False Prophets Condemned
Ezekiel 13The word of YHWH came to me, saying, “Son of humanity, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Y’all must listen the word of YHWH: Lord YHWH says, “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste ruins. Y’all have not gone up into the gaps or built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle on the day of YHWH. They have seen falsehood and lying divination, who say, ‘YHWH declares,’ but YHWH has not sent them. Yet they hope for the fulfillment of their words. Did y’all not seen a false vision speak a lying divination, when y’all said, ‘YHWH declares,’ though I have not spoken?”
“‘Therefore Lord YHWH says: “Because y’all have spoken falsehood and seen lies, therefore I am against y’all,” says Lord YHWH. “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 records of the house of Israel, neither will they enter into the land of Israel. Then y’all will know that I am Lord YHWH.”
“‘Because they have seduced my people, saying, “Peace!” when there is no peace. When they build a wall, you can see they smear it with whitewash. Tell those who plaster it with whitewash that it will fall. A flooding rain will come, and y’all great hailstones will fall. A violent wind will break out. Look! When the wall has fallen, won’t y’all be asked, “Where is the plaster that y’all smeared on it?”
“‘Therefore Lord YHWH says: “I will break it with a violent wind in my wrath. There will be an overflowing rain from my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it. So I will break down the wall that y’all have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered. It will fall, and y’all will be consumed in the middle of it. Then y’all will know that I am YHWH. Thus I will accomplish my wrath on the wall, and on those who have smeared it with whitewash. I will tell y’all, ‘The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it— to wit, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace,’” says Lord YHWH.’”
You, son of humanity, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart. Prophesy against them, and say, “Lord YHWH says: ‘Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all wrists and make veils for heads of every height to hunt souls! Will y’all hunt the souls of my people, but preserve y’all’s own souls? Y’all have profaned me among my people for a handful of barley and a scrap of bread. Y’all have killed the souls who should not die and saved the souls who should not live, by lying to my people who listen to lies.’
“Therefore Lord YHWH says: ‘I am against y’all’s magic wristbands that y’all to hunt souls like birds. I will tear them from y’all’s arms, and I will release those souls, the souls whom y’all hunt like birds. I will also tear off y’all’s veils and deliver my people from y’all’s hand. They will no longer be in y’all’s hand to be hunted. Then y’all will know that I am YHWH. Because you have grieved the heart of the righteous with lies, those 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. Therefore y’all will no more see false visions or practice divination. I will deliver my people from y’all’s hand. Then y’all will know that I am YHWH.’”