Ezekiel - The Old Testament

¹ The word of Yahweh was addressed to me as follows,

² 'Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel; prophesy, and say to those who make up prophecies out of their own heads, "Hear what Yahweh says:

³ The Lord Yahweh says this: Disaster is in store for the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!

⁴ Your prophets, Israel, are like ruin-haunting jackals!

⁵ "You have not ventured into the breach; you have not built up the wall round the House of Israel, to hold fast in battle on the Day of Yahweh.

⁶ Theirs are futile visions and false predictions, who say: A prophecy from Yahweh, when Yahweh has not sent them; yet they expect their words to come true.

⁷ Have not the visions you see been futile, have not the predictions you make been false, although you say: A prophecy of Yahweh, when I have not spoken?

⁸ "Very well, the Lord Yahweh says this: Because of your futile words and false predictions, I am now against you -- declares Lord Yahweh.

⁹ My hand will be against the prophets who have futile visions and give false predictions; they will not be admitted to the council of my people, their names will not be entered in the roll of the House of Israel, they will not set foot on the soil of Israel; and they will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.

¹⁰ This is because they have misled my people by saying Peace! when there is no peace. When my people were repairing a wall, these men came and plastered it over!

¹¹ Tell these plasterers: It will rain hard, it will hail, it will blow a gale,

¹² and down will come the wall! Will not people ask you: What has become of the plaster you slapped on it?

¹³ Well then, the Lord Yahweh says this: I am going to unleash a stormy wind in my fury, torrential rain in my anger, hailstones in my destructive fury,

¹⁴ and I shall shatter the wall you plastered and knock it down and lay its foundations bare. It will fall and you will perish under it; then you will know that I am Yahweh."

¹⁵ 'When I have sated my anger on the wall and those who plastered it, I shall say to you, "The wall is gone, and so are those who plastered over it,

¹⁶ the prophets of Israel who prophesy about Jerusalem and have visions of peace for her when there is no peace -- declares the Lord Yahweh."

¹⁷ 'Also, son of man, turn to the women of your people who make up prophecies out of their own heads; prophesy against them.

¹⁸ Say, "The Lord Yahweh says this: Disaster is in store for women who sew ribbons round each wrist and make head-cloths for people of all sizes, in their hunt for souls! Are you to hunt the souls of my people and keep your own souls safe?

¹⁹ You dishonour me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley, a few bits of bread, killing those who ought not to die and sparing those who ought not to live, lying to my people who love listening to lies.

²⁰ "Very well, the Lord Yahweh says this: Look, I am now against your ribbons, with which you hunt souls like birds, and I shall tear them off your arms and free those souls whom you hunt like birds.

²¹ I shall tear your head-cloths to pieces and rescue my people from your clutches; no longer will they be fair game for you to ensnare. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.

²² "For having intimidated with lies the heart of the upright whom I had done nothing to alarm, and for having encouraged the wicked not to give up wicked ways and so be saved,

²³ very well, you will have no more futile visions and make no more predictions, for I shall rescue my people from your clutches, and you will know that I am Yahweh." '