21 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, t‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’? 23 Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.” But say to them, u“The days are at hand, and the 3fulfillment of every vision. 24 For vno more shall there be any wfalse 4vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I am the Lord. I speak, and xthe word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and yperform it,” says the Lord God.’ ”

26 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 27 z“Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is afor many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ 28 bTherefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak cwill be done,” says the Lord God.’ ”

Woe to Foolish Prophets

13 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy aagainst the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to bthose who prophesy out of their own cheart, 1‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ ”

3 Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen 2nothing! 4 O Israel, your prophets are dlike foxes in the deserts. 5 You ehave not gone up into the 3gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. 6 fThey have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has gnot sent them; yet they hope that the word may 4be confirmed. 7 Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The Lord says,’ but I have not spoken.”

8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord God. 9 “My hand will be hagainst the prophets who envision futility and who idivine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, jnor be written in the record of the house of Israel, knor shall they enter into the land of Israel. lThen you shall know that I am the Lord God.

10 “Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, m‘Peace!’ when there is no peace—and one builds a wall, and they nplaster 5it with untempered mortar—11 say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. oThere will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. 12 Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?’ ”

13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. 14 So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. pThen you shall know that I am the Lord.

15 “Thus will I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with untempered mortar; and I will say to you, ‘The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it, 16 that is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who qsee visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’ ” says the Lord God.

17 “Likewise, son of man, rset your face against the daughters of your people, swho prophesy out of their own 6heart; prophesy against them, 18 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the women who sew magic charms 7on their sleeves and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you thunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive? 19 And will you profane Me among My people ufor handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?”

20 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against your magic charms by which you hunt souls there like 8birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds. 21 I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall no longer be as prey in your hand. vThen you shall know that I am the Lord.

22 “Because with wlies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have xstrengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life. 23 Therefore yyou shall no longer envision futility nor practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”

Idolatry Will Be Punished

14 Now asome of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. 2 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 3 “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them bthat which causes them to stumble into iniquity. cShould I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?

4 “Therefore speak to them, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, 5 that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols.” ’

6 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Repent, turn away from your idols, and dturn your faces away from all your abominations. 7 For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the Lord will answer him by Myself. 8 eI will set My face against that man and make him a fsign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. gThen you shall know that I am the Lord.

9 “And if the prophet is induced to speak anything, I the Lord hhave induced that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel. 10 And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired, 11 that the house of Israel may ino longer stray from Me, nor be profaned anymore with all their transgressions, jbut that they may be My people and I may be their God,” says the Lord God.’ ”