Ezekiel 13:17-23

Ezekiel 13:17-23

[17] Likewise, thou son  of man,  set  thy face  against the daughters  of thy people,  which prophesy  out of their own heart;  and prophesy  [18] And say,  the Lord  GOD;  Woe  to the women that sew  pillows  to all armholes,  and make  kerchiefs  upon the head  of every stature  to hunt  souls!  Will ye hunt  the souls  of my people,  the souls  alive  [19] And will ye pollute  me among my people  for handfuls  of barley  and for pieces  of bread,  to slay  the souls  that should not die,  the souls  alive  by your lying  to my people  that hear  your lies?  [20] Wherefore thus saith  the Lord  GOD;  Behold, I am against your pillows,  wherewith ye  there hunt  the souls  to make them fly,  and I will tear  them from your arms,  and will let the souls  go,  even the souls  that ye hunt  to make them fly.  [21] Your kerchiefs  also will I tear,  and deliver  my people  out of your hand,  to be hunted;  and ye shall know  that I am the LORD.  [22] Because with lies  ye have made the heart  of the righteous  sad,  whom I have not made sad;  and strengthened  the hands  of the wicked,  that he should not return  from his wicked  way,  by promising him life:  [23] Therefore ye shall see  no more vanity,  nor divine  divinations:  for I will deliver  my people  out of your hand:  and ye shall know  that I am the LORD. 

What does Ezekiel 13:17-23 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

There were female as well as male prophets in Israel ( Exodus 15:20; Judges 4:4; 2 Kings 22:14; Nehemiah 6:14; Luke 2:36) and in the early church ( Acts 21:9; 1 Corinthians 11:5). However there were far fewer female than male prophets, and there was no formal order or class of female prophets. God raised up female prophets according to His sovereign purposes occasionally, but He usually used males for this ministry. Females who were not true prophets sometimes claimed to be such, just as males did.
"Although a limited number of oracles directed at women are found in the OT, the present prophecy against female false prophets has no equal." [1]