The Preacher's Bible

Jehovah’s word came to me, saying, ²“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Hear Jehovah’s word: ³The Lord Jehovah says, “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! ⁴Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places. ⁵You have not gone up into the gaps or built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in Jehovah’s day. ⁶They have seen falsehood and lying divination, who say, ‘Jehovah says;’ but Jehovah has not sent them. They have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed. ⁷Haven’t you seen a false vision, and haven’t you spoken a lying divination, in that you say, ‘Jehovah says;’ but I have not spoken?”

⁸“‘Therefore the Lord Jehovah says: “Because you have spoken falsehood and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you,” says the Lord Jehovah. ⁹“My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who utter lying divinations. They will not be in the council of my people, neither will they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither will they enter into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord Jehovah.”

¹⁰“‘Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, “Peace;” and there is no peace. When one builds up a wall, behold, they plaster it with whitewash. ¹¹Tell those who plaster it with whitewash that it will fall. There will be an overflowing shower; and you, great hailstones, will fall. A stormy wind will tear it. ¹²Behold, when the wall has fallen, won’t it be said to you, “Where is the plaster with which you have plastered it?”

¹³“‘Therefore the Lord Jehovah says: “I will even tear it with a stormy wind in my wrath. There will be an overflowing shower in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it. ¹⁴So I will break down the wall that you have plastered with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered. It will fall, and you will be consumed in the middle of it. Then you will know that I am Jehovah. ¹⁵Thus I will accomplish my wrath on the wall, and on those who have plastered it with whitewash. I will tell you, ‘The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it— ¹⁶to wit, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace,’” says the Lord Jehovah.’”

¹⁷You, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy against them, ¹⁸and say, “The Lord Jehovah says: ‘Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all elbows and make veils for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people and save souls alive for yourselves? ¹⁹You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to kill the souls who should not die and to save the souls alive who should not live, by your lying to my people who listen to lies.’

²⁰“Therefore the Lord Jehovah says: ‘Behold, I am against your magic bands, with which you hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms. I will let the souls fly free, even the souls whom you ensnare like birds. ²¹I will also tear your veils and deliver my people out of your hand; and they will no longer be in your hand to be ensnared. Then you will know that I am Jehovah. ²²Because with lies you have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive. ²³Therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. Then you will know that I am Jehovah.’”