1 And the word of the LORD {YHWH, Oracular Initiator} came to me, saying {leʾmor: speech introduction}.
2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are prophesying, and say to those prophets from their own heart{millibam: self-origin}, “Hear the word of the LORD{YHWH, Sovereign Judge}.”
3 Thus says the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Judge}: Woe to the foolish prophets {nevalim: morally corrupt} who go after their own spirit and have seen nothing.
4 Israel, your prophets {neviʾekha: those claiming divine authority} have been like foxes in the ruins {horevot: desolate places}.
5 You have not gone up into the breaches {peratzot: gaps in a wall}, nor built a wall for the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the day of the LORD {YHWH, Ultimate Judge}.
6 They have seen falsehood {shav: utter unreality} and lying divination, those who say, “An utterance of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Spokesman},” though the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word will be confirmed.
7 Is it not a vision of emptiness {shav: futility} that you have seen, and a divination of falsehood that you have spoken? And you keep saying, “Oracle of the LORD {YHWH, Ultimate Judge},” but I have not spoken.
8 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH: Sovereign Master}: “Because you have spoken falsehood {shav: empty deception} and have seen lies {kazav: deceit}, therefore behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord GOD.
9 And my hand shall be against the prophets who see vanity and the diviners of lies; they shall not be in the council {sod: intimate assembly} of my people, nor shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel; and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Master}.
10 Because, and also because they have led my people astray {hit'u: intentional deception}, saying “Peace,” and there is no peace; and when he builds a wall, behold, they plaster it with whitewash {tafel: deceptive covering}.
11 Say to those who plaster with whitewash {taphel: deceptive covering} that it will fall. There will surely be an overflowing rain, and you great hailstones {elgavish: large ice stones} will fall, and a stormy wind will break through it.
12 And behold, the wall {ha-qir: false security} has fallen. Will it not be said to you, “Where is the plaster {ha-tiach: protective coating} which you plastered?”
13 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Judge}: I will cause a stormy wind to burst forth in My fury, and there will be an overflowing rain in My anger, and hailstones in wrath for complete destruction {lekalah: utter annihilation}.
14 And I will break down the wall which you have plastered with whitewash {taphel: superficial covering}, and I will bring it to the ground so that its foundation will be uncovered, and it will fall; you will be consumed in its midst, and you will know that I am the LORD {YHWH, Supreme Judge}.
15 And I {YHWH, Righteous Judge} will spend My wrath {chamati: burning indignation} on the wall and on those who plastered it with whitewash, and I will say to you, “There is no wall, and there are no plasterers of it.”
16 The prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem and who see for her a vision of peace {shalom: well-being, completeness}, yet there is no peace—declares the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Master}.
17 And you, son of man {ben-adam: human representative}, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy from their own heart {lev: inner mind}; and prophesy against them.
18 And you shall say, “Thus says the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Judge}: Woe to the women who sew coverings upon all wrists and make veils upon the head of every stature to hunt souls {nefashot: living beings}! Will you hunt the souls of my people and keep souls alive for yourselves?”
19 And you have profaned Me {YHWH, Offended One} among My people for handfuls {bshaalei: trivial bribes} of barley and for pieces of bread, to put to death souls who should not die and to keep alive souls who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies.
20 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Righteous Judge}: Behold, I am against your bands with which you women set traps there for the souls to fly {parach: take flight}; and I will tear them from your arms and release the souls that you are ensnaring to fly.
21 And I will tear off your veils {mispḥoteikhem: net-like head coverings} and deliver {hitzalti: to rescue by force} My people from your hand, and they will no longer be in your hand as prey, and you will know that I am the LORD {YHWH, Supreme Judge}.
22 Because you have made the heart {lev: emotional center} of the righteous sad with lies, though I {YHWH, Compassionate Sustainer} have not caused him grief, and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked so that he does not turn from his evil way to preserve his life.
23 Therefore, you will see falsehood {shave: deceptive visions} no more, and you will not practice divination any longer. I will deliver My people from your hand, and you will know that I am the LORD {YHWH, Supreme Deliverer}.