Ezekiel 13 4

Ezekiel 13:4 kjv

O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

Ezekiel 13:4 nkjv

O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.

Ezekiel 13:4 niv

Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins.

Ezekiel 13:4 esv

Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel.

Ezekiel 13:4 nlt

"O people of Israel, these prophets of yours are like jackals digging in the ruins.

Ezekiel 13 verses

Ezekiel 13 4 Meaning

This verse condemns prophets who follow their own imaginations and speak prophecies not from God. It highlights their deceitful nature and the ultimate futility of their messages.

Ezekiel 13 4 Context

Ezekiel 13 is set during the Babylonian exile, a time of great distress for the people of Judah. Many false prophets within Judah were giving comforting but untrue prophecies, assuring the people of a swift return and peace, directly contradicting God's message delivered through Ezekiel. These false prophets offered false hope and thus hindered repentance. Chapter 13 specifically focuses on these deceitful individuals and pronounces God's judgment upon them. The verse under consideration directly attacks the source of their false prophecies: their own imaginations and their superficial, unauthorized speaking.

Ezekiel 13 4 Word analysis

• "And" (וְ‎, ve): A conjunctive particle, connecting this verse to the previous condemnation of false prophets.

• "say" (אמרו, imru): Imperative form of the verb meaning "to speak" or "to say." It commands what they are doing.

• "unto" (אל, el): A preposition indicating direction towards a person or thing.

• "you" (אתכם, etchem): Plural pronoun referring to the recipients of the false prophecy, the people of Israel.

• "The LORD" (יהוה, YHWH): The covenant name of God.

• "says" (אמר, amar): The perfect tense of the verb meaning "to say." It indicates a completed statement.

• "Because" (יען, ya'an): A conjunction signifying cause or reason.

• "that" (כי, ki): Introduces the clause that explains the reason.

• "they" (המה, hem): Plural pronoun referring back to the false prophets.

• "have prophesied" (נבאו, nib'u): Perfect tense of the verb meaning "to prophesy." It denotes an action completed.

• "a lie" (שׁקר, sheker): A noun meaning falsehood, deceit, or untruth.

• "and" (וְ‎, ve): Connects the previous accusation with the following one.

• "in" (בּ‎, be): Preposition indicating the sphere or location of their action.

• "my" (שמי, shmi): Possessive pronoun referring to God.

• "name" (שם, shem): The designation by which God is known.

• "I" (אני, ani): First-person pronoun, referring to God.

• "did" (שלחתי, shelachti): Perfect tense of the verb "to send."

• "not" (לא, lo): A negative particle.

• "send" (שלח, shalach): Infinitive absolute, often used with a perfect tense to express strong negation or affirmation. Here, it emphatically states God did not send them.

• "neither" (ולא, velo): A conjunctive negative.

• "did" (צויתי, tzivit): Perfect tense of the verb "to command."

• "I" (אני, ani): First-person pronoun.

• "command" (צוה, tzava): Infinitive absolute, used here with the perfect tense for strong negation.

• "them" (אותם, otam): Plural pronoun.

• "neither" (ולא, velo): Another conjunctive negative.

• "did" (דברתי, dibarti): Perfect tense of the verb "to speak."

• "I" (אני, ani): First-person pronoun.

• "speak" (דבר, dabar): Infinitive absolute, used with the perfect tense for strong negation.

• "unto" (אליהם, eil'heihem): Preposition indicating direction.

• "them" (אותם, otam): Plural pronoun.

• Group Analysis:

  • "Prophesied a lie" (נבאו שקר, nib'u sheker): This phrase directly links their pronouncements to falsehood. It's not merely speaking, but speaking that is fundamentally untrue.
  • "I did not send them" (לא שלחתי אותם, lo shelachti otam): This is a crucial statement asserting the divine commissioning was absent. Their authority and message were not from God.
  • "Neither did I command them" (ולא צויתי אותם, velo tzivit otam): Reinforces the lack of divine authorization. They had no God-given mandate.
  • "Neither did I speak unto them" (ולא דברתי אליהם, velo dibarti eil'heihem): Emphasizes the complete absence of divine communication or guidance for their prophecies.

Ezekiel 13 4 Bonus Section

The concept of false prophecy was a significant concern throughout ancient Israelite history. The Mosaic Law provided tests for prophets (Deuteronomy 18:22), and many Old Testament prophets, like Jeremiah and Isaiah, actively confronted those who misled the people with empty messages. This verse's emphasis on "saying out of their own imagination" is significant because it highlights that prophecy is not a product of human intellect or desire, but a direct reception and conveyance of God's message. Jesus also warned about false prophets who would appear in "sheep's clothing" but inwardly were "ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15), and Paul similarly cautioned against those who would speak "twisted things" (Acts 20:30). The gravity of falsely claiming divine authority is consistent across the entirety of scripture, linking Old Testament prophetic condemnation to New Testament warnings.

Ezekiel 13 4 Commentary

This verse delivers a potent rebuke to false prophets. Their pronouncements are characterized as lies spoken in God's name, a grievous offense. The core issue is their lack of divine commissioning, instruction, or communication. They are operating outside of God's authority, presenting their own imaginations as divine revelation. This disconnect from the divine source renders their prophecies hollow and dangerous. The triple negation – "did not send," "did not command," "did not speak" – underscores the complete absence of God's involvement in their ministry. Their message, therefore, is not merely incorrect, but entirely illegitimate, a perversion of true prophecy. They lead the people astray, building them up with false hopes rather than guiding them toward repentance and God's truth.