The Vanity of the Israelites
Table of Contents
1-2 [To Ezekiel] Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy.
Tell them:
3 Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
4 O Israel, your prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the Israelites to stand in the battle in the day of Enki.
6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and Enki hath not sent them: and they have made [others] to hope that they would confirm the word.
7 Have you not seen a vain vision, and have you not spoken a lying divination, whereas you say, that I have not spoken.
8 Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I [am] against you.
9 My hand shall be on 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 Israelites, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel.
10 They have seduced my people, saying, Peace. But there was no peace.
One built up a wall, but others daubed it with untempered mortar.
11 Say to them which daub it with untempered mortar
It shall fall! There shall be an overflowing shower of great hailstones. A stormy wind shall rend it.
12 When the wall is fallen, I will ask: Where is the daubing that you did?
13 I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury. There shall be an overflowing shower in my anger. Great hailstones in my fury will consume it.
14 I will break down the wall that you have daubed with untempered morter and bring it down to the ground so that its foundation shall be discovered and it shall fall. you shall be consumed with it.
15 Thus I will accomplish my wrath on:
- the wall
- those who have daubed it with untempered mortar
I will say to you: The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it.
16 The prophets of Israel who:
- prophesy on Jerusalem
- see visions of peace for her
There is no peace.
17 Likewise, you son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own heart.
Prophesy against them.
18 Tell them:
Woe to the women who sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs on the head of every stature to hunt souls!
You:
- hunt the souls of my people
- save the living souls that come to you
19 You lie to my people. For handfuls of barley and pieces of bread, you:
- slay the souls that should not die
- save the living souls that should not live
20 And so I am against your pillows which you use to hunt the souls to make them fly.
I will:
- tear them from your arms
- let the souls go, even the souls that you hunt to make them fly.
21 I will also:
- tear your kerchiefs
- deliver my people out of your hand
They will no longer be hunted by your hand.
You shall know that I am the Lord.
22 Your lies have:
- made the heart of the righteous sad
- strengthened the hands of the wicked by promising him life if he keeps his wicked way
23 Therefore you shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations.
I will deliver my people out of your hand: and you shall know that I am the Lord.