firm in battle on .Their visions are empty and their are lies. They say, “Yahweh declares,” when Yahweh has not sent them — and yet they expect their words to come true.Haven’t you seen empty visions and spoken lying predictions? And yet you say, “Yahweh declares” — though I have said nothing.Therefore this is what Yahweh, the Sovereign God, says: Because you have spoken emptiness and seen lies, I am against you, declares Yahweh, the Sovereign God.My hand will be against the prophets who see empty visions and speak lying predictions. They will have no place in the of my people, they will not be listed in the of the house of Israel, and they will never set foot in the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am Yahweh, the Sovereign God.Because — yes, precisely because — they lead my people astray, saying, “,” when nothing is well. When someone builds a flimsy wall, they come along and plaster it over with .Tell those who plaster it with whitewash: It is going to fall! Torrential rain will come, I will send crashing down, and a violent wind will burst against it.When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you plastered on it?”Therefore this is what Yahweh, the Sovereign God, says: In my fury I will unleash a violent wind; in my anger, torrential rain and hailstones will come, destroying everything.I will tear down the wall you plastered with whitewash and level it to the ground, so that its foundation is exposed. When it falls, you will be destroyed inside it. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.So I will spend my fury on the wall and on those who plastered it with whitewash. I will say to you: The wall is gone, and those who whitewashed it are gone —those prophets of Israel who prophesied over Jerusalem and saw visions of for her when there was no peace, declares Yahweh, the Sovereign God.Now, son of man, turn your attention to the among your people from their own imagination. Prophesy against themand say: This is what Yahweh, the Sovereign God, says: What sorrow awaits you women who sew on every wrist and make for heads of every size, in order to ! Will you trap the lives of my people and yet keep your own lives safe?You have dishonored me among my people for . By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you kill those who should not die and keep alive those who should not live.Therefore this is what Yahweh, the Sovereign God, says: I am against your magic bands with which you trap people . I will tear them from your arms and set free the lives you have trapped like birds.I will tear off your veils and rescue my people from your hands. They will no longer be in your grasp. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.Because you have broken the hearts of the with your lies — when I had not caused them grief — and because you have encouraged the wicked not to and so save their lives,therefore you will no longer see empty visions or practice your predictions. I will rescue my people from your hands. Then .