Ezekiel 13:17

Ezekiel 13:17-19 . Likewise, set thy face against the daughters of thy people — Direct thy discourse against the female pretenders to prophecy. God sometimes bestowed the gift of prophecy upon women, Exodus 15:20 ; Jdg 9:4 ; 2 Kings 22:14 . This encouraged others of that sex to pretend to the same gift: compare Revelation 2:20 . Wo to the women that sew pillows, &c. — As the prophet compares the deceitful practices of the false prophets to the daubing of a wall, so he represents the artifices of these female seducers by sewing pillows under the hearers’ arms, that they might rest securely in their evil ways. “The eastern mode of sitting,” says Harmer, chap. 6. observ. 35, “supported by pillows, explains this representation of Ezekiel. Dr. Russel has given us a print representing a fine eastern lady reposing herself on one of these bolsters, or pillows, by leaning with one of her arms on one of them, while she is smoking.” In Barbary and the Levant they “always cover the floors of their houses with carpets; and along the sides of the wall, or floor, a range of narrow beds, or mattresses, is often placed upon these carpets; and, for their further ease and convenience, several velvet or damask bolsters are placed upon these carpets or mattresses: indulgences that seem to be alluded to by the stretching of themselves upon couches, and by the sewing of pillows to arm-holes.” — Shaw’s Travels, p. 209, second edition.

Sir John Chardin also mentions “a mattress, with large cushions, placed at the back and sides” of the person who uses it as a bed, Harm., vol. 2., chap. 6. observ. 46. See also, to the same purpose, Lady M. W. Montague’s description of a Turkish lady’s apartment, let. 32, vol. 2. p. 55. And make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature — Rather, Upon every head, כל ראשׁ , of every stature, the false prophetess doing this without distinction of stature or age. “This,” says Bishop Newcome, “may be a strong, eastern manner of expressing that these women hoodwinked their votaries, and kept them in spiritual darkness.” In the same light the passage is considered by Lowth and many others. “Or the covering of the head may have been of the ornamental kind, to denote prosperity or victory, as pillows denoted tranquillity and plenty; and both may have been significantly applied to the heads and arms of those who consulted the prophetesses.” Thus we are told by Dr. Shaw, p. 221, and Lady M. W.

(17-23) Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face . . . —This passage deals with a class of people the false prophetesses, who are not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament. True prophetesses, as in the case of Miriam ( Exodus 15:20 ), Deborah ( Judges 4:4 ), and, at this very time, Huldah ( 2Kings 22:14 ; 2Chronicles 34:22 ), and somewhat later, Noadiah ( Nehemiah 6:14 ), are frequently spoken of, and continued to exist in New Testament times, as in the case of Anna ( Luke 2:36 ). It was naturally to be expected that as false prophets dogged the steps of the true, the same thing would happen with the other sex, and we find express mention of a false prophetess in Revelation 2:20 . Their course, in prophesying “out of their own heart” deceiving the people, was essentially the same as that of the false prophets; but they are described as doing this in ways suited to their sex. Of the general meaning of this description there can be no doubt; but it is difficult to follow it with certainty in the details, because of the occurrence of some words of uncertain meaning, found nowhere else, and of some others in an unusual sense.

Without attempting a discussion of each single word, (which would be useless except with a careful examination of the original), the following is given as the most probable translation of Ezekiel 13:18-21 ; but it is to be remembered that several of the words, like the similar ones in Isaiah 3:16-24 , are so uncertain that there is a difference of opinion in regard to their exact meaning :—“Woe to those who fasten charms on every finger-joint, that place kerchiefs on heads of every height to snare souls. Will ye snare the souls of my people, and keep your own souls alive? (19) And will ye profane me with my people for handfuls of barley, and for pieces of bread, to slay souls that should not die, and to make live souls that should not live, by your lying to my people who hearken to a lie? (20) Therefore, thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I am against your charms, when ye snare the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, the souls that ye are snaring like birds. (21) Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be snared; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.” ( See Excursus 8 at the end of this book, on Ezekiel 13:6-7 ; Ezekiel 13:14 .)

Verse 17. - Set thy face against the daughters of thy people. Here we note that the formula, "thy people," of Ezekiel 3:11 reappears. The section which follows (vers. 17-23) throws an interesting side light on the position of women in the religious life of Israel. For good as for evil, their influence was stronger there than in most other nations. Miriam had led the way ( Exodus 15:21 ), and had been followed by Deborah ( Judges 5:4 ). Huldah had been almost as prominent in Josiah's reformation as Hilkiah the high priest ( 2 Kings 22:14-20 ; 2 Chronicles 34:22 ). It was but natural that there should be women on the other side also, guiding their own sex; and it is probable that Ezekiel had in his thoughts some special leaders who headed the women of Jerusalem in their opposition to Jeremiah, as afterwards at Pathros ( Jeremiah 44:15 ). So, later on, we have the prophetess Noadiah heading the opposition to Nehemiah ( Nehemiah 6:14 ); and in the New Testament, on the one hand, Anns ( Luke 2:36 ) and the daughters of Philip ( Acts 21:9 ), and on the other, the ill-regulated prophetesses of Corinth ( 1 Corinthians 11:5 ) and the woman Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess ( Revelation 2:20 ). Ezekiel 13:17

17–23 . Denunciation of the false prophetesses Female prophets were not unknown in Israel whether in earlier or later times, as Deborah ( Jdg 4:3 ) and Huldah ( 2 Kings 22:14 ). The prophetesses referred to here were like the prophets, prophesying out of their own heart ( Ezekiel 13:17 ). Their prophesying was by some species of divination, which they used in order to obtain oracles. The methods of divination practised are somewhat obscure: they bound fillets upon the joints and threw cloths or veils over the heads of those who consulted them. By these means they “hunted” souls; they saved souls alive that should not live and slew souls that should not die ( Ezekiel 13:19 ), or as expressed otherwise, they made the heart of the righteous sad and strengthened the hands of the wicked ( Ezekiel 13:22 ). In other words like the false prophets they misled the people, promising life to the ungodly and prophesying disaster to those who were righteous.

A rebuke to the false prophetesses, and a declaration that God will confound them, and deliver their victims from their snares. Women were sometimes inspired by the true God, as were Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, and Huldah; but an order of prophetesses was unknown among the people of God, and the existence of such a class in the last days of the kings of Judah was a fresh instance of declension into pagan usages. Ezekiel 13:18-21. Render thus: "Woe to the women that" put charms on every finger-joint, that set veils upon heads of every height to ensnare souls. "Will ye" ensnare "the souls of my people," and keep your own souls alive, and will ye profane my name "among my people for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to" keep alive "the souls that should not live, by lying to my people" who listen to "a lie? Wherefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold" I will come upon your charms, where ye are ensnaring the souls like birds; "and I will tear them from your arms and will let the souls go" free, "even the souls" which ye are ensnaring like birds. "Your" veils "also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be" ensnared; "and ye shall know that I am the Lord." Most ancient interpreters and many modern interpreters have understood the "pillows" (or charms) and "kerchiefs" (or veils), as appliances to which the sorcerers had resort in order to attract notice.