Ezekiel 13:14 kjv
So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 13:14 nkjv
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. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 13:14 niv
I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 13:14 esv
And I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 13:14 nlt
I will break down your wall right to its foundation, and when it falls, it will crush you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 13 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ez 13:10-12 | "Because, even because they have seduced my people... one built a wall, and others plastered it with whitewash." | Immediate context of false prophets' deception. |
| Jer 14:14-15 | "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name... By sword and famine these prophets will perish." | False peace message, doom for false prophets. |
| Jer 23:16-17 | "They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They say continually, ‘Peace!’" | Prophets prophesying from imagination, giving false hope. |
| Jer 28:15-17 | "Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, but you have made this people trust in a lie... This very year you will die." | Explicit judgment and death for a false prophet. |
| Deut 18:20 | "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded... that prophet shall die." | Penalty for presumptuous prophecy. |
| Matt 7:15-20 | "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing... You will recognize them by their fruits." | Warning against false teachers, discerned by actions. |
| 2 Pet 2:1-3 | "False prophets also arose among the people... they will bring in destructive heresies... Their condemnation long since not idle." | False teachers, heresies, and their assured judgment. |
| Jude 1:12-13 | "These are hidden reefs... clouds without water... wild waves of the sea... wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved." | Imagery of worthlessness and judgment for deceivers. |
| Isa 30:12-14 | "Because you have rejected this word... this iniquity will be to you like a break in a high wall... it breaks it to pieces." | Judgment upon those relying on lies, leading to sudden collapse. |
| Ps 62:3 | "How long will all of you attack a man to destroy him, a tottering wall, a leaning fence?" | Metaphor of fragile, insecure structure for vulnerability. |
| Matt 7:26-27 | "Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand." | Foundation matters; house collapses in storm. |
| 1 Cor 3:12-15 | "If anyone builds on this foundation... if anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss." | Testing of built works by fire; superficiality destroyed. |
| Job 8:13-15 | "Such are the paths of all who forget God... His confidence is a spider's web." | Hope of the godless perishes, built on flimsy foundation. |
| Ez 6:7 | "And the slain shall fall in your midst, and you shall know that I am the LORD." | Revelation of God's sovereignty through judgment (repeated theme). |
| Ez 7:27 | "The King will mourn... they will know that I am the LORD." | Revelation of God's sovereignty through judgment (repeated theme). |
| Ez 25:17 | "And I will execute great vengeance... Then they will know that I am the LORD." | God's justice displayed, leading to knowledge of Him. |
| Isa 45:6 | "That people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the setting, that there is none besides me." | God's ultimate purpose in revealing Himself globally. |
| Ps 58:11 | "So that people say, 'Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.'" | Acknowledgment of divine justice by people. |
| Lk 6:49 | "The one who hears and does not do... built his house on the ground without any foundation; and the flood burst against it..." | Disaster results from rejecting God's word and building without foundation. |
| Prov 10:29 | "The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the upright, but destruction to the workers of iniquity." | God's path protects the righteous, destroys wicked. |
| 2 Tim 4:3-4 | "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears... they will turn away from listening to the truth." | Tendency to seek comforting lies over hard truth, leading to deception. |
Ezekiel 13 verses
Ezekiel 13 14 Meaning
Ezekiel 13:14 declares God's decisive and personal judgment against the deceptive "wall" of false prophecies and the "whitewash" of comforting lies. God explicitly states He will demolish this structure built by false prophets, revealing its inadequate foundation. Those who relied on this false security will perish when it collapses, leaving no doubt about the Lord's absolute sovereignty and righteousness in judgment. The verse signifies the ultimate futility of human-made deceptions against divine truth.
Ezekiel 13 14 Context
Ezekiel chapter 13 focuses specifically on God's judgment against the false prophets and prophetesses among His people during the Babylonian exile. These individuals offered false hope and comfort, promising peace and swift restoration when God had decreed judgment and prolonged exile. They built metaphorical "walls" of deceptive assurances and covered them with "whitewash" (empty words, flattering pronouncements) to mask their spiritual flimsiness and create a façade of security. Ezekiel's prophecy is a stark contrast, foretelling imminent divine wrath and the inevitable collapse of such deceptions. Verse 14 is the climactic declaration of God's direct, destructive action against this "whitewashed wall," leading to the exposure of its fraudulence and the destruction of those who trusted in it. The historical context includes the desperate yearning of the exiles for good news, making them susceptible to comforting lies over the hard truth delivered by prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 13 14 Word analysis
So I will break down: Hebrew: w'hārastīhū (וַהֲרַסְתִּ֤י). This verb hārās signifies a complete demolition, tearing down, or razing. It indicates a forceful, decisive, and irreversible action directly performed by God. The "I" is emphatic, emphasizing God's personal agency.
the wall: Hebrew: haqīr (הַקִּ֣יר). Refers to the deceptive structure built by the false prophets, which symbolized their false assurances of security and peace for Israel. It’s not a physical wall but a metaphorical one representing their misleading teachings.
that you have plastered: Hebrew: ʾăšer ṭaḥtem (אֲשֶׁר־טַחְתֶּ֥ם). From the root ṭaḥa, meaning "to plaster," "smear," or "daub." It conveys covering up with a thin, easily applied coating, hiding structural flaws rather than truly fortifying.
with whitewash: Hebrew: ṭāḥ (טָח). The noun form of the verb, specifying the material. It represents superficial, temporary cover-up, often a mixture of lime and water, meant to create an illusion of strength or purity, but offers no real substance. It signifies their smooth, appealing but hollow words.
and bring it down to the ground: Indicates utter destruction, removing all vestiges of the false structure, leaving nothing standing. This signifies the total eradication of the false security.
so that its foundation will be laid bare: Reveals the complete exposure of the deceptive work. "Laid bare" means stripped naked, leaving no hidden flaws. This points to divine judgment exposing the deep corruption and utter lack of true support for the false prophecies.
When it falls: The certainty of the wall's collapse. It's not a possibility but a decreed event.
you will perish: Hebrew: tîmtû (תִּמְטוּ). Means "to fall" or "stumble" or "totter" often leading to destruction. Those who associated with, believed, or promoted these false teachings will share in its demise. Their destiny is tied to the lie they propagated or accepted.
in its midst: Signifies being caught up and destroyed within the collapse of the very thing they trusted or built. There will be no escape.
and you will know: Hebrew: wîda'tem (וִֽידַעְתֶּם). This "knowing" is not mere intellectual assent but experiential knowledge gained through God's demonstration of power and truth, especially through judgment.
that I am the LORD: Hebrew: kī ʾănī YHWH (כִּי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה). The covenant name of God (Yahweh), emphasizing His sovereign authority, unchanging nature, and unique divinity. It's a foundational statement in Ezekiel, often occurring after acts of judgment or restoration, affirming His identity as the one true God who fulfills His word.
Words-group Analysis:
- "I will break down the wall that you have plastered with whitewash": This phrase captures the direct divine action of dismantling human deception. It is an act of sovereign power that undoes the fraud. The contrast is between God's destructive truth and man's flimsy falsehood.
- "bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare": This sequence emphasizes total destruction and absolute revelation. The ground represents a state of total demolition. The laying bare of the foundation exposes the inherent fraudulence and lack of real support beneath the deceptive veneer, confirming God's justice.
- "When it falls, you will perish in its midst": This highlights the inescapable judgment on those connected to the falsehood. There is no insulation for those inside a collapsing lie. Their shared fate reinforces the communal consequence of believing or promoting deception.
- "and you will know that I am the LORD": This powerful closing statement reiterates the overarching theological purpose of God's judgments throughout Ezekiel. The destruction of false prophets serves to unequivocally demonstrate God's unparalleled power, authority, and faithfulness to His word, for all to acknowledge His identity.
Ezekiel 13 14 Bonus section
The concept of "knowing that I am the LORD" (yada Yahweh) is a central theological refrain in the book of Ezekiel, appearing over seventy times. It encapsulates the goal of all God's actions—whether in judgment or restoration—to reveal His true nature, power, and identity to His people and to the nations. In this context, it signifies that even the catastrophic collapse of false hope and the resulting suffering serve the ultimate purpose of bringing Israel, and those who witness the event, to an undeniable awareness of God's sovereignty and His exclusive claim as the only true source of authority and truth. This isn't merely intellectual understanding but a deep, life-altering experience of God's reality. The severity of the judgment against false prophets is underscored by their direct culpability for leading God's people astray, touching on themes of accountability for those who speak in God's name without His authority. The specific image of "plastering with whitewash" suggests an intentional act of obscuring truth and creating a misleading appearance, highlighting the ethical gravity of their deceit.
Ezekiel 13 14 Commentary
Ezekiel 13:14 presents a stark and unequivocal divine pronouncement. God Himself intervenes to utterly dismantle the deceptive work of false prophets, whom He earlier described as building a flimsy "wall" and covering it with "whitewash"—metaphors for their empty, comforting lies that disguised imminent judgment. This demolition is absolute, revealing the bare, nonexistent foundation of their pronouncements. The purpose of this destructive act is dual: to eradicate the source of spiritual delusion, and more profoundly, to ensure that both the false prophets and their followers experientially "know" God as the sovereign LORD. Their fate, to perish in the midst of their own collapsing falsehood, serves as undeniable proof of God's unwavering truth and unbending justice. This passage warns against both speaking and believing in flattering, unsubstantiated assurances over God's difficult, yet true, word.
- Example: When people prioritize politically correct speech that appeases crowds over biblical truth, or build personal assurances on feel-good philosophies that contradict scripture, they are constructing a "whitewashed wall" that God will eventually dismantle.