Ezekiel 13

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

2Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts, ‘Hear the word of Yahweh.’

3Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing.

4Your prophets, O Israel, have been like foxes among ruins.

5You have not gone up into the breaches or built up a wall for the house of Israel, so that it might stand in the battle on the day of Yahweh.

6They have seen falsehood and lying divination, those who say, ‘Declaration of Yahweh,’ though Yahweh has not sent them; yet they hope for the fulfillment of the word.

7Have you not seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination, when you say, ‘Declares Yahweh,’ though I have not spoken?

8Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have spoken falsehood and seen a lie, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD.

9And my hand will be against the prophets who see falsehood and who practice lying divination. They will not be in the council of my people, nor will they be written 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 Yahweh.

10Because, yes, because they have led my people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and when someone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it with whitewash.

11Tell those who plaster it with whitewash that it will fall. There will be a flooding rain, and you, O hailstones, will fall, and a windstorm will break it open.

12And look, when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?’

13Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I will unleash a storm wind in my wrath, and there will be a flooding rain in my anger, and hailstones in fury to bring complete destruction.

14I will tear down the wall that you plastered with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation is laid bare. It will fall, and you will perish within it. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.

15So I will spend my wrath against the wall and against those who plastered it with whitewash, and I will say to you, ‘The wall is no more, and those who plastered it are no more,’

16the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem and who see for her a vision of peace, when there is no peace, declares the Lord GOD.

17And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own hearts, and prophesy against them.

18And say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the women who sew magic bands on every wrist and make veils for the head of persons of every height, to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people and keep your own souls alive?

19And you have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death persons who should not die and keeping alive persons who should not live, by your lying to my people, who listen to lies.

20Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the lives there like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the lives go free—the ones you hunt like birds.

21I will tear off your magic bands, and I will deliver my people from your hand, and they will no longer be in your hand as prey; then you will know that I am Yahweh.

22Because you have disheartened the heart of the righteous with falsehood, though I had not caused him grief, and because you have strengthened the hands of the wicked so that he does not turn from his evil way to preserve his life,

23Therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination anymore, and I will deliver my people from your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.