Ezekiel 13 23

Ezekiel 13:23 kjv

Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 13:23 nkjv

Therefore you shall no longer envision futility nor practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD." ' "

Ezekiel 13:23 niv

therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the LORD.'?"

Ezekiel 13:23 esv

therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. And you shall know that I am the LORD."

Ezekiel 13:23 nlt

Because of all this, you will no longer talk of seeing visions that you never saw, nor will you make predictions. For I will rescue my people from your grasp. Then you will know that I am the LORD."

Ezekiel 13 verses

Ezekiel 13 23 Meaning

Ezekiel 13:23 signifies God's direct judgment against the false prophetesses of Israel, bringing an absolute end to their deceptive practices and manipulations. "Therefore" links this consequence directly to God's preceding condemnation and the stripping away of their power. Their fraudulent visions and divinations, which led God's people astray, will cease entirely. Simultaneously, God emphatically states His active role in rescuing His people from the spiritual and physical bondage imposed by these deceitful figures. The ultimate outcome of this divine intervention, both in judgment and deliverance, is for all involved – the false prophetesses, the delivered people, and onlookers – to definitively "know that I am the Lord," affirming His sovereignty, power, and faithfulness to His covenant.

Ezekiel 13 23 Context

Ezekiel 13:23 is the concluding verse of a two-part prophetic oracle against false prophets and prophetesses in Judah (Ezek 13:1-23). The preceding verses vividly describe the deceptive practices of these women, focusing on their use of "magic bands" (ḳəšāṭôt) on arms and "veils" (mitpāḥôt) over heads. These objects, possibly amulets or charms, were used to ensnare and spiritually oppress God's people, predicting fate or granting life and death in exchange for paltry gains (barley and morsels of bread, vv. 18-19). They gave false hopes of peace where there was none and brought despair to the righteous. Verse 22 explicitly states how they grieved the righteous and encouraged the wicked. Thus, verse 23 acts as a divine sentence, a "therefore" indicating the direct result of their reprehensible actions. Historically, this occurred during the tumultuous period of the Babylonian exile (or shortly before), a time when God's people, desperate for guidance and comfort, were highly vulnerable to those who offered false hope and spiritual manipulation, blurring the lines between legitimate prophecy and pagan divination. Ezekiel's ministry often directly confronted such spiritual deception, reaffirming YHWH's exclusive claim to speak and act on behalf of His people.

Ezekiel 13 23 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵ֗ן - lā·ḵên): This conjunction introduces a conclusion or consequence directly linked to the preceding actions and divine pronouncements. It signifies a pivotal turn where God's patience ends, and His decisive judgment begins, flowing from the condemnations detailed in earlier verses against the prophetesses' practices.
• you shall no longer see (לֹא־תֹסִ֤פוּן תֶּֽחֱז֤וּן - lōʾ tōsîfūn teḥĕzûn): Lit. "You will not again see." The Hebrew verb ḥāzâ (חָזָה) means "to see," often used for prophetic visions. Lōʾ tōsîfūn means "you shall not add," implying the cessation or termination of a previous activity. God declares that the very source and manifestation of their deception will be utterly cut off, emphasizing the finality of their prophetic function.
• false visions (שָׁוְא֙ - šāwʾ): Šāwʾ is a potent term in Hebrew scripture, denoting emptiness, vanity, falsehood, or deceit. It is frequently associated with idolatry (Ps 31:6), false witness (Exod 20:7), and anything that is futile or meaningless. Here, it characterizes their "visions" not just as incorrect, but as utterly fraudulent, having no divine origin or substance.
• nor practice divination (וְקֶ֣סֶם לֹֽא־תִקְסֹ֗מְנָה - wə·qe·sem lōʾ tiq·sōm·nāh): Qesem (קֶסֶם) refers to various forms of divination, prognostication, soothsaying, or sorcery, explicitly forbidden in Mosaic law (Deut 18:10-12). The verb qāsam (קָסַם) means "to divine" or "to practice divination." This highlights the illicit nature of their actions, aligning them with pagan spiritual practices condemned by God, suggesting they engaged in attempting to discern hidden knowledge outside of God's appointed means.
• and I will deliver (וְהִצַּלְתִּי֙ - wə·hiṣ·ṣal·tî): This is a strong statement of divine intervention. Nāṣal (נָצַל) implies actively saving, rescuing, or pulling someone out of danger or oppression. It underlines God's protective and redemptive character, emphasizing His personal commitment to His people's well-being.
• My people (אֶת־עַמִּ֔י - ʾet-ʿam·mî): This possessive term emphasizes the covenant relationship between God and Israel. Despite their backsliding and vulnerability to false prophets, they remain His treasured possession, prompting His intervention on their behalf.
• out of your hand (מִיֶּדְכֶ֑ן - mî·yad·ḵen): Yāḏ (יָד) or "hand," here denotes power, control, authority, and oppressive grasp. The phrase signifies their loss of power and ability to manipulate or harm God's people. It refers to both their direct control and the instruments they used, such as the magic bands, representing their spiritual and physical dominion.
• So you shall know (וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם - wî·ḏaʿ·tem): From the verb yāḏaʿ (יָדַע), meaning "to know," implying a deep, experiential, and certain knowledge rather than mere intellectual assent. This "recognition formula" is a hallmark of Ezekiel.
• that I am the Lord (כִּי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָֽה - kî ʾă·nî Yah·weh): This is God's self-identification, asserting His absolute sovereignty, unique identity, and covenant faithfulness. Through these acts of judgment and deliverance, His true nature and power will be undeniably revealed to all—false prophets, delivered people, and surrounding nations—establishing His supreme authority over all rivals.

Ezekiel 13 23 Bonus section

• The judgment pronounced in Ezekiel 13:23 also implies a cleansing of the community from spiritual impurity. Divination was seen as an abomination (Deut 18:9-12), and its removal would restore a measure of covenant purity to the exilic community.
• The "hand" of the false prophetesses can be interpreted broadly to include not just their physical actions but their entire system of control, including their persuasive words and the socio-religious influence they exerted.
• This verse indirectly sets up Ezekiel's legitimacy as a true prophet. While the false prophets see šāwʾ (falsehood/vanity), Ezekiel receives ḥāzōn (true vision) directly from Yahweh, thus serving as a polemic against his contemporary deceivers.
• The recurrence of "know that I am the Lord" throughout Ezekiel (over 70 times) emphasizes the pedagogical purpose of God's actions—every act of judgment or salvation serves to reveal His divine identity and unmatched authority.

Ezekiel 13 23 Commentary

Ezekiel 13:23 marks the emphatic cessation of spiritual malpractice and the dawn of divine deliverance. It underscores that God, Yahweh, is intolerant of those who profit from deceit and manipulate His chosen people. The false visions and divinations were not merely errors; they were harmful falsehoods, instruments of control that hindered spiritual truth. By declaring their cessation, God not only nullifies the false prophets' authority but also protects the spiritual integrity of His people. The "deliverance" here is both from physical oppression and from the spiritual blindness induced by these deceptive practices. The final phrase, "So you shall know that I am the Lord," serves as the ultimate theological lesson: God's identity as the sovereign, true, and covenant-keeping deity is revealed not just through words, but decisively through His powerful acts of judgment against evil and redemption for His own. It’s a foundational truth for Israel and a warning for all who seek to corrupt God's truth for personal gain. This divine action brings clarity where there was confusion and liberty where there was bondage, demonstrating God's unfailing commitment to His flock.