Ezekiel 13:1-23
False Prophets
1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2“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!
3This is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit yet have seen nothing.
4Your prophets, O Israel, are like foxes among the ruins.
5You 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.
6They 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.
7Haven’t you seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination when you proclaim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ even though I have not spoken?
8Therefore 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.
9My 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.
10Because they have led My people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and whitewashing any flimsy wall that is built,
11tell 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.
12Surely when the wall has fallen, you will not be asked, ‘Where is the whitewash with which you covered it?’
13Therefore 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.
14I 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.
15And 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—
16those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw a vision of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Lord GOD.’
17Now, O son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them
18and 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?
19You 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.
20Therefore 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.
21I 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.
22Because 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,
23therefore 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.”
Berean Standard Bible
The word of the LORD comes against the prophets of Israel who prophesy from their own hearts without having seen anything. They are compared to foxes among ruins: creatures taking advantage of broken places while claiming to speak for God.
These prophets say, “Peace,” when there is no peace. They whitewash a weak wall instead of repairing it, covering the danger with a smooth surface so that people will not see the cracks. When the storm comes, both the wall and the prophets who covered it will be exposed.
The women who practice divination and sew magic charms are also condemned. They hunt souls, making false promises for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread. Their activity harms people by strengthening the hands of the wicked and discouraging the righteous from turning away from evil.
God promises to tear away the charms and rescue His people from these practices. The issue is not merely inaccurate prediction. False spiritual authority gives people confidence without truth and turns vulnerable lives into a source of profit.
Questions
1 From where did the false prophets speak?
AnswerThey prophesied from their own hearts without having seen anything from God.
2 What did they say about Jerusalem?
AnswerThey said “Peace” when there was no peace.
3 What did the weak wall represent?
AnswerIt represented a fragile situation that the prophets covered instead of repairing or honestly exposing.
4 Whom did the false practices harm?
AnswerThey strengthened the wicked and discouraged the righteous from turning away from evil.
What This Means for Us
Reassurance is not the same as peace. A comforting message can be cruel when it hides danger from people who need truth and action.
Be cautious with spiritual certainty that cannot show its source or that makes money from fear and hope. Good counsel should help people face reality and turn toward what is right.
Prayer
God of truth, protect us from voices that cover danger with easy reassurance. Give us discernment, compassion for the vulnerable, and courage to repair what is broken instead of painting over it. Amen.