1 A nd the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Then 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 out of their own heart, ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’”

“Son of man, speak against those of Israel who speak false words in My name. Say to those who tell what is going to happen in the future out of their own minds, ‘Listen to the Word of the Lord!

3 T hus says the Lord God: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!

The Lord God says, “It is bad for the foolish people who tell what is going to happen by following their own spirit and have seen nothing.

4 O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.

O Israel, your men who speak in My name are of no more worth than foxes in destroyed cities.

5 Y ou have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord.

You have not gone up to the broken places to build the wall around the people of Israel so that it will stand in the battle on the day of the Lord.

6 T hey have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed.

They have lied and have spoken false words using their secret ways, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says,’ when the Lord has not sent them. Yet they hope that what they say will come true.

7 H ave you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The Lord says,’ but I have not spoken.”

Did you not see a false dream and tell a lie using your secret ways when you said, ‘This is what the Lord says,’ when I have not spoken?”’”

8 T herefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord God.

So the Lord God says: “Because you have spoken false words and seen a lie, I am against you,” says the Lord God.

9 “ My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord God.

“My hand will be against those who see false dreams and speak false words. They will have no place in the gathering of My wise people. Their names will not be written down with the people of Israel. And they will not go into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.

10 “ Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace—and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar —

Because they have led My people the wrong way by saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when anyone builds a bad wall, they cover it with whitewash,

11 s ay to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down.

tell those who cover it with whitewash that it will fall! A flood of rain will come, and large hailstones will fall. And a strong wind will break out.

12 S urely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the mortar with which you plastered it? ’”

When the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, ‘Where is the covering you used to cover the wall?’”

13 T herefore 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.

So the Lord God says, “I will make a strong wind break out in My anger. There will also be a flood of rain in My anger, and large hailstones to destroy that wall.

14 S o 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. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.

I will break down the wall that you covered with whitewash. I will bring it down to the ground so that its base will be showing. And when it falls, you will be destroyed with it. Then you will 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,

I will send My anger upon the wall and upon those who have covered it with whitewash. And I will say to you, ‘The wall is gone and the ones who covered it are gone.

16 t hat is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’” says the Lord God.

There are no more people of Israel who speak false words to Jerusalem in My name, and who see dreams of peace for her when there is no peace,’ says the Lord God.

17 “ Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy against them,

“Now, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who are telling what will happen from their own minds. Speak against them,

18 a nd say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive?

and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “It is bad for the women who sew objects with secret powers to wear on their arms, and make coverings for the heads to trap people. Will you go after the lives of My people, but save the lives of others for yourselves?

19 A nd will you profane Me among My people for 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?”

You have used Me in a sinful way among My people for hands full of barley and for pieces of bread. You have killed people who should not die, and have kept others 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 birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds.

So the Lord God says, “I am against your objects with secret powers that you wear on your arms with which you trap people like birds. I will tear them from your arms. And I will let the people go that you trap 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. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.

I will also tear off your head-coverings and save My people from you. They will no longer be trapped by your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

22 “ Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life.

You have made My good people sad because of your lies whom I did not want to hurt. But you have helped the sinful man, so that he does not turn from his sinful way and save his life.

23 T herefore you 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.”’”

So you women will no longer see false dreams or use your secret ways to learn the future. I will save My people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.”