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Ezekiel 13

Ezekiel exposes prophecy invented in God’s name and announces God’s judgment against those whose lies endanger his people.

YHWH commands Ezekiel to confront Israel’s prophets who claim divine authority for visions God has never given them. Their promises of peace for Jerusalem are compared to whitewash on a wall that God will tear down. Ezekiel must also speak against women whose false prophecies and ritual objects ensnare people. God condemns these lies for grieving the righteous and strengthening the wicked, and promises to free his people from those who deceive them.

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2“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Hear the LORD’s word:
3The Lord GOD says, “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
4Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
5You have not gone up into the gaps or built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the LORD’s day.
6They have seen falsehood and lying divination, who say, ‘The LORD says;’ but the LORD has not sent them. They have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed.
7Haven’t you seen a false vision, and haven’t you spoken a lying divination, in that you say, ‘The LORD says;’ but I have not spoken?”
8“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Because you have spoken falsehood and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you,” says the Lord GOD.
9“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 writing of the house of Israel, neither will they enter into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.”
10“‘Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, “Peace;” and there is no peace. When one builds up a wall, behold, they plaster it with whitewash.
11Tell those who plaster it with whitewash that it will fall. There will be an overflowing shower; and you, great hailstones, will fall. A stormy wind will tear it.
12Behold, when the wall has fallen, won’t it be said to you, “Where is the plaster with which you have plastered it?”
13“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “I will even tear it with a stormy wind in my wrath. There will be an overflowing shower in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it.
14So I will break down the wall that you have plastered with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered. It will fall, and you will be consumed in the middle of it. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
15Thus I will accomplish my wrath on the wall, and on those who have plastered it with whitewash. I will tell you, ‘The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it—
16to wit, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace,’” says the Lord GOD.’”
17You, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy against them,
18and say, “The Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all elbows and make veils for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people and save souls alive for yourselves?
19You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to kill the souls who should not die and to save the souls alive who should not live, by your lying to my people who listen to lies.’
20“Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I am against your magic bands, with which you hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms. I will let the souls fly free, even the souls whom you ensnare like birds.
21I will also tear your veils and deliver my people out of your hand; and they will no longer be in your hand to be ensnared. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
22Because with lies you have grieved the heart of the righteous, 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.
23Therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
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Key verses
Ezekiel 13:22This verse names the damage false prophecy causes: sorrow for the righteous and encouragement for the wicked to resist repentance.
Ezekiel 13:10The whitewashed wall pictures false promises of peace that conceal Jerusalem’s danger while leaving it exposed to judgment.
Ezekiel 13:6The prophets claim YHWH’s authority without being sent by him, creating hopes that rest on lies.
Where this chapter reaches

Jeremiah shares Ezekiel’s condemnation of prophets who promise peace without a word from God, leaving people exposed to judgment. Isaiah also confronts falsehood as a refuge and describes hail sweeping that refuge away, a shared image of judgment exposing false security.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What does the whitewashed wall reveal about the difference between reassurance and truth?

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How does God’s promise to free those ensnared shape your reading of his anger here?

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Questions people ask about Ezekiel 13

What does the whitewashed wall mean in Ezekiel 13?

The wall and its whitewash picture the false security created by prophets who announce peace for Jerusalem when there is no peace. Their assurances make a dangerous situation look sound. God’s storm exposes the foundation and destroys both the wall and those who coated it.

What are the magic bands and veils in Ezekiel 13?

The text describes women sewing bands and making veils as part of practices tied to false prophecy and divination. The precise objects and rituals are uncertain. Their role in the passage is clear: they help ensnare people through lies, and God promises to tear them away and release his people.

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Ezekiel · 48 chapters
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).