Ezekiel 13:8 kjv
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 13:8 nkjv
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you," says the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 13:8 niv
"?'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Ezekiel 13:8 esv
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 13:8 nlt
"Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because what you say is false and your visions are a lie, I will stand against you, says the Sovereign LORD.
Ezekiel 13 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 13:5 | "...that prophet...shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against the Lord..." | Punishment for inciting rebellion with lies. |
| Deut 18:20 | "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak...that prophet shall die." | Consequence for presumptuous prophecy. |
| Jer 14:14 | "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them... They are prophesying to you a lying vision, an empty divination..." | God denies sending or inspiring their lies. |
| Jer 23:21 | "I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied." | God did not commission them. |
| Jer 23:25 | "I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name..." | God is aware of and condemns their deceit. |
| Jer 23:30 | "Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who steal my words from one another." | God opposes those who plagiarize and twist. |
| Jer 27:10 | "For they prophesy lies to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land..." | False prophecy leads to negative consequences. |
| Mic 3:5 | "Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray..." | Prophets who actively mislead. |
| Zech 13:3 | "...if anyone still prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not live...’" | Strong societal rejection of false prophecy. |
| Psa 5:6 | "You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." | God's hatred for liars. |
| Prov 6:17 | "...a lying tongue..." | Lying is an abomination to God. |
| Isa 30:9-10 | "...rebellious people, lying children...who say to the seers, 'Do not see visions!'" | People desiring comforting lies over truth. |
| Hos 4:6 | "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you..." | Lack of truth causes destruction. |
| Mal 3:5 | "Then I will draw near to you for judgment...against those who swear falsely..." | Judgment includes those who deceive under oath. |
| Matt 7:15 | "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." | NT warning against deceptive religious leaders. |
| Matt 24:11 | "And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray." | Prophecy of increased deception in the end times. |
| 1 Jn 4:1 | "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God..." | Importance of discerning false spirits/teachings. |
| 2 Pet 2:1 | "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you..." | Parallel between OT false prophets and NT false teachers. |
| Acts 20:30 | "...even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them." | Internal threat of distorting truth within the church. |
| Rev 2:2 | "...you have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and have found them to be false." | Commendation for discerning false claims. |
| Rev 21:8 | "...and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." | Final eternal judgment for all liars. |
| Gen 6:7 | "So the Lord said, 'I will blot out man whom I have created...for I am sorry that I have made them.'" | God's intense sorrow leading to active judgment. |
| Num 22:20 | "...But only what I tell you, that you shall speak." | True prophet speaks only God's exact words. |
| Jer 29:8-9 | "For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you..." | Direct command against being deceived. |
Ezekiel 13 verses
Ezekiel 13 8 Meaning
Ezekiel 13:8 declares God's solemn judgment against false prophets and prophetesses. It directly states that because they uttered deceptive words and presented fabricated visions as divine revelations, the Lord Himself stands in active opposition to them. This verdict is a profound response to their spiritual fraud, underscoring the severity with which God views those who corrupt His message and mislead His people.
Ezekiel 13 8 Context
Ezekiel chapter 13 focuses entirely on the Lord GOD's condemnation and impending judgment against the false prophets and prophetesses who were active in Israel. During the Babylonian exile, these individuals offered comforting but deceptive messages of peace and imminent restoration, contrasting sharply with the somber truth revealed through God's true messengers like Ezekiel and Jeremiah. They exploited the people's desire for hope, promising a swift end to suffering despite God's decree of extended exile. Verse 8 marks a decisive transition from describing their sins of deception to a direct declaration of divine hostility. It sets the stage for the specific punishments that will be inflicted upon these false prophets and for the dismantling of the false hope they offered, referred to metaphorically as a "whitewashed wall" in the subsequent verses. This historical setting emphasizes the danger of spiritual comfort divorced from divine truth.
Ezekiel 13 8 Word analysis
- Therefore (לָכֵן – lakhen): This conjunctive adverb introduces a logical consequence, specifically divine judgment, based on the preceding actions of the false prophets. It signifies the certainty of God's response.
- thus says (כֹּה אָמַר – koh amar): A formal prophetic utterance that lends ultimate authority to the subsequent message. It underlines that this is a direct, authenticated word from God, not a human interpretation.
- the Lord GOD (אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה – Adonai YHWH): Combines Adonai (Master/Sovereign) and YHWH (the personal covenant name, often rendered LORD). This double divine title powerfully establishes the speaker's absolute authority and personal involvement, ensuring the immutability of the declaration.
- Because (יַעַן אֲשֶׁר – ya'an asher): "On account of that which." This phrase directly links the judgment to the specific reasons—the falsehoods spoken and the lying visions claimed by the prophets.
- you have spoken (דִּבַּרְתֶּם – dibbartem): Refers to the verbal pronouncements and messages disseminated by the prophets, emphasizing the active nature of their deceit. It means "you yourselves spoke."
- falsehood (שָׁוְא – shav): Denotes emptiness, worthlessness, or deceit. It indicates a message devoid of truth and spiritual value, implying deliberate manipulation and a violation of the truth (similar to taking God's name "in vain" – also shav).
- and seen (וַחֲזִיתֶם – vachazitem): Implies claiming a revelatory experience, visually perceiving what they later proclaimed as a divine message.
- visions (חֲזִינְכֶם – chazin'khem): These are the purported spiritual revelations that the prophets claimed to have received directly from God. Here, they are exposed as fraudulent.
- that are lies (כָּזָב – kazav): This term unequivocally labels their visions as utterly false, deceitful, and betraying truth. It implies a conscious act of invention and misrepresentation.
- therefore behold (לָכֵן הִנְנִי – lakhen hinni): This emphatic re-iteration of "therefore" combined with hinni (behold/indeed, I) intensifies the certainty and imminence of the divine judgment, highlighting God's direct and unavoidable action.
- I am against you (אֶל/עֲלֵיכֶם – al'eikhem or hinni eleikhem meaning "Behold, I am against you"): This is a powerful, personal declaration of divine opposition. It signifies God taking a direct, hostile stance against the false prophets, ready to act in judgment against them.
- declares (נְאֻם – neum): A definitive prophetic formula that authenticates the message as an inviolable oracle directly from God, sealing its truth and authority.
- the Lord GOD (אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה – Adonai YHWH): The repetition of this full divine title at the close further emphasizes that this is an authoritative and unchallengeable word from the supreme Sovereign of all.
Words-group analysis
- "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD... declares the Lord GOD": This framework of identical divine pronouncements at the beginning and end of the verse forms an inclusio, a literary device that envelops the declaration within unassailable divine authority. It asserts the complete veracity and source of the judgment, leaving no room for doubt about its origin or legitimacy.
- "Because you have spoken falsehood and seen visions that are lies": This paired accusation defines the core sins of the false prophets. "Speaking falsehood" addresses their deceptive verbal pronouncements, while "seeing visions that are lies" condemns the fraudulent source and content of their claimed revelations. The juxtaposition reveals a two-pronged deception: both the delivery method and the originating "inspiration" were corrupt.
- "therefore behold, I am against you": This potent phrase marks God's shift from observer to active opponent. It is a declaration of personal and decisive divine action, far stronger than mere disapproval. This means God will directly intervene to confront, judge, and act punitively against these individuals for their egregious spiritual malpractice.
Ezekiel 13 8 Bonus section
The phrase "I am against you" (Hebrew: הִנְנִי אֵלֵיכֶם, hinni eleikhem) is a highly charged declaration of divine animosity, signifying not just displeasure but a proactive and decisive intervention. This is a common phrase of judgment throughout prophetic literature, used when God determines to move directly against someone or a group due to their severe transgressions (e.g., Jer 21:13; Ez 5:8; Nah 2:13). In the case of Ezekiel 13, it highlights God's particular disdain for those who abuse sacred spiritual authority. These prophets didn't just err; they presented deliberate sheqer (falsehood) and kazav (lies) as divine revelation. This profound perversion of truth blocked God's people from hearing the difficult but redemptive message that called for genuine repentance during the trying times of exile, exacerbating their spiritual condition. God’s opposition signifies the dismantling of their influence and the exposure of their deceit for all to see.
Ezekiel 13 8 Commentary
Ezekiel 13:8 provides the definitive rationale for God's impending judgment on false prophets: their willful deception through words and fabricated visions. God unequivocally declares His active and personal opposition ("I am against you") because they have directly opposed His truth. This verse is a stern warning against all who twist or invent spiritual messages for personal gain or to give people false comfort, effectively acting as an impediment to genuine repentance and adherence to God's true word. It demonstrates God's fierce commitment to the integrity of His divine communication and His determination to root out spiritual falsehood that endangers His people.