Ezekiel 13:17–19

13:17 “As for you, son of man, turn toward15 the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their imagination.16 Prophesy against them 13:18 and say ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to those who sew bands17 on all their wrists18 and make headbands19 for heads of every size to entrap people’s lives!20 Will you entrap my people’s lives, yet preserve your own lives? 13:19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. You have put to death people21 who should not die and kept alive those who should not live by your lies to my people, who listen to lies!

15	tn Heb “set your face against.”
16	tn Heb “from their heart.”
17	sn The wristbands mentioned here probably represented magic bands or charms. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:413.
18	tn Heb “joints of the hands.” This may include the elbow and shoulder joints.
19	tn The Hebrew term occurs in the Bible only here and in v. 21. It has also been understood as a veil or type of head covering. D. I. Block (Ezekiel [NICOT], 1:414) suggests that given the context of magical devices, the expected parallel to the magical arm bands, and the meaning of this Hebrew root (סָפַח [safakh, “to attach” or “join”]), it may refer to headbands or necklaces on which magical amulets were worn.
20	tn Heb “human lives” or “souls” (three times in v. 18 and twice in v. 19).
21	tn Heb “human lives” or “souls.”