Ezekiel 13:16 kjv
To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 13:16 nkjv
that 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.
Ezekiel 13:16 niv
those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign LORD."?'
Ezekiel 13:16 esv
the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 13:16 nlt
They were lying prophets who claimed peace would come to Jerusalem when there was no peace. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!'
Ezekiel 13 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 13:16 | "Those who would set it up shall be beaten down." | Ezekiel 13:14 (Parallel) |
| Jeremiah 23:32 | "I am against the prophets who prophesy lies." | Judgment on false prophets |
| Isaiah 28:2 | "Behold, the Lord has a strong and mighty rain..." | God's coming judgment |
| Micah 1:7 | "And all her carved images shall be beaten to pieces." | Destruction of idols |
| Psalms 18:38 | "I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them..." | God's vindication |
| Isaiah 29:5 | "...they shall be like fine dust, and the devastating storm." | Scattering of enemies |
| 1 Corinthians 3:12 | "If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones..." | Building with spiritual materials |
| Hebrews 10:27 | "...a fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire..." | Wrath of God |
| Revelation 16:1 | "And I heard a great voice from the temple saying to the seven angels..." | Seven bowls of wrath |
| Nahum 1:6 | "Who can stand before his indignation?" | God's power |
| Job 38:29 | "From whose womb does the ice come forth?" | God's control over nature |
| Psalm 91:13 | "You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra; the young lion and the serpent you shall trample under foot." | Victory over enemies |
| Galatians 6:7 | "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." | Sow and reap |
| 1 John 5:19 | "We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." | Contrast with world |
| Romans 9:22 | "What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?" | Vessels of wrath |
| Amos 7:17 | "Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Your wife shall be a harlot in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword...'" | Judgment upon Israel |
| Jeremiah 6:14 | "'They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, “Peace, Peace,” when there is no peace.'" | False peace |
| Zechariah 11:2 | "Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, because the majestic trees are destroyed..." | Lament for destruction |
| Psalm 68:2 | "as smoke is blown away, so are they driven away! As wax melts before the fire..." | Lord's enemies scattered |
| Jeremiah 23:29 | "Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" | Power of God's word |
Ezekiel 13 verses
Ezekiel 13 16 Meaning
This verse speaks of the false prophets' impending judgment, comparing their fortifications to dust and refuse, utterly incapable of withstanding God's wrath and the outpouring of His anger.
Ezekiel 13 16 Context
Ezekiel 13 prophesies against the false prophets and prophetesses in Israel who misled the people with lies and false promises of peace. These false spiritual leaders claimed to build a strong defense for Jerusalem, but their work was like building with fragile materials such as "bricks without mortar" or "whitewashed walls" (Ezekiel 13:10-12). Chapter 13 specifically focuses on their hollow pronouncements and the severe judgment they would face, and by extension, the flimsy security they offered. This verse directly follows the imagery of God's flood breaking down their defenses.
Ezekiel 13 16 Word Analysis
- וְאִם (v'im): "And if" or "but if." Introduces a conditional statement, emphasizing the consequence for those involved in the false building.
- קְצַפְתִּי (qəṣaptî): "I have poured out my fury," "my anger has waxed hot." From the root קצף (qatsaph), signifying intense divine anger. This highlights the personal and powerful nature of God's judgment.
- בִּשְׂעָרִי (biśəʿārî): "in my fury" or "in my indignation." The same root as above, reinforcing the overwhelming nature of God's wrath that will be unleashed.
- וְאִם־ (v'im): "And if." Continues the conditional aspect, leading into the final statement of consequence.
- רָצַפְתִּי (raṣaptî): "I have beaten down" or "I have laid flat." From the root רצף (ratsaph), suggesting a thorough destruction and pulverizing. It implies making something level, even to the point of rubble.
- כִּי־ (kî): "for" or "that." Introduces the reason or consequence for the preceding condition.
- בְּשֶׁפֶךְ (bəšep̄eḵ): "in a flood" or "in an outpouring." From the root שפך (shaphakh), which can refer to pouring out liquid, particularly wrath or blood. This connects to the imagery of a destructive inundation.
- חֲרוֹן־ (ḥăron-): "indignation" or "fury." From the root חרון (kharon), again emphasizing God's intense displeasure and anger.
- אַפִּי (appî): "my anger" or "my wrath." The primary Hebrew word for God's anger, referring to His nostrils as a place where anger is expressed.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And if I pour out my fury...": This entire phrase describes God's decisive action of judgment. It is not a passive reaction but an active unleashing of His righteous anger against the false prophets and their deceptive structures.
- "...my fury upon them...": The repetition of "fury" emphasizes the severity and completeness of the coming judgment. The "them" refers back to those building with false materials, implying the pronouncements of these prophets were essentially constructing a deceptive edifice for the people.
- "...and if I beat them down in a flood of my indignation...": This part vividly depicts the effect of God's wrath. The "flood" imagery signifies an overwhelming, uncontrollable force that will destroy any perceived protection or security. The "beating down" indicates utter ruin and pulverization, leaving nothing intact. "Indignation" underscores the righteousness behind this outpouring.
- "...because their refuge was in it.": The verse's likely preceding or implied reason for this specific destruction relates to where the false prophets and perhaps even those who listened to them sought their security and protection. They "built" or relied on these false messages. When God's judgment (the flood) comes, this refuge is utterly demolished because it was built on a false foundation, essentially meaning their reliance on these lies left them defenseless against true divine justice.
Ezekiel 13 16 Bonus Section
This verse underscores the theme of divine accountability. Those who intentionally mislead God's people bear a grave responsibility and will face a severe accounting. The imagery of the "flood" can also be seen as a foreshadowing of divine judgment events described throughout Scripture, from the days of Noah to the eschatological judgments in Revelation, where God's righteous anger is poured out. The contrast is stark between the unstable building of the false prophets and the solid rock of Christ as the foundation of the Church (1 Corinthians 3:11), a solid building that withstands all storms.
Ezekiel 13 16 Commentary
The prophets' pronouncements were as weak as unstuck bricks. When God unleashes His justified anger, like a torrent of water, He will sweep away any refuge found in these deceitful words. Their fortifications, their false peace, and their security were ultimately built upon a lie. Consequently, they and their flawed defenses will be utterly destroyed, demonstrating the futility of trusting anything other than God's truth. True security is found in righteousness and obedience, not in hollow prophecies.