False Prophets Condemned

1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy from their own [a]inspiration, ‘Listen to the word of the LORD! 3This is what the Lord [b]GOD says: “Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4Israel, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins. 5You have not gone up into the breaches, nor did you build up a stone wall around the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the day of the LORD. 6They see deceit and lying divination, those who are saying, ‘The LORD declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their word! 7Did you not see a false vision and tell a lying divination when you said, ‘The LORD declares,’ but it is not I who have spoken?”’”

8Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: “Because you have spoken deceit and have seen a lie, therefore behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord GOD. 9“So My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will [c]have no place in the council of My people, nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, [d]so that you may know that I am the Lord GOD. 10It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash; 11so tell those who plaster it over with whitewash, that it will fall. A flooding rain will come, and you, hailstones, will fall, and a violent wind will break out. 12Behold, when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, ‘Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?’” 13Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: “I will make a violent wind break out in My wrath. There will also be in My anger a flooding rain and hailstones to consume it in wrath. 14So I will tear down the wall which you plastered over with whitewash and hurl it down to the ground, so that its foundation is exposed; and when it falls, you will perish in its midst. And you will know that I am the LORD. 15So I will expend My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it over with whitewash; and I will say to you, ‘The wall [e]is gone and those who plastered it are gone, 16along with the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem, and who see a vision of peace for her when there is no peace,’ declares the Lord GOD.

17“Now you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who are talking like prophets from their own [f]imagination. Prophesy against them 18and say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “Woe to the women who sew magic bands on [g]all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to capture souls! Will you capture the souls of My people, but keep the souls of others alive for yourselves? 19For handfuls of barley and pieces of bread, you have profaned Me to My people, to put to death [h]some who should not die, and to keep [i]others alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies.”’”

20Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against your magic bands by which you capture souls there as [j]birds, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let [k]them go, those souls whom you capture as [l]birds. 21I will also tear off your veils and save My people from your hands, and they will no longer be in your hands as prey; and you will know that I am the LORD. 22Because you disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him pain, but you have [m]encouraged the wicked not to turn from his wicked way to keep him alive, 23therefore you women will no longer see deceitful visions or practice divination, and I will save My people from your hands. So you will know that I am the LORD.”