Ezekiel 13
DortGod commandeth the prophet to prophesie against the false prophets and their vain daubing ver1 also against the false prophetesses and their arm-pillow and head- vails coverings 17.
1. And the word of the Lord came unto me saying :
2. Child of man prophesie against the prophet of Israel [to wit that were in Chaldea among the captive Jews whom they would make to believe that they should quickly return into their own country .See of them also Jerem29.8 they had their companion also in Jerusalem Jerem 23.16 ,17]that prophecy [that is that take upon them but falsely the prophetical office]and say unto them that prophesy out their own heart [Heb unto the prophets out of their own hearts that is those that prophesy that which proceedeth out of their own opinion judgment and motion and not from God Such kind of prophets are said to prophecy false vision and the deceits of their own hearts Jerem 14 .14 to speak the vision of their own heart Jerem 23.16 to be prophets of the deceits Jerem 23.26 to walk after their own spirit in the next vers see the contrary Numb 16.28 and the annotate there] hear the word of the Lord .
3. Thus saith the Lord wo unto those foolish prophets that walk after their own spirit [that is follow their own minds and conceptions in propounding their presumptuous prophesies compare the annotate on the former vers]and that which they have not seen [that is that which was not shewed them by God in a vision to declare it in his name unto the people the word seeing is often thus taken as Proverbs 24:4 Isaiah 30:10 Lament 2.14 and here below vers 6,7,8 hence the prophets are called seers .See 1 Sam 9 on vers 9 and 2 Chrons 9 on vers 29.]
4. Thy prophets O Israel are like the foxes in the waste places [to wit like these foxes that being in waste barren and desolate places were very little prey is to be had are very eager to snatch at the meanest thing they come at.]
5. Ye [to wit false prophets]have not gone up into the gaps [it is similitude taken from warlike affairs were valiant soldiers do boldly set themselves in the gap that is made in the city-wall by the enemy to keep the enemy out of it which the false prophets ought to have imitated by their prayers unto God and exhortations unto congregations to turn away Gods judgments and punishments see the same phrase Psal 16.23 ,30 and below chap 22.30]neither have ye made the hedge for the house of Israel [to wit when the said hedge was broken its anther similitude taken from the gardens whose hedge and fences when they are hurt by the wild beast must be repaired against a new in rode of them see of the comparison below chap .30]to stand in battle in the day of the Lord [meaning the time wherein the Lord would send the Chaldeans against the Israelites to destroy them the day of the Lord for the day of punishment is vengeance see Job 24 on vers 1 .]
6. They [to wit the false prophets unto whom Ezekiel had spoken in the second person vers 5 of whom he now speaketh in the third person as also above vers 4 see of the like alteration in person Job 18:4] see vanity [see above chap 12 on vers 24]and lying predictions [Heb prediction of a lye] that say the Lord hath spoken whereas the Lord hath not sent them and they give hope of confirming the word [or the matter to wit which they have false pretended to be a prophecy that came from God .]
7. Do ye not see a vision [Heb a vision of vanity so above chap 12.24 see the annotate] and speak a lying prediction [Heb the prediction of a lye]when ye say [to wit unto the people] the Lord speaketh whereas I [namely I the Lord] have not spoken ?[this question implieth a strong affirmation]
8. Therefore thus saith the Lord LORD because ye speak vanity and see a lye therefore behold I will be upon you [to wit to punish and destroy you compare Jerem 21.13 with the annotate] saith the Lord LORD .
9. And mine hand [that is my power to punish and destroy so Exodus 9:3 Judge 2.15 1 Sam 2.12 .15]shall be against prophets that see vanity and foretell a lye they shall not be in the assembly [so is the word sod taken Psal 89.8 and 111.1]of my people neither be written in the house of Isarel [that is as the register of Gods children compare Exodus 32:32 and the annotate like wise Psal 69.29 and the annotate Luke 10:20 Revel 13.8 and 17.8 and 20.15 and 21 .27 of the house of Israel that is that formed the number of the true church]nor enter unto the land of Israel [that is not return unto the land of Juda out of the Babylonian captivity as they also that remain impenitent shall not enter into the heavenly Canaan .The meaning then of this passage is that false prophets shall not be reckoned among Gods chosen people nor be partakers of his spiritual goods]and ye shall know that I am the Lord LORD.
10. Therefore yea therefore [this doubling is made to add greater force to the sense or meaning see the like Genes 7 on vers 2 and 14on vers 30 Numb 3.9 and duet 16.20 Joel 3 .14 and the annotate]because they seduce my people [to wit so as that they have not believed my threatening nor purely performed worship nor obeyed my laws prescribing the way the rule of life Jerem 28.15 ,16]saying peace [that is making them believe that all things were well and that there was no punishment to be expected compare Jerem 6.14 and 28.9 and below vers 16 where there is no peace and because one [to wit false prophets] buildeth a mud-wall [that is a slight and weak fence to save an house from violence onset and breach meaning the vain and flattering prophets deceivers which they presented unto people that they might not believe the threatening of God denounced by the prophets] and lo others [to wit other false prophets] daub it with slight lime that it[to wit helped by the vain and plausible flattering to confirm make good former prophets propounded prophecy understand here the slight lime an ill-made or tempered stuff of lime or mortar that easily falleth off and perisheth compare below chap22 .28.]
11. Say unto them that plaister with slight lime that it [to wit the mud-wall]]there shall be an over flowing shower [understand by this and that which followeth the violence of the Chaldeans which should be terrible poured out upon Jerusalem and the kingdom of Juda .The same comparison are also elsewhere used see Isaiah 25:4 Jerem 47.2 below chap 38.22] and ye O great hall-stones shall fall and a stormy wind shall spilt it .
12. Lo when that wall shall be fallen shall it not then be said unto you [to wit by the man that passing by shall see the ruine of the house or shall have notice thereof .This question implieth a strong affirmation]where is the plaistering wherewith ye have plaistered ?
13. Therefore thus saith the Lord LORD yea I will split it [to wit that mud-wall]by a great stormy wind in my fury and there shall be an over slowing shower in mine anger and great hail-stones in my fury to destroy it [Heb for destruction .]
14. So will I break down wall that ye have plaistered with slight lime and will cast it down to the ground [Heb make it to come near the ground]so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered [that is it shall be rased to the very foundation see the same phrase Psal 137.7 Mich 1.16 Habak3.13 compare 2 Sam 22.16] thus shall the city namely Jerusalem fall and ye [to wit the Jews] shall perish in the midst thereof and ye shall know that I am the Lord .
15. Thus will I bring forth my wrath against the wall and against them that plasters it with slight lime and I will say unto you [meaning those that believed in false prophets and expected all manner of good from their vain and flattering prophecies]that wall is no more [that is ,it is thrown down] neither are they plastered it [to wit alive see Genes 42.13 and Proverbs 12:7.]
16. To wit the prophets of Israel that prophesie concerning Jerusalem that see a vision of peace for her [see above on vers 10] where there is no peace saith the Lord .
17. And thou child of man set thy face against the daughters of thy people [see of this phrase above chap 6 on vers 2] which prophesie out of their own heart [that is set thy face against the women that pretending themselves to be prophetesses and diviners by meer vanities and lies made man believe that God was not angry with them as the true prophet taught moreover they scattered the people and hardened them their fins promising them Gods mercy and blessing though they continued and went on in those fins now to assure every one of it they made as some conceive arm-cushion and head-quoifs which they tendered to the person whom they deceived for some gain which the prophetesses reaped from it] and prophesie against them [see above in this chap on vers 2.]
18. And say thus saith the Lord LORD Wo to those women that sow cushion for all arm holes of the arms [some understand this not properly but figuratively of the flatteries and promises of peace and rest others understand it properly that they made and sold such things to be used by those that believe their prophecies to signifie that they should as truly have rest and peace in the land as their arms should easily lean and rest upon those cushions Heb all arm –holes of the hands to wit all those that for the aforesaid purpose should have a desire to buy and use them]and made head-coverings [other night-quoifs of kerchief this served as a token that they should always sleep soundly and quietly] for the head of every structure [that is of every age tallness .They suit their juggling to all sorts of men small and great ,to seduce every men to pluck every men]to hunt souls [and so to catch them that is to bring men into temporal and eternal destruction ,by hardening them in abominable idolatry and impenitency compare Proverbs 6:26 and the annotate]will ye hunt the souls [meaning the reasonable and immortal souls]of my people and will ye save unto your selves [or for your selves that is for your good]the souls [that is your persons so Genesis 9:5 on the words that your souls]alive ?[that is nourish and sustain them by the unjust and unlawful gain by your false prophesies.]
19. And will ye profane me among my people [to wit in abusing my name as if I have commanded you to seduce my people by false prophesies compare Levit 18 on vers 21]for hand full of barley and for pieces of bread to slay the souls that should not die [that is to declare death by your prophecies to those that shall not die because they believe in me and abhor my divinations]and to save the souls alive that should not live [that is to promise life to those that shall not live because they depart from me and adhere unto you]by your lying to my people that hear lying ? [to wit your lying wherewith you deceive them .]
20. Therefore thus saith the Lord LORD behold I will be upon your cushions [to wit to tear them in pieces and to destroy them compare above vers 8 and the annotate wherewith ye there hunt the souls to the flower gardens [Heb gardens to wit wherein they had their idols to ask of them concerning things to come and to entice them thither that were very eager and desirous after those things that they might seduce them Isaiah 65:5 others but they might fly away to wit being loose from your deceitful cushions] and I will rent them off [or pluck them off]from your arm and I will let the souls loose [to wit out of the nets where into ye hunt them or out of the cages wherein ye hold them captive that that they may escape the destruction which ye seek to bring upon them]the souls which ye hunt to the flower-gardens .
21. Moreover I will rent your head-vails and deliver my people out of your hand [that is power and might see Genes 16 on vers 6]so that they shall be no more in your hand for an hunting [to wit as a prey to be hunted by you]and ye [to wit the false prophesies of whom is spoken above vers 17] shall know that I am the Lord .
22. Because by the falsehood ye have made the heart of the righteous sad [to wit threatening him with temporal and eternal destruction because he did not believe and follow you] whereas I put him [to wit the righteous or it to wit the heart of the righteous]to no sorrow [to wit in threatening him with my judgments yea have rather comforted him with the promise of my mercy]and because you have strengthened the hands of the wicked [that is have hardened and encouraged him in idolatry impenitency see of this phrase also Judges 9:24 and the annotate it is also taken in good sense as Judges 7:11 1 Sam 23.6 Isaiah 35:3]that he should not return from his wicked way that I might save him alive .
23. Therefore ye [to wit false prophesies] shall see no more vanity [see above vers 6 to wit because ye shall perish]nor use divinations [or deal in divination Heb divining in divine so Deut 18 .10 2 Kings 17:17 and 21.21 see further of the word divination Prov 16 on vers 10]but I will deliver my people out of the hand and ye shall know that I am the Lord .