The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 13

 The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 13

1 The word of the Lord came to me:

2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy only what their own hearts see: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’

3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have not seen!

4 Your prophets, Israel, are like foxes in the deserts.

5 You have not gone up to the breaches or repaired the wound of the house of Israel, to stand in the battle on the day of the Lord.

6 They see a false vision and a lying divination, saying, “The Lord has spoken,” when the Lord has not sent them; and they make people hope for the fulfillment of the word.

7 Do you not see a false vision or speak a lying divination when you say, “The Lord has spoken,” when I have not spoken?’” 

8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you speak vanity, and see a lie, therefore behold, I am against you, says the Lord God.

9 And my hand will be against the prophets who see vanity and who divine lies; they shall not be in the congregation of my people, nor shall they be written in the registers of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel: and you shall know that I am the Lord God.

10 Because, yes, because they are deceiving my people, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace; and one builds the wall of mud, and others plaster it with untempered lime.

11 Say to those who plaster it with untempered lime that it will fall. There will be a great downpour, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind will break it open.

12 Now, when the wall falls, will they not say to you, “Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?”

13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: A stormy wind will tear it down in my fury, and a heavy downpour will come in my anger, and great hailstones in my indignation, to consume it.

14 And I will break down the wall that you plastered with unblemished mortar, and I will bring it to the ground, and its foundation will be uncovered; thus it will fall, and you will perish in the midst of it, and you will know that I am the Lord.

15 Thus I will fulfill my fury against the wall, and against those who plaster it with unblemished mortar; and I will say to you, “The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it;

16 The prophets of Israel, who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and see for it a vision of peace, when there is no peace,” says the Lord God.

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

18 And say, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to those who sew pillows for all armpits, and who make headrests for every image, to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people? And will you keep souls alive for yourselves?

19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to kill souls that should not die, and to keep alive souls that should not live, thus lying to my people who listen to lies.

20 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against your pillows, with which you hunt souls like birds, and I will pluck them from your arms; and I will release the souls that you hunt like birds.

21 And I will tear your headrests, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall no more be in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

22 Because ye have grieved the heart of the righteous with falsehood, though I have not grieved him; and have strengthened the hand of the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way, and live;

23 Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, neither shall ye make any more divinations: but I will deliver my people out of your hand; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.