Ezekiel 13 18

Ezekiel 13:18 kjv

And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?

Ezekiel 13:18 nkjv

and 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?

Ezekiel 13:18 niv

and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own?

Ezekiel 13:18 esv

and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people and keep your own souls alive?

Ezekiel 13:18 nlt

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: What sorrow awaits you women who are ensnaring the souls of my people, young and old alike. You tie magic charms on their wrists and furnish them with magic veils. Do you think you can trap others without bringing destruction on yourselves?

Ezekiel 13 verses

Ezekiel 13 18 Meaning

Ezekiel 13:18 declares a divine "Woe" upon certain women acting as false prophetesses or sorceresses in Israel. These women are condemned for engaging in manipulative, magical practices—specifically "sewing magic bands on all wrists" and "making veils for the heads of persons." Their aim is explicitly stated as "hunting souls," signifying spiritual predation and deception. The verse contrasts their deceptive efforts to "hunt the souls" of God's people with their self-serving motive of keeping "their own souls alive," highlighting their greed and spiritual danger. This denunciation underscores God's condemnation of all forms of divination and false prophecy that lead His people astray from the truth and genuine relationship with Him.

Ezekiel 13 18 Context

Ezekiel chapter 13 focuses entirely on God's judgment against false prophets and prophetesses who have deluded the people of Israel. Leading up to verse 18, the prophet Ezekiel condemns male false prophets (Ezek 13:1-16) for speaking their own imaginations instead of God's word, for giving false hope of peace, and for failing to strengthen the spiritual wall of Israel. Verse 18 then introduces the condemnation of false prophetesses, shifting the focus to specific ritualistic, manipulative practices that were designed to control and exploit God's people. This chapter is set during the Babylonian exile, a time of national crisis and despair, making the people highly vulnerable to any message promising relief or a different fate, even if false. The chapter thus serves as a divine warning against all forms of spiritual deception and an affirmation of God's exclusive claim to true prophecy.

Ezekiel 13 18 Word analysis

• And say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: This introductory phrase authenticates the message as a direct, authoritative word from Yahweh. It highlights divine revelation, not human opinion.
• Woe (הוֹי - hōy): A lament or declaration of judgment. It signifies distress, warning, and impending calamity. In prophetic literature, hōy curses frequently precede pronouncements of God's wrath or judgment on sin.
• to the women (אֶל-הַמְאַבְּנוֹת - 'el ham-mĕ'aběnôt): Refers specifically to female practitioners. While "prophetesses" are mentioned in other contexts (e.g., Num 12:2, Joel 2:28), these women are characterized by deceptive, manipulative acts, not genuine divine inspiration.
• who sew (תֹּפְרִות - tōp̄rōṯ): Indicates a deliberate and crafting action. This is not accidental but a calculated practice involving manual skill.
• magic bands (כְסָתוֹת - kĕsāthōṯ): This unique Hebrew word (used only here in the Bible) derives from kāsâ, meaning "to cover" or "conceal." Scholars suggest it refers to armbands, bracelets, or possibly pouches filled with charms/amulets worn on the wrists, used for magical protection or divination. These "coverings" metaphorically hide the truth.
• on all wrists (עַל־כָּל־אֶצּוֹמִידַי - 'al-kol-'ĕṣṣōmîḏay): "Wrists" implies personal adornment and direct, tangible influence on the wearer. "All" suggests universality or thoroughness in their application of these magical items.
• and make (וְעֹשׂוֹת - vĕʿōśôṯ): Another verb emphasizing fabrication or production, reinforcing intentionality.
• veils (מִסְפָּחוֹת - misspāḥôṯ): Another hapax legomenon in the sense used here, likely from a root related to "spreading out." These were probably large coverings, scarves, or head coverings used for ritualistic purposes—perhaps for divination, cloaking identity, or creating an aura of mystery. They "spread out" a deceptive message or atmosphere.
• for the heads of persons (לְרֹאשׁ כָּל־קוֹמָה - lĕrōš kol-qômâ): "Heads" points to the primary location of thinking and perception, symbolizing the mind and spirit. "Persons" (literally "every stature/height") signifies individuals of any age or social standing. This practice influences the minds and destinies of people.
• in order to hunt souls! (לְצוּד נְפָשׁוֹת - lĕṣûḏ nĕfāšôṯ): The core accusation. "Hunt" (צוּד - ṣûḏ) denotes actively pursuing and snaring prey, suggesting manipulation and entrapment. "Souls" (נְפָשׁוֹת - nĕfāšôṯ) refers to lives, persons, or the inner being. It is a spiritual predation, seeking to capture and control people's spiritual destiny for their own ends.
• Will you hunt the souls of My people: A rhetorical question expressing God's indignation. "My people" underscores God's proprietorship and protective concern. It emphasizes the atrocity of preying on those who belong to Him.
• and keep your own souls alive? This reveals the motive: self-preservation, financial gain, or personal security, often achieved by offering false promises of life, safety, or good fortune to others, but only by preying on their vulnerabilities. It highlights a stark moral contradiction.

Words-Group Analysis

• "Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons": This segment paints a vivid picture of ritualistic and deceptive practices. The imagery suggests careful, deliberate actions aimed at a specific magical effect, targeting individuals both physically (wrists) and spiritually/mentally (heads). The obscurity of "magic bands" and "veils" highlights the secretive, esoteric nature of these false prophets' operations, differentiating them from true prophets who spoke God's clear word. These artifacts were likely tools of psychological manipulation, appearing to grant protection, guidance, or control over destiny.
• "in order to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of My people and keep your own souls alive?": This phrase exposes the underlying malevolence and hypocrisy. "Hunting souls" describes spiritual predation, entrapping people with lies, false hopes, and magic, preventing them from genuinely turning to God. The rhetorical question drives home God's outrage at this exploitation. It contrasts the life these women seek to take (by leading others to destruction) with the life they wish to preserve for themselves, revealing a deeply selfish and ungodly agenda. They offered "life" to others, but it was a deceptive promise, while truly they were stealing life.

Ezekiel 13 18 Bonus section

The uniqueness of the Hebrew terms kĕsāthōth (magic bands) and misspāchôth (veils) in this specific usage makes it challenging for modern readers to precisely understand their function. However, context within ancient Near Eastern cultures indicates widespread use of amulets and specific garments in magical practices, intended for protection, to influence fate, or for divination. These false prophetesses were essentially offering pagan forms of security and spiritual insight under the guise of prophecy to God's people, blurring the lines between legitimate spiritual guidance and idolatrous superstition. Their "hunting of souls" represents not just spiritual error but active spiritual violence against those entrusted to God's care, mirroring how hunters trap and kill animals. The judgment pronounced is against the perversion of spiritual authority for personal power or gain, and the severe consequences for those who mislead God's people.

Ezekiel 13 18 Commentary

Ezekiel 13:18 stands as a sharp divine condemnation against a specific class of false religious practitioners—women who operated as sorceresses or false prophetesses. These individuals distinguished themselves through the use of ritual objects: "magic bands" (כְסָתוֹת) likely amulets or charms worn on the wrists, and "veils" (מִסְפָּחוֹת) used in divinatory rituals, possibly to create an illusion of spiritual authority or mystical connection. Their practices were not just misleading but actively harmful, aimed at "hunting souls"—a powerful metaphor for ensnaring people in spiritual deception, manipulation, and leading them away from the true God and His Word. This spiritual predation was driven by self-interest, with these women seeking to secure their own lives or fortunes by preying on the spiritual vulnerability and desperation of "My people" during a time of national crisis. The verse therefore serves as a potent warning against all forms of spiritual counterfeiting and exploitation within the community of faith, emphasizing that true prophetic ministry leads people to God, while false ministry traps them in human deceit for selfish gain.