Ezekiel 13; Ezekiel 14; Ezekiel 15

1 The LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

2 "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel. Tell those who make up their prophecies, 'Listen to the word of the LORD.

3 "'This is what the Almighty LORD says: How horrible it will be for the foolish prophets. They follow their own ideas, and they have seen nothing.

4 Israel, your prophets are like foxes among the ruins [of a city].

5 They haven't repaired the gaps in the wall or rebuilt the wall for the nation of Israel. So Israel will not be protected in battle on the day of the LORD.

6 These foolish prophets see false visions, and their predictions don't come true. They say, "The LORD said this." But the LORD hasn't sent them. Then they hope that their message will come true.

7 Prophets of Israel, haven't you seen false visions and predicted things that don't come true? Don't you say, "The LORD said this," even though I haven't said anything?

8 "'This is what the Almighty LORD says: Your predictions are false, and your visions are lies. That is why I'm against you, declares the Almighty LORD.

9 I will use my power against the prophets who see false visions and predict things that don't come true. They will not help my people make decisions or be recorded in the records of the nation of Israel. They won't even enter Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

10 "'They have deceived my people by saying that everything is alright, but it's not alright. When someone builds a flimsy wall, the prophets cover it up with paint.

11 Tell those who cover up the wall with paint that their wall will fall down. Rain will pour down, hailstones will fall on it, and stormy winds will break it to pieces.

12 When the wall falls down, people will ask them, "Where's the paint that you used to cover the wall?"

13 "'This is what the Almighty LORD says: In my fury I'll cause a storm to break out. In my anger rain will pour down, and hailstones will destroy the wall.

14 I will tear down the wall that the prophets covered up with paint. I will level it and expose its foundation. When the wall falls, they will be destroyed by it. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

15 I will unleash my fury on the wall and on those who covered it up with paint. "'Then I will say to you, "The wall is gone, and so are those who painted it.

16 The prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem are gone. Those who said that everything was alright, when it wasn't alright, are gone, declares the Almighty LORD."'

17 "Son of man, look at the women among your people who make up prophecies, and prophesy against them.

18 "Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: How horrible it will be for women who sew magic charms for people's wrists and make magic veils of every size for people's heads. You want to trap people. You want to control the lives of my people for your own profit.

19 You dishonor me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley and a few pieces of bread. You kill people who shouldn't die, and you spare the lives of people who shouldn't live. You lie to my people who are willing to listen.

20 "'This is what the Almighty LORD says: I'm against the magic charms that you use to trap people like birds. I will tear them from your arms and free the people that you have trapped.

21 I will tear off your magic veils and rescue my people from your power so that they will no longer be under your control. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

22 You have discouraged righteous people with your lies, even though I hadn't brought them any grief. You encouraged wicked people not to turn from their wicked ways to save their lives.

23 That is why you will no longer see false visions or make predictions. I will rescue my people from your power. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'"

1 Some of Israel's leaders came to me and sat down in front of me.

2 Then the LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

3 "Son of man, these people are devoted to their idols, and they are allowing themselves to fall into sin. Should they be allowed to ask me for help?

4 "So speak to them. Tell them, 'This is what the LORD says: Suppose an Israelite is devoted to idols and allows himself to fall into sin. Suppose he goes to a prophet [to ask for my help]. I, the LORD, will give that Israelite an answer, the answer that his many idols deserve.

5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the nation of Israel. They have deserted me because of their disgusting idols.'

6 "So tell the nation of Israel, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: Change the way you think and act! Turn away from your idols, and don't return to any of your disgusting things.

7 Suppose an Israelite or a foreigner who lives in Israel deserts me by devoting himself to idols and by allowing himself to fall into sin. If he goes to a prophet to ask for my help, I, the LORD, will give him an answer.

8 I will reject him, and I will make an example of him. I will exclude him from my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

9 "'If a prophet is tricked into giving a prophecy, it is I, the LORD, who tricked the prophet. I will use my power against you and destroy you from among my people Israel.

10 Both of you will suffer for your sins. The prophet will be as guilty as you are when you ask for his help.

11 Then the people of Israel will no longer wander away from me. They will no longer dishonor me with all their sins. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Almighty LORD.'"

12 The LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

13 "Son of man, suppose a country sins against me by being unfaithful to me. I will use my power against it, cut off its food supply, send a famine to it, and destroy its people and animals.

14 Even if these three men--Noah, Daniel, and Job--were in that country, they would, by their righteousness, rescue only themselves," declares the Almighty LORD.

15 "Suppose I send wild animals through that country and they make it childless and turn it into such a wasteland that no one travels through it because of the animals.

16 As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could rescue their own sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves. And the country would become a wasteland.

17 "Suppose I bring a war against that country by saying, 'I will let a war go throughout this country.' Suppose I destroy the people and the animals in it.

18 As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could rescue their sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves.

19 "Suppose I send a plague into that country or pour out my fury on it by killing people and destroying animals.

20 As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could, by their righteousness, rescue their sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves.

21 "This is what the Almighty LORD says: I will surely send four terrible punishments against Jerusalem. I will send wars, famines, wild animals, and plagues. They will destroy people and animals.

22 But some people will survive. Some of your sons and daughters will be brought out. When they come out to you, you will see how they live. Then you will be comforted after the disasters that I will bring on Jerusalem, after every disaster that I will bring against it.

23 You will be comforted when you see how they live. Then you will know that everything I have done was done for a reason," declares the Almighty LORD.

1 The LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

2 "Son of man, what good is the wood from a vine? Is it better than the wood from a tree in the forest?

3 Do people use it to make something? Do they make a peg from it to hang things on?

4 No! It is only thrown into the fire as fuel. The fire burns up both its ends and chars its middle. Then can it be used to make anything?

5 When the vine was in perfect condition, it couldn't be made into anything. How can it be used to make anything after the fire has burned and charred it?

6 "So this is what the Almighty LORD says: As a vine is taken from among the trees in the forest to be used to feed the fire, so I will take the people who live in Jerusalem to punish them.

7 I will turn against the people of Jerusalem. Even though they have escaped one fire, another fire will burn them. Then they will know that I am the LORD, because I will turn against them.

8 I will turn the country into a wasteland because they have been unfaithful," declares the Almighty LORD.