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EZEKIEL 14
page 737
the Sovereign Lord says: I will put an end to
this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.’
Now give them this new proverb to replace the
old one: ‘The time has come for every prophecy
to be fulfilled!’
24 “There will be no more false visions and
flattering predictions in Israel. 25 For I am the
Lord! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no
more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfill my
threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the
Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
26 Then this message came to me from the
Lord: 27 “Son of man, the people of Israel are
saying, ‘He’s talking about the distant future.
His visions won’t come true for a long, long
time.’ 28 Therefore, tell them, ‘This is what the
Sovereign Lord says: No more delay! I will now
do everything I have threatened. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!’”
Judgment against False Prophets
Then this message came to me from the
Lord: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against
the false prophets of Israel who are inventing
their own prophecies. Say to them, ‘Listen to
the word of the Lord. 3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: What sorrow awaits the false
prophets who are following their own imaginations and have seen nothing at all!’
4 “O people of Israel, these prophets of yours
are like jackals digging in the ruins. 5 They have
done nothing to repair the breaks in the walls
around the nation. They have not helped it to
stand firm in battle on the day of the Lord. 6 Instead, they have told lies and made false predictions. They say, ‘This message is from the Lord,’
even though the Lord never sent them. And yet
they expect him to fulfill their prophecies! 7 Can
your visions be anything but false if you claim,
‘This message is from the Lord,’ when I have
not even spoken to you?
8 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord
says: Because what you say is false and your
visions are a lie, I will stand against you, says
the Sovereign Lord. 9 I will raise my fist against
all the prophets who see false visions and make
lying predictions, and they will be banished
from the community of Israel. I will blot their
names from Israel’s record books, and they will
never again set foot in their own land. Then you
will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
10 “This will happen because these evil
prophets deceive my people by saying, ‘All is
peaceful’ when there is no peace at all! It’s as
if the people have built a flimsy wall, and these
prophets are trying to reinforce it by covering it
with whitewash! 11 Tell these whitewashers that
their wall will soon fall down. A heavy rainstorm will undermine it; great hailstones and
13
14:3 The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes
to dung; also in 14:4, 5, 6, 7.
mighty winds will knock it down. 12 And when
the wall falls, the people will cry out, ‘What
happened to your whitewash?’
13 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord
says: I will sweep away your whitewashed wall
with a storm of indignation, with a great flood
of anger, and with hailstones of fury. 14 I will
break down your wall right to its foundation,
and when it falls, it will crush you. Then you
will know that I am the Lord. 15 At last my anger
against the wall and those who covered it with
whitewash will be satisfied. Then I will say to
you: ‘The wall and those who whitewashed it
are both gone. 16 They were lying prophets who
claimed peace would come to Jerusalem when
there was no peace. I, the Sovereign Lord, have
spoken!’
Judgment against False Women Prophets
17 “Now, son of man, speak out against the
women who prophesy from their own imaginations. 18 This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
What sorrow awaits you women who are ensnaring the souls of my people, young and old
alike. You tie magic charms on their wrists and
furnish them with magic veils. Do you think you
can trap others without bringing destruction on
yourselves? 19 You bring shame on me among my
people for a few handfuls of barley or a piece of
bread. By lying to my people who love to listen
to lies, you kill those who should not die, and
you promise life to those who should not live.
20 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
I am against all your magic charms, which you
use to ensnare my people like birds. I will tear
them from your arms, setting my people free
like birds set free from a cage. 21 I will tear off
the magic veils and save my people from your
grasp. They will no longer be your victims.
Then you will know that I am the Lord. 22 You
have discouraged the righteous with your lies,
but I didn’t want them to be sad. And you have
encouraged the wicked by promising them
life, even though they continue in their sins.
23 Because of all this, you will no longer talk of
seeing visions that you never saw, nor will you
make predictions. For I will rescue my people
from your grasp. Then you will know that I am
the Lord.”
The Idolatry of Israel’s Leaders
Then some of the leaders of Israel visited me, and while they were sitting with
me, 2 this message came to me from the Lord:
3 “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols*
in their hearts. They have embraced things that
will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? 4 Tell them, ‘This is what
the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel
have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into
sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a
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