It being said in Ezek. 12:24; that there should be no more a vain vision, nor a flattering divination; the prophet is ordered to prophesy against the false prophets and prophetesses, Ezek. 13:1, Ezek. 13:2, Ezek. 13:17; the former are described as prophesying out of their own hearts, Ezek.

And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. ] Giving orders to prophesy against the false prophets and prophetesses, which were either in the land of Israel, of whom the prophet had notice; or rather who were among the captives in Babylon, where Ezekiel now was.

Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel Who called themselves so, and were accounted such by others; though they were not true, but false prophets; and so the Targum calls them: that prophesy; that is, smooth things to the people; promising a speedy return from the captivity; or that…

Thus saith the Lord God, woe unto the foolish prophets The false prophets, as the Targum; who are foolish, as all are who are not sent of God, and furnished by him with wisdom and knowledge, and who prophesy out of their own hearts; for what else but folly can proceed from thence? this must be a…

O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes of the deserts. ] The false prophets, as the Targum; these are called Israel’s prophets, because received, embraced, and encouraged by them; not the Lord’s, for they were not sent by him, nor had any messages from him; and such are comparable to foxes, for…

Ye have not gone up into the gaps Or “breaches” [[3]]; so the Targum. The allusion is to breaches made in the walls of a city when besieged; at which time those within gather together in great numbers to meet the enemy, and prevent his entrance by the breaches.

They have seen vanity, and lying divination The visions the false prophets pretended to see were nothing but the fruit of their own fancies and imaginations, and had nothing real in them; and what they divined or foretold should be were all lies, and never came to pass, and never would: saying the…

Have ye not seen a vain vision A vision only in pretence, and not in reality; the effect of their own fancy, and not anything shown them by the Lord: and have ye not spoken a lying divination; delivered out a known lie, saying they had it from the Lord, when they had it not; or a prophecy that will…

Therefore thus saith the Lord God This is what he says, and it may be depended on will come to pass; though the other he said not, they said he did, but was a lying divination: because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies; which will in the issue prove so, lying and deceitful; what never came from…

And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies Meaning, by his hand, not the true spirit of prophecy, attended with a divine power and energy, as in ; but the wrath and power of God seizing on them and punishing them.

Because, even because they have seduced my people Who were so by profession; otherwise such who are truly the people of God, though they may be deceived in civil things, yet not in religious matters, at least not totally and finally; in this sense it is impossible to deceive the elect of God; but…

Say unto them which daub it with untempered mortar The false prophets, that flattered the people with peace, prosperity, and safety: that it shall fall; the wall they have built and daubed over; the city of Jerusalem shall be taken and destroyed; the predictions of the prophets shall prove lies;…

Lo, when the wall is fallen Jerusalem is taken: shall it not be said unto you; the false prophets, by the people who had been deceived by them: where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it? what is become of all your promises of peace, and assurance of safety and prosperity; your smooth words…

Therefore thus saith the Lord God Confirming what he had before bid the prophet say, ; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; stormy winds sometimes rend rocks asunder, ; and much more feeble tottering walls; what is before ascribed to the stormy wind is said to be done here by the Lord…

So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar Which is repeated and expressed in these words, both for the sake of confirmation and explanation of what is before said: and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered; meaning the city of…

Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall Or upon the city, as the Targum; pour out all his indignation, and inflict just punishment upon the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants: and upon them that have daubed it with untempered mortar; the false prophets: so the Targum, “and the false…

To wit, the prophets of Israel, which prophesy concerning Jerusalem This explains who are meant by those that daubed with untempered mortar: and which see visions of peace for her; not in reality, but in pretence; they boasted that they had visions and revelations from the Lord, and assured the…

Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people The false prophetesses; for as there were women in some ages, who had the true spirit of prophecy, as Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah, ; so there were some that pretended to it, who had it not, as Noadiah in the times of…

And say, thus saith the Lord God, woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes Or, “put pillows to all elbows” [[10]]; thereby signifying that they might be at ease, and rest secure, and look upon themselves as in the utmost safety, and not fear any enemy, the invasion of the Chaldeans; or…

And will ye pollute me among my people Defile the name of the Lord, by abusing it, to cover their wicked designs and practices, pretending they were seat by him, when they were not; that what they said came from him, though he spoke not by them; and that it was his will they declared, when it was…

Wherefore thus saith the Lord God, behold, I am against your pillows Not only had an abhorrence of them, but was determined to destroy them, detect their fallacies, and expose the folly of such actions, and them to shame and contempt: wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly; to the…

Your kerchiefs also will one tear From their heads; discover their tricks, and expose them to the contempt of the people, and destroy both them and their works: and deliver my people out of your hand; from being hunted, ensnared, and deceived by them: and they shall be no more in your land to be…

Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, &c.] By polluting the name of the Lord; by hunting and decoying souls into their destructive nets; and by threatening such who would not give heed to their superstitious rites, lying divinations, and false prophecies: so false teachers…

Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations, &c.] They should not be suffered any longer to impose upon the people; and they should be so sufficiently exposed, that the people would not give heed to their vain visions and lying divinations any more; and no gain coming to them…