Ezekiel has been prophesying about events in Jerusalem. In addition to verbal prophecies, Ezekiel is to act out some of these events, as a sign. (This chapter is discussed in some depth in the Bible Project class by Mackie, session 10.)
Ezekiel 13:1-7, False prophets
The word of the LORD came to me:
"Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: `Hear the word of the LORD!
This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins. You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD. Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, "The LORD declares," when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, "The LORD declares," though I have not spoken?
The false prophets speak "out of their own imagination." And they have done nothing to defend Jerusalem. The have not repaired breaks in the walls. (Unlike the false prophets, Ezekiel had no choice on prophesying. He was grabbed by YHWH!)
The adjective, translated "foolish" by the NIV in verse 3, is derived from nabal. It contributes to word play since the Hebrew word for prophet is nabi and so the Hebrew text reads
han·nə·ḇî·’îm han·nə·ḇā·lîm,
that is, "foolish prophets".
The Hebrew word shual in verse 4 is tranlated "jackals." That word appears in a similar context in Lamentations 5:18. The jackals (foxes, coyotes?) were scavengers sneaking around among the ruins of the city. The false prophets are described in the same sneaky, deceitful imagery.
Ezekiel 13:8-9, My hand against them
"`Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign LORD. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.
YHWH will demonstrate His power by opposing the false prophets. Instead of placing His hand on the prophets to guide their visions, He will place His hand against the false prophets to push them out of Israel.
Ezekiel 13:10-12, Covered with whitewash
"`Because they lead my people astray, saying, "Peace," when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth. When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, "Where is the whitewash you covered it with?"
The false prophets don't repair breaks in the walls but just cover them over. But rain and hail will bring those walls down and the people will turn on them.
Ezekiel 13:13-16, Walls and prophets come down
"`Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with destructive fury. I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the LORD.
So I will spend my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, "The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign LORD."'
The walls will come down -- and the false prophets with them.
Ezekiel 13:17-19, Magic bracelets
"Now, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them and say, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.
Complementing the false male prophets and false female prophets. They also speak "out of their imagination." Ezekiel is to confront them also.
One form of idolatry is for women to sew magic amulets on their bracelets. In the ensuing prophecies, they ensnare the innocent and profane YHWH. The "handfuls of barley and scraps of bread" may be payment but Alexander (p. 803) says that barley and bread were often used in divination.
Ezekiel 13:20-21, Torn charms and veils
"`Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds. I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
One form of idolatry is for women to sew magic amulets on their bracelets.
Ezekiel 13:20-23, Done with divination
Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives, therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the LORD.'"
The people will learn YHWH's power when He pulls the people away from the hands of the false prophets.
Some Random Thoughts
During the 2020 election in the US, I became aware of a number of "prophets" speaking out online, claiming that Donald Trump was God's chosen person to lead the country (and maybe the world), claiming that they had visions for God's (USA) kingdom. These prophets had monetized Youtube channels. The Youtube algorithms reward dramatic thumbnails and extreme messages and so the more outrageous the "vision", the more money these false prophets made.
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