They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What’s easy to miss here is that these false prophets weren't just lying; they were deluding themselves. They weren’t just saying "The Lord said it" but also expecting their own words to come true, genuinely hoping their prophecies would be confirmed. This shows prophecy isn't just about speaking for God, but about actually hearing from Him and being sent by Him.
They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel denounces prophets and prophetesses who are speaking messages they've fabricated, claiming they come from the Lord but without any divine authorization. These false messengers are deluding the people by offering false hope for peace and security, making listeners believe their pronouncements will come true. Instead of leading people to repentance, their deceptive words encourage them to remain in their sins and hasten their doom.
Imagine a prophet stepping forward, declaring God's will with absolute certainty. But what if that voice isn't God's at all?
Ezekiel calls out prophets who boldly claim God's authority for their own words.
Claiming Divine Authority
The core deception here is the misuse of God's name. These prophets would say, 'Thus says the LORD,' but the text explicitly states, 'the LORD has not sent them.' This wasn't just a small mistake; it was a profound betrayal.
It's easy to condemn the false prophets as outright liars. But the text hints at a more insidious reality: they might have started believing their own illusions.
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The Slippery Slope of Lies
The passage suggests that these prophets, while knowingly uttering falsehoods, also developed a dangerous hope that their words would somehow come true. This points to a deep-seated self-deception.
Understand the original words
chazah · Hebrew Noun
A subjective mental experience or revelation claimed to come from a divine source; in a biblical context, it often refers to a message received from God through supernatural means. False visions refer to claims of divine revelation that are not from God.
qesem · Hebrew Noun
The practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means, often through prohibited occult methods; in the Bible, it is strictly forbidden for God's people as a substitute for divine revelation.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
A title for the Creator and Covenant-keeper of Israel, derived from the name revealed to Moses (YHWH). It signifies His eternal existence, faithfulness, and absolute authority over all creation.
The false prophets Ezekiel condemns offered comforting lies, claiming God's favor during a time of national devastation. Their words contrasted sharply with the harsh reality of exile and the destruction of Jerusalem, highlighting the danger of messages that ignore God's judgment.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Jerusalem and deported a group of Judeans, including royalty and educated youth, to Babylon. This marked the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Another wave of exiles was sent to Babylon after a revolt against Babylonian rule. The prophet Ezekiel was among this group.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Babylonian forces destroyed Jerusalem and its sacred Temple, devastating the Judean nation and intensifying the exile. This event confirmed the dire prophecies of true prophets.
c. 580-570 BC
Ezekiel's Ministry in Babylon
During this period, Ezekiel delivered his prophetic oracles to the exiles in Babylon, condemning the false prophets who offered easy comfort and misled the people.
This passage directly addresses the issue of false prophets who claim to speak for God but were never sent, echoing Ezekiel's condemnation of those who give false assurances.
Deuteronomy 18:20This verse establishes the consequence for any prophet who presumes to speak in God's name without His authority, reinforcing the severe judgment faced by the false prophets in Ezekiel.
1 Kings 22:22-23Here, a lying spirit is explicitly described as being sent by the Lord to deceive a prophet, illustrating a spiritual dynamic where God allows deception against those who reject His truth, similar to the false prophets in Ezekiel.
2 Thessalonians 2:11This passage describes God sending a powerful delusion on those who reject the truth, which sheds light on how false prophets might come to believe their own lies, as the commentary suggests Ezekiel's false prophets did.
cambridgeEzekiel 13:6: "They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word."
6, 7 . Their prophecies are false: they are self-deceived 6 . have made others to hope ] Rather: they have hoped for the confirmation of the word. The usual sense of the verb is to “hope;” only in a single passage ( Psalm 119:49 ) does it appear to mean to “cause to hope.” The false prophets looked for the confir…
barnesEzekiel 13:6: "They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word."
And they have made others ... - Rather, "and they hope for the confirmation of their word." They come to believe their own lies.
What’s easy to miss here is that these false prophets weren't just lying; they were deluding themselves. They weren’t just saying "The Lord said it" but also expecting their own words to come true, genuinely hoping their prophecies would be confirmed. This shows prophecy isn't just about speaking for God, but about actually hearing from Him and being sent by Him.
Ezekiel denounces prophets and prophetesses who are speaking messages they've fabricated, claiming they come from the Lord but without any divine authorization. These false messengers are deluding the people by offering false hope for peace and security, making listeners believe their pronouncements will come true. Instead of leading people to repentance, their deceptive words encourage them to remain in their sins and hasten their doom.
Ezekiel denounces prophets and prophetesses who are speaking messages they've fabricated, claiming they come from the Lord but without any divine authorization. These false messengers are deluding the people by offering false hope for peace and security, making listeners believe their pronouncements will come true. Instead of leading people to repentance, their deceptive words encourage them to remain in their sins and hasten their doom.
"They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word." — What’s easy to miss here is that these false prophets weren't just lying; they were deluding themselves. They weren’t just saying "The Lord said it" but also expecting their own words to come tru…
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Last reviewed October 2026