Ezekiel 13:20
New International Version
“’Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.

New Living Translation
“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against all your magic charms, which you use to ensnare my people like birds. I will tear them from your arms, setting my people free like birds set free from a cage.

English Standard Version
“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds.

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: See, I am against the magic charms with which you ensnare souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. So I will free the souls you have ensnared like birds.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against your magic charms by which you hunt souls there like birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against your magic bands by which you capture souls there as birds, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let them go, those souls whom you capture as birds.

NASB 1995
Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am against your magic bands by which you hunt lives there as birds and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let them go, even those lives whom you hunt as birds.

NASB 1977
Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am against your magic bands by which you hunt lives there as birds, and I will tear them off your arms; and I will let them go, even those lives whom you hunt as birds.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I am against your magic bands by which you hunt souls there as birds, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let their souls go, the very souls whom you hunt as birds.

Amplified Bible
Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am against your magic bands [and veils] by which you hunt [human] lives as birds and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let the lives you hunt go free, even those lives whom you hunt as birds.

Christian Standard Bible
“ ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: I am against your magic bands with which you ensnare people like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. I will free the people you have ensnared like birds.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: I am against your magic bands that you ensnare people with like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. I will free the people you have ensnared like birds.

American Standard Version
Wherefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: 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 I will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.

Contemporary English Version
I hate the magic charms they use to trick people into believing their lies. I will rip those charms from their wrists and set free the people they have trapped like birds.

English Revised Version
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 I will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
" 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: I'm against the magic charms that you use to trap people like birds. I will tear them from your arms and free the people that you have trapped.

Good News Translation
Now this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "I hate the wristbands that you use in your attempt to control life and death. I will rip them off your arms and set free the people that you were controlling.

International Standard Version
"'Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says, "Watch out! I'm opposing your amulets with which you hunt souls as one would swat at a flying insect. I'll tear them off your arms and then deliver those people, whom you've hunted like birds.

Majority Standard Bible
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: See, I am against the magic charms with which you ensnare souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. So I will free the souls you have ensnared like birds.

NET Bible
"'Therefore, this is what the sovereign LORD says: Take note that I am against your wristbands with which you entrap people's lives like birds. I will tear them from your arms and will release the people's lives, which you hunt like birds.

New Heart English Bible
"'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Look, I am against your pillows, with which you there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let the souls go, even the souls whom you hunt to make them fly.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, with which 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.

World English Bible
“Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I am against your magic bands, with which you hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms. I will let the souls fly free, even the souls whom you ensnare like birds.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Therefore, thus said Lord YHWH: Behold, I [am] against your [magic] bands, "" With which you are hunting there the souls of the flourishing, "" And I have torn them from off your arms, "" And have sent away the souls that you are hunting, "" The souls of the flourishing.

Young's Literal Translation
Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am against your pillows, With which ye are hunting there the souls of the flourishing, And I have rent them from off your arms, And have sent away the souls that ye are hunting, The souls of the flourishing.

Smith's Literal Translation
For this, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Behold me against your pillows with which ye lie in wait there for the souls to break forth, and I rent them from your arms, and I sent away the souls, the souls which ye lie in wait for to break forth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold I declare against your cushions, wherewith you catch flying souls: and I will tear them off from your arms: and I will let go the souls that you catch, the souls that should fly.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Because of this, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against your little pillows, with which you catch flying souls. And I will tear them away from your arms. And I will release the souls that you are capturing, the souls that should fly.

New American Bible
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: See! I am coming after your amulets by which you ensnare lives like prey. I will tear them from your arms and set free the lives of those you have ensnared like prey.

New Revised Standard Version
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I am against your bands with which you hunt lives; I will tear them from your arms, and let the lives go free, the lives that you hunt down like birds.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Wherefore thus says the LORD God: Behold, I am against your embroidered garments with which you hunt the souls of the people, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will set free the souls of those that you hunt, and I will cause them to fly.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because of this, thus says THE LORD OF LORDS: “Behold, I am against your cushions by which you hunt souls and I shall rip them from your arms, and I shall release those souls whom you hunt and I shall make them fly
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against your cushions, wherewith ye hunt the souls as birds, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt as birds.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I am against your pillows, whereby ye there confound souls, and I will tear them away from your arms, and will set at liberty their souls which ye pervert to scatter them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The False Prophetesses
19You have profaned Me among My people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to My people who would listen, you have killed those who should not have died and spared those who should not have lived. 20Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: See, I am against the magic charms with which you ensnare souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. So I will free the souls you have ensnared like birds. 21I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people from your hands, so that they will no longer be prey in your hands. Then you will know that I am the LORD.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 23:32
“Indeed,” declares the LORD, “I am against those who prophesy false dreams and retell them to lead My people astray with their reckless lies. It was not I who sent them or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all to these people,” declares the LORD.

Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.

Jeremiah 14:14
“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. / And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. / It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.

Deuteronomy 18:20-22
But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.” / You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?” / When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Micah 3:5-7
This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths: / Therefore night will come over you without visions, and darkness without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them. / Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be disgraced. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.”

Acts 13:6-10
They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, / an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, a man of intelligence, summoned Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. / But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. ...

Zechariah 10:2
For idols speak deceit and diviners see illusions; they tell false dreams and offer empty comfort. Therefore the people wander like sheep, oppressed for lack of a shepherd.

1 Timothy 4:1-2
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, / influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.

Isaiah 44:25
who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,

Revelation 19:20
But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

Jeremiah 5:31
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?

Matthew 24:24
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.


Treasury of Scripture

Why thus said the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, with which you 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 you hunt to make them fly.

I am

Ezekiel 13:8,9,15,16
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD…

to make them fly.

2 Timothy 3:8,9
Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith…

Jump to Previous
Arms Bands Birds Cushions Fly Hunt Magic Pillows Souls Tear Wherefore Wherewith
Jump to Next
Arms Bands Birds Cushions Fly Hunt Magic Pillows Souls Tear Wherefore Wherewith
Ezekiel 13
1. The reproof of false prophets
10. and their untempered mortar
17. Of prophecies and their pillows














Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says
This phrase introduces a divine pronouncement, emphasizing the authority and sovereignty of God. The Hebrew term for "Lord GOD" is "Adonai Yahweh," underscoring God's supreme power and covenantal relationship with Israel. This introduction sets the stage for a serious and authoritative message from God, highlighting His direct involvement and concern for His people.

Behold, I am against your magic bands
The word "behold" is a call to attention, urging the audience to listen carefully to God's declaration. "Magic bands" refers to objects used in occult practices, possibly amulets or charms. In the Hebrew context, these were tools of deception and manipulation, used by false prophets to control and mislead people. God's opposition to these bands signifies His intolerance for idolatry and falsehood, affirming His commitment to truth and righteousness.

with which you ensnare souls like birds
The imagery of ensnaring "souls like birds" conveys the idea of capturing and trapping individuals through deceit. In ancient Near Eastern culture, birds often symbolized freedom and the soul. The false prophets' actions are depicted as a violation of this freedom, entrapping people in spiritual bondage. This metaphor highlights the destructive nature of false teachings and the importance of spiritual discernment.

and I will tear them from your arms
God's promise to "tear them from your arms" indicates a forceful intervention to dismantle the false prophets' power. The Hebrew verb for "tear" suggests a violent and decisive action, reflecting God's determination to liberate His people from deception. This act of divine deliverance underscores God's protective nature and His desire to restore truth and justice.

I will free the souls you have ensnared like birds
The promise to "free the souls" is a declaration of liberation and redemption. The repetition of the bird imagery reinforces the theme of freedom and the restoration of spiritual integrity. God's intervention is portrayed as an act of grace, rescuing His people from the clutches of falsehood and leading them back to the path of righteousness. This assurance of deliverance serves as a reminder of God's unwavering commitment to His covenant and His people.

Verse 20 - To make them fly, etc.; rather, with the Revised Version and Ewald, as if they were birds, carrying out the thought that the amulets on the arms of the prophetesses, and the veil cast over the heads of the votaries, were like the snare of the fowler. So the threat that follows, that the amulets should be torn off and the veil rent, is practically equivalent to the promise that the victims should be "delivered out of the snare of the fowler" (Psalm 91:3; Psalm 124:7). They should no longer he in the power of those who traded on their credulity. They too shall know that he who speaks is indeed Jehovah.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Therefore,
לָכֵ֞ן (lā·ḵên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

this is what
כֹּה־ (kōh-)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the Lord
אֲדֹנָ֣י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

GOD
יְהוִ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

says:
אָמַ֣ר ׀ (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘See,
הִנְנִ֤י (hin·nî)
Interjection | first person common singular
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

I am against
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the magic charms
כִּסְּתוֹתֵיכֶ֙נָה֙ (kis·sə·ṯō·w·ṯê·ḵe·nāh)
Noun - feminine plural construct | second person feminine plural
Strong's 3704: A cushion, pillow

with which
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you
אַ֠תֵּנָה (’at·tê·nāh)
Pronoun - second person feminine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

ensnare
מְצֹדְד֨וֹת (mə·ṣō·ḏə·ḏō·wṯ)
Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 6679: To lie alongside, to catch an animal, to victual

souls
הַנְּפָשׁוֹת֙ (han·nə·p̄ā·šō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

like birds,
לְפֹ֣רְח֔וֹת (lə·p̄ō·rə·ḥō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 6524: To break forth as a, bud, bloom, to spread, to fly, to flourish

and I will tear
וְקָרַעְתִּ֣י (wə·qā·ra‘·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7167: To rend

them
אֹתָ֔ם (’ō·ṯām)
Direct object marker | third person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

from
מֵעַ֖ל (mê·‘al)
Preposition-m
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

your arms.
זְרוֹעֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם (zə·rō·w·‘ō·ṯê·ḵem)
Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 2220: The arm, the foreleg, force

I will free
וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי֙ (wə·šil·laḥ·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

the souls
הַנְּפָשׁ֔וֹת (han·nə·p̄ā·šō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

you
אַתֶּ֛ם (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

have ensnared.
מְצֹדְד֥וֹת (mə·ṣō·ḏə·ḏō·wṯ)
Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 6679: To lie alongside, to catch an animal, to victual


Links
Ezekiel 13:20 NIV
Ezekiel 13:20 NLT
Ezekiel 13:20 ESV
Ezekiel 13:20 NASB
Ezekiel 13:20 KJV

Ezekiel 13:20 BibleApps.com
Ezekiel 13:20 Biblia Paralela
Ezekiel 13:20 Chinese Bible
Ezekiel 13:20 French Bible
Ezekiel 13:20 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Ezekiel 13:20 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 13:19
Top of Page
Top of Page