Ezekiel 13

1The 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 from their own hearts: Hear the word of the LORD!

3Thus says the LORD GOD: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4Your prophets have been like foxes among ruins, O Israel. 5You have not gone up into the breaches or built a wall for the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the day of the LORD. 6They have envisioned falsehood and lying divination. They say, 'Declares the LORD,' when the LORD has not sent them, yet they hope to confirm their word. 7Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination when you say, 'Declares the LORD,' although I have not spoken? 8Therefore thus says the LORD GOD: Because you have spoken falsehood and seen lies, behold, I am against you, declares the LORD GOD. 9My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and divinations of lies. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be written in the book of the house of Israel, nor enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD GOD.

10Because, indeed, they have seduced my people, saying, 'Peace,' when there is no peace. When one builds a wall, they coat it with whitewash; 11say to those who daub it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind shall break out. 12Behold, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, 'Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?' 13Therefore, thus says the LORD GOD: I will break out with a stormy wind in my fury; there shall be a flooding rain in my anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. 14So I will break down the wall you have plastered with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground so that its foundation will be uncovered. It will fall, and you shall be consumed in its midst. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 15Thus will I spend my wrath upon the wall and upon those who daubed it with whitewash; and I will say to you, 'The wall is no more, nor those who daubed it,' 16the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem and who see visions of peace for her 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 from their own hearts. Prophesy against them 18and say, Thus says the LORD GOD: Woe to the women who sew cushions for every joint of the arm and make veils for the head of people of height to ensnare souls. Do you hunt the souls of my people, and keep your own souls alive? 19You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death souls that should not die and keeping alive souls that should not live, by your lying to my people who listen to lies.

20Therefore thus says the LORD GOD: Behold, I am against your cushions with which you hunt the souls, to make them fly; I will tear them from your arms and let the souls go that you hunt — souls who shall fly. 21I will tear your veils and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall no longer be as prey in your hand. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.

22Because you have disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I have not grieved him, and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life, 23therefore you shall no longer envision vanity nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD."