Chapter 13

1 The reproof of lying prophets, 10 and their untempered morter. 17 Of prophetesses and their pillows.

1. The word of the Lord. Compare the prophecy of Jer. 23 against the false prophets in and around Jerusalem. Some have thought that Ezekiel here addresses the false prophets among the captives (see Eze. 13:9).

2. Prophets of Israel. The fact that these false teachers are so addressed suggests that they had popular sympathy and acceptance. The spirit of the age approved such false teachers. These prophets might be so self-deceived as to believe that what they were saying was true (see 2 Thess. 2:11), but these pretended divine messengers were instructed to “hear … the word of the Lord.”

3. Foolish. From the Heb. nabal, which indicates not merely an intellectual failing but also a lack in moral quality. In the Hebrew the phrase “the foolish prophets,” hannebiХim hannebalim, represents an interesting play on words.

That follow. The latter part of the verse reads literally, “who walk after their own spirit and that which they have not seen.”

4. Like the foxes. Foxes are sly and crafty (Luke 13:32); they destroy vineyards (S. of Sol. 2:15); they inhabit ruins (Lam. 5:18). The false prophets were crafty and mischievous and destructive of God’s vineyard.

5. Ye. That is, the false prophets. The people were addressed in v. 4. In v. 6 the false prophets are again referred to in the third person, with a change back to the second in v. 7. Such changes in person are frequent in prophecy and common in Ezekiel.

Hedge. These false prophets had done nothing by way of warning or instruction to help the nation in its crisis. They were betraying the people into the hands of their enemies instead of helping them. Compare Isa. 1:5; COL 287.

6. Have seen. Heb. chazah, a word frequently used with reference to divine utterances (Isa. 1:1; 2:1; etc.).

The Lord saith. These self-styled prophets find their counterpart in many preachers today who propound false doctrines that they passionately assert are supported by a “Thus saith the Lord.” No matter how earnestly a doctrine may be propounded, no matter how impressive the titles held by its proponents, it should find no place of acceptance in the believer’s creed unless the Lord has actually spoken it. However plausible human theories may appear to be, it should never be forgotten that they lack divine authority.

Others. This word is supplied. The clause may be translated “they hoped to confirm the word.” By the fulfillment of the predicted event they hoped to substantiate their reliability. They may have hoped that God would honor their self-appointed mission and cause their presumptuous utterances to materialize.

7. Have ye not? The prophet appears to cross-examine his rivals. To his questions there could be but one answer. The false prophets could not deny the charge. Three calamities are here listed that are to befall these deceitful prophets. “They shall not be in the assembly of my people.”

9. Assembly. Heb. sod, a secret assembly or privy council.

In the writing. In the register of the Israel that should arise from the faithful remnant they would have no part. An example of the use made of a register on the return from the Captivity is found in Ezra 2:62.

10. Peace. Compare Jer. 6:14; 23:17; Micah 3:5; Zech. 10:2. The false prophets lulled men into a sense of false security, and so anesthetized their consciences. God’s true messengers, on the other hand, do not flatter the sinner. Theirs is not a message of peace to lull the unsanctified into fatal security. It is theirs to arouse the conscience of the wrongdoer until the soul in anguish exclaims, “What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). See on Jer. 6:14.

Wall. Heb.chayis, the meaning of which is not entirely clear. It seems to represent a party wall, or a partition wall; hence, an unsubstantial structure.

Untempered morter. Heb. taphel, “whitewash.” The idea of untempered has become attached to taphel through a word spelled the same way, but with a different etymology. Examples of this second word are Job 6:6, where taphel denotes something “unsavoury,” and Lam. 2:14, where taphel is translated “foolish things.” The illustration is as follows: Someone built up a flimsy partition wall. The false prophets whitewashed it, improving its appearance, but adding nothing to its strength. The rulers and people devised various schemes, such as an Egyptian alliance (see Jer. 37:5, 7), and the self-appointed prophets gave them weight by their influence and persuasion.

We note a striking parallel in the religious world today. Many false doctrines, which have no support in the Word of God, have been introduced into the Christian faith. They have their root in tradition, and behind tradition their origin can often be traced to pagan concepts and practices. Instead of abandoning every belief that is not founded on the Sacred Scriptures, men spend an untold amount of energy to “whitewash” these flimsy concepts so as to give them plausibility. A notable example is the effort to supply scriptural evidence for Sunday observance. The majority of Christians observe a day not enjoined in the Bible. They reason that such observance must be right, since the Christian church for centuries has been following this practice. They bypass the plain evidence that points to the seventh day of the week as the true Sabbath, and wrest other scriptures so as to lend support to the first day of the week. The result of all this will be the same as the experience that befell the builders and whitewashers of Ezekiel’s wall (Eze. 13:12–16).

11. Great hailstones. Compare Ps. 11:6; 18:13, 14; Eze. 38:22. Undoubtedly, the reference here is primarily to the Babylonian invasion, which the Jews would be unable to withstand, despite all their boasted preparations. See on ch. 13:12.

12. Wall. Heb. qir, generally an outside wall, not a chayis (see on v. 10). The reason for the disaster is doubtless that the defective structure was too weak to serve as an outside wall. The terrible disillusionment of the daubers and of those who trusted in their wiles finds its counterpart in the rude awakening of those who, at the end of time, will have staked their all on the great counterfeit religious revival staged by Satan, only to see this system disintegrate under the withering judgments of the seven last plagues. As one of the last great scenes in the drama of the ages, Satan himself will lay claim to divinity and present himself to all the world as God (see 6T 14; 8T 27, 28; 9T 16; TM 62, 364, 365; GC 624). Miracles will be the great agency in the deception (Rev. 13:13, 14; 16:13, 14). As a result of these delusions all except a faithful remnant will be swept into the ranks of the enemy (Rev. 13:8) and will unite with Satan in his battle against God (TM 465). A small remnant alone will remain true in their fidelity to God (Rev. 14:12). When the judgments fall and the multitudes see that he whom they had looked upon as God is powerless to stay the hand of One mightier, the realization suddenly overtakes them that they have been deceived. They turn with rage upon the counterfeit organization that has been created by Satan’s delusions and utterly destroy it (Rev. 17:16, 17; GC 656). Then again it may be said, “The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it” (Eze. 13:15).

17. Against the daughters. False prophetesses are not mentioned elsewhere in the OT. Among true prophetesses are Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), and in the NT times Anna (Luke 2:36) and the four daughters of Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:8, 9).

18. Woe to the women. Although the general meaning of vs. 18, 19 seems clear, there is considerable uncertainty as to the details. Ezekiel had seen what he describes; we have not. He used words familiar enough then, but since many of them occur nowhere else in the OT, their meaning is not altogether certain.

Pillows. Heb. kesathoth, from the Akkadian kasuµ, “to bind,” hence “bands,” or “amulets,” the exact nature of which is a matter of conjecture.

Armholes. Heb. Хassilim, “joints.” The phrase reads literally, “joints of my hand,” by which, it appears, the knuckles, wrists, elbows, or shoulders (Jer. 38:12) could be designated. The Hebrew literally reads “my hands.” The ancient versions and the Targums read either “hand” or “hands.” If the possessive pronoun is intended, it would convey the interesting thought that these false prophetesses were restraining the hands of the Lord Himself.

Kerchiefs. Heb. mispachoth, a word occurring only here in the OT, thought to mean some veil or covering for the head. Apparently the veils were not worn by the prophetesses themselves, but by those who came to consult them.

Souls. Heb. nephashoth (singular nephesh), here simply “persons” (see on Ps. 16:10). The meaning seems to be that these false prophetesses victimized those who resorted to them.

That come. These words are supplied. The sentence may be translated, “Will ye hunt the souls of my people and keep your own souls alive?” The meaning may be that in self-interest the prophetesses lived upon the credulity of their victims.

19. Handfuls of barley. Some have understood the reference here to be the ancient custom of bringing presents to a prophet when consulting him (1 Sam. 9:7, 8; 1 Kings 14:3). Inasmuch as barley was an inferior grain, and handfuls a scant quantity, these words might indicate the exceedingly small profit for which these false prophetesses were willing to pervert the truth and lead the people to their ruin. Others see a reference here to the ancient custom of divination with barley and crumbs.

Hear your lies. The words may indicate a propensity to listen to pleasing falsehoods. Jeremiah describes such a state of things, “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so” (Jer. 5:31).

20. To make them fly. From the Heb. parach, the meaning of which is uncertain. The general meaning of the verse is clear. The victims would be delivered from the snare of those who had attempted to enslave them. God will not permit a man who is sincere in heart to be deceived.

22. Because with lies. The prophetesses had created false impressions of God on the minds of the righteous and the wicked, discouraging the former in their efforts to do right and confirming the latter in their evil way.

Ellen G. White comments

4, 5 EW 123

10   1T 247; 5T 679

13   PP 509

14   CH 338

22   GC 655