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.” ’ ”