Ezekiel 13 12

Ezekiel 13:12 kjv

Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?

Ezekiel 13:12 nkjv

Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, 'Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?' "

Ezekiel 13:12 niv

When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, "Where is the whitewash you covered it with?"

Ezekiel 13:12 esv

And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, 'Where is the coating with which you smeared it?'

Ezekiel 13:12 nlt

And when the wall falls, the people will cry out, 'What happened to your whitewash?'

Ezekiel 13 verses

Ezekiel 13 12 Meaning

Ezekiel 13:12 conveys the inescapable reality of God's judgment upon false prophets. It predicts the inevitable collapse of the false sense of security they propagate, represented by a poorly constructed "wall." When this wall crumbles under divine judgment, the superficial covering they applied – their deceitful words and empty promises, symbolized by "plaster" – will be completely gone, rendering their efforts and pronouncements utterly meaningless and revealing their utter failure. The rhetorical question, "Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?", serves to mock their futile endeavors and highlights the ultimate worthlessness of their deceptions when confronted by the truth of God.

Ezekiel 13 12 Context

Ezekiel chapter 13 focuses entirely on God's judgment against the false prophets and prophetesses in Israel, particularly those within Jerusalem and among the exiles. These individuals proclaimed messages of peace and safety, promising that the severe consequences of Judah's sins, including the Babylonian invasion and exile, would not come to pass. They offered comforting words and deceptive assurances that contradicted God's true message, delivered through faithful prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

The imagery throughout the chapter is central to understanding verse 12. The false prophets are depicted as "building a flimsy wall" of false hope for the people (Ezek 13:10), a wall that is inherently weak and structurally unsound due to its foundation on lies and not God's truth. They then "plaster it over with whitewash" (Ezek 13:10) – an act of superficial covering to hide its defects, making it appear strong and secure to the gullible people. This "whitewash" symbolizes their smooth, deceptive words that made evil appear good and danger seem safe.

Verse 12 immediately follows the declaration that God Himself will send a "stormy wind," "overwhelming rain," and "great hailstones" (Ezek 13:11) to dismantle this false wall. The fall of the wall signifies the utter destruction of their false security, which will manifest as the predicted judgments of God—the siege, famine, pestilence, and complete overthrow of Jerusalem by Babylon. The historical context is critical: Jerusalem was still standing but under imminent threat, and many people desperately clung to any message promising salvation, even if false. The chapter denounces those who exploited this desperation with empty religious rhetoric.

Ezekiel 13 12 Word analysis

• Lo (הִנֵּה - hinnêh):

  • Meaning: Behold! Look! An interjection drawing immediate attention to what follows, emphasizing certainty and importance.
  • Significance: Introduces a statement of divine pronouncement, making it stark and undeniable. It signals an inevitable outcome, ensuring the audience grasps the gravity. It is often used to introduce a solemn warning or prophecy.

• when the wall (בִּנְפֹּל הַקִּיר - binphol haqir):

  • Word Analysis:
    • fallen (בִּנְפֹּל - binphol): The infinitive construct form of nāphal (נָפַל), meaning "to fall," "to collapse." It denotes the act of falling as definite and certain.
    • the wall (הַקִּיר - haqir): From qir (קִיר), typically meaning "wall of a house or structure." It differentiates from chômâh (חוֹמָה) which denotes a city wall. In this context, it refers to the flimsy, inadequately constructed wall of false assurance erected by the prophets (Ezek 13:10), a wall symbolizing their deceptive teachings and the false security they offered.
  • Significance: The phrase signifies the impending, unavoidable collapse of the false sense of security and deceptive promises of the false prophets. The definite article "the" indicates it refers to that specific wall previously mentioned, which they plastered. It is not hypothetical but a foregone conclusion, executed by God's judgment. This crumbling represents the revelation of truth against their lies.

• will it not be said to you (הֲלֹא יֵאָמֵר אֲלֵיכֶם - hălo yeʼâmer ʾalêykhem):

  • Word Analysis:
    • will it not (הֲלֹא - hălo): A rhetorical interrogative that expects a "yes" answer. It effectively means "surely it will," or "will it not undoubtedly..."
    • be said (יֵאָמֵר - yeʼâmer): From ʼāmar (אָמַר), "to say," "to speak," here in the Niphal imperfect passive voice, meaning "it will be said." The passive voice implies the public nature of the questioning.
    • to you (אֲלֵיכֶם - ʾalêykhem): The plural "you," directly addressing the false prophets themselves, indicating they will face direct reproach.
  • Significance: This is a powerful rhetorical question designed to shame and expose the false prophets. It indicates the universal acknowledgment of their failure and the mocking scorn they will face when their predictions fail and their deceptions are laid bare by God's reality. It means there will be no escaping the blame or the public recognition of their error.

• 'Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?' (אַיֵּה הַטִּיחַ אֲשֶׁר טַחְתֶּם אוֹתֹו - ʼayyeh hattiyach ʼasher tacḥtem ʼotô):

  • Word Analysis:
    • Where is (אַיֵּה - ʼayyeh): An interrogative demanding the location of something now missing or nonexistent.
    • the plaster (הַטִּיחַ - hattiyach): From ṭiăch (טִיחַ), "a plastering," "coating," "daubing," specifically whitewash (from the verb ṭûaḥ). This is the superficial covering meant to hide flaws.
    • with which (אֲשֶׁר - ʼasher): Relative pronoun "that, which, who."
    • you plastered it (טַחְתֶּם אוֹתֹו - tacḥtem ʼotô): Ṭaḥtem (טַחְתֶּם) is from ṭûaḥ (טִיאח), "to smear, overlay, plaster, whitewash." The verb form explicitly points back to their action. ʼotô (אוֹתֹו) is "it," referring to the wall.
  • Significance: This is the climax of the rhetorical attack. It highlights the complete and utter disappearance and uselessness of the false assurances and empty promises offered by the prophets. The "plaster" – their lies – proved utterly incapable of protecting the wall, of providing true security or spiritual peace. The question emphasizes the finality of its failure and its non-existence when truly needed, rendering the false prophets completely helpless and discredited. It demonstrates that the superficial spiritual comfort they provided was ephemeral and dissolved in the face of genuine divine judgment.

Ezekiel 13 12 Bonus section

The imagery of "plastering a wall" would have resonated strongly with the original audience, who understood construction methods. Whitewash (plaster, clay, or limestone) was commonly used to cover poor workmanship or conceal cracks and flaws, giving an illusion of soundness or cleanliness. In ancient Palestine, such flimsy walls and coatings were particularly vulnerable to severe weather, underscoring the pathetic nature of the false prophets' assurances against the power of God. This also indirectly polemicizes against a reliance on human deceit over divine truth. The Hebrew word for "plaster" (ṭiăch) specifically carries this connotation of covering or smearing over, suggesting a deliberate attempt to conceal inherent faults rather than rectify them.

Ezekiel 13 12 Commentary

Ezekiel 13:12 delivers a scathing indictment of false prophets, portraying their deceptive messages as a thin layer of whitewash applied to a crumbling, ill-constructed wall of false hope. When God's inevitable judgment arrives—like a powerful storm—it will expose the inherent weakness and hollowness of their words. The falling "wall" represents the complete demolition of any perceived security or peace that their lies provided. The pointed, rhetorical question, "Where is the plaster...?" isn't asking for a physical answer but rather sarcastically underscores the utter disappearance and inefficacy of their false comfort and prophetic claims. It reveals their helplessness and spiritual bankruptcy when confronted with divine reality, leaving them and those who trusted them exposed, with nothing to stand upon. It serves as a stern warning that superficial piety and false assurances can never withstand the truth of God's coming judgment.