Ezekiel

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

1The LORD spoke his word to me. He said:

2Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;

2"Son of man, speak against the prophets of Israel who are prophesying right now. Say to those who make up messages in their own minds: Listen to the word of the LORD!

3Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

3This is what the Lord GOD says: How terrible it will be for the foolish prophets! They follow their own ideas, and they have seen nothing at all.

4O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

4Israel, your prophets are like foxes prowling around in the ruins.

5Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.

5You did not go up to the broken places in the wall or repair it for the people of Israel. So the nation cannot stand in battle on the day when the LORD acts.

6They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.

6They see false visions and use lying magic to guess the future. They say, 'This is what the LORD says,' but the LORD did not send them. Still they wait for their words to come true.

7Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?

7You have seen a false vision and spoken a lying message, haven't you? You say, 'This is what the LORD says,' when I have not spoken at all.

8Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.

8So this is what the Lord GOD says: Because you have spoken empty words and seen lies, I am against you, says the Lord GOD.

9And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

9I will raise my hand against the prophets who see false visions and speak lying messages. They will not sit in the council of my people. Their names will not be written in the record book of Israel. They will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.

10Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:

10They have led my people the wrong way. They say, 'All is peaceful,' when there is no peace. Someone builds a flimsy wall, and they cover it with whitewash.

NoteThe KJV says the wall was daubed with "untempered morter." That means a thin coat of whitewash spread over weak stonework. It made the wall look solid, but it added no strength at all.

11Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.

11So tell those who whitewash the wall that it will fall. Rain will pour down, hailstones will crash, and a windstorm will burst loose.

12Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?

12When the wall falls down, people will surely ask you, 'Where is the whitewash you spread on it?'

NoteThe KJV phrases this as a question expecting the answer yes: people certainly will ask where the whitewash went.

13Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it.

13So this is what the Lord GOD says: In my anger I will send a windstorm to tear it apart. In my anger I will send pouring rain and huge hailstones to destroy it.

14So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

14I will break down the wall you whitewashed and level it to the ground. Its foundation will be laid bare. It will fall, and you will be destroyed inside it. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

15Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;

15I will pour out my anger on the wall and on the ones who whitewashed it. Then I will say to you, 'The wall is gone, and so are the ones who whitewashed it.'

16To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.

16Those are the prophets of Israel who spoke to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, says the Lord GOD.

17Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,

17"Now, son of man, turn and face the women among your people who make up messages in their own minds. Speak against them.

18And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?

18Say, this is what the Lord GOD says: How terrible it will be for the women who sew magic charms on their wrists! They make veils for the heads of people of every size, in order to trap them. Will you trap my people and still keep yourselves safe?

NoteThe KJV says these women sewed "pillows to all armholes." Scholars understand these to be small charms or bands worn on the wrists, used in magic to control people.

19And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?

19You have shamed me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley and some scraps of bread. You have killed people who should not have died and spared people who should not have lived. You did it by lying to my people, who listened to your lies.

20Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.

20So this is what the Lord GOD says: I am against your magic charms, which you use to trap people like birds. I will tear the charms off your arms and set free the people you trapped.

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

21I will also tear off your veils and rescue my people from your hands. They will no longer be caught like prey by you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

22Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:

22You used lies to make good people lose heart, though I never gave them any sorrow. And you gave wicked people courage to keep doing wrong, by promising they would live.

23Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

23So you will not see false visions or use magic to guess the future anymore. I will rescue my people from your hands. Then you will know that I am the LORD."