Ezekiel 13:6-7
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What’s striking here is that these false prophets didn't just lie to others; they genuinely hoped their own pronouncements would come true. They weren't necessarily trying to be malicious deceivers, but rather so caught up in their own imagined visions that they expected God to back them up, a truly dangerous form of self-delusion.
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. Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the LORD,’ although I have not spoken?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is confronting false prophets within Israel who are speaking messages of peace and security that God has not sent. These prophets claim divine authority ("The LORD says") while actually relying on their own deceptive visions and lies. They also lead the people to believe their false prophecies will come true, effectively hardening them in their sin rather than calling them to repentance.
Imagine standing before thousands, declaring a message with absolute certainty. What if those words weren't from God, but from your own imagination? That's the dangerous ground Ezekiel's false prophets tread.
Ezekiel confronts prophets who claim divine authority for messages they haven't received. They say, 'Declares the LORD,' but the Lord declares, 'I did not send them.' This isn't just a mistake; it's a profound abuse of God's name.
Divine Authority, Human Fabrication
These prophets didn't just mislead themselves; they led others astray, building castles on foundations of sand. Their words created a dangerous illusion that ultimately hastened destruction.
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The impact of false prophecy extends beyond the prophet. It creates a deceptive environment where people are lulled into a false sense of security, preventing them from seeking true repentance and restoration.
Building on Lies
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 confronts are offering easy comfort and false hope to a people reeling from disaster. Their words fly in the face of the harsh reality of exile, making their pronouncements dangerous distractions from repentance and God's true message.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the exile of many Israelites. This event creates a backdrop of national trauma and questioning of God's favor.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and takes an initial group of Judeans, including young nobles like Daniel, into exile. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian Captivity.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another wave of exiles is taken to Babylon, including King Jehoiachin and the priest Ezekiel. This period sees increasing despair and the rise of competing prophetic voices.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, the heart of Israel's religious life. This catastrophic event is a major crisis of faith for the exiled community.
c. 571 BC
Ezekiel's Ministry in Babylon
Ezekiel delivers his prophecies to the exiles in Babylon, confronting false prophets who offer comforting lies instead of God's challenging truth. This verse is part of that ministry.
This passage directly addresses the issue of false prophets who claim to speak for God without being sent, echoing Ezekiel's condemnation and highlighting the danger of self-deception and reliance on unverified visions.
Deuteronomy 18:20This verse establishes the principle that any prophet who speaks presumptuously in God's name, claiming divine authority for words not commanded, will face judgment, directly aligning with the condemnation of false prophecies in Ezekiel.
2 Thessalonians 2:11This passage speaks to the powerful delusion that God sends upon those who reject truth, providing insight into how people can come to believe their own lies and expect false prophecies to be fulfilled.
Ezekiel 13:10This verse immediately follows Ezekiel 13:6 and illustrates the consequence of the false prophets' actions, showing how their deceptive messages create a false sense of security and actually hasten destruction rather than peace.
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 striking here is that these false prophets didn't just lie to others; they genuinely hoped their own pronouncements would come true. They weren't necessarily trying to be malicious deceivers, but rather so caught up in their own imagined visions that they expected God to back them up, a truly dangerous form of self-delusion.
Ezekiel is confronting false prophets within Israel who are speaking messages of peace and security that God has not sent. These prophets claim divine authority ("The LORD says") while actually relying on their own deceptive visions and lies. They also lead the people to believe their false prophecies will come true, effectively hardening them in their sin rather than calling them to repentance.
Ezekiel is confronting false prophets within Israel who are speaking messages of peace and security that God has not sent. These prophets claim divine authority ("The LORD says") while actually relying on their own deceptive visions and lies. They also lead the people to believe their false prophecies will come true, effectively hardening them in their sin rather than calling them to repentance.
"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. Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever yo…" — What’s striking here is that these false prophets didn't just lie to others; they genuinely hoped their own pronouncements would come true. They weren't necessarily trying to be malicious deceivers…
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Last reviewed October 2026
