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New American Standard Bible (1995)

Ezekiel 13:18

and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to hunt down lives! Will you hunt down the lives of My people, but preserve the lives of others for yourselves?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Dress;   Hypocrisy;   Minister, Christian;   Pillow;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Arts and Crafts;   Battle of Life;   Enemies;   Evil;   Pillows;   Sewing;   Soul's Enemies;   Temptresses;   Women;   The Topic Concordance - Deliverance;   Evil;   Opposition;   Prophecy and Prophets;   Speech/communication;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Pillows;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Magic;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - False Prophet;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bolster;   Kerchief;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bed;   Kerchief;   Pillows;   Veil;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Charm;   Ezekiel;   Hunt;   Kerchiefs;   Magic Bands;   Pillow;   Veils;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Dress;   Kerchiefs;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Cushion;   Pillow;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Kerchiefs;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Armholes;   Pillow;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Houses;   Pillows;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Armhole;   Dress;   Kerchief;   Ornament;   Scab;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Woe to the women who sew magic bands on the wrist of every hand and who make veils for the heads of people of every size in order to ensnare lives. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own?
Hebrew Names Version
and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of [persons of] every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves?
King James Version
And say, Thus saith 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, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?
English Standard Version
and say, Thus says the Lord God : Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people and keep your own souls alive?
New American Standard Bible
and say, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: "Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to capture souls! Will you capture the souls of My people, but keep the souls of others alive for yourselves?
New Century Version
Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: How terrible it will be for women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils of every length to trap people! You ruin the lives of my people but try to save your own lives.
Amplified Bible
and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe to the women who fasten magic (protective) charms on all wrists and make veils for the heads of those of every stature to capture [human] lives! Will you capture the lives of My people but keep your own?
World English Bible
and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of [persons of] every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thus sayth the Lorde God, Woe vnto the women that sowe pillowes vnder al arme holes, and make vailes vpon the head of euery one that standeth vp, to hunt soules: will yee hunt ye soules of my people, and will yee giue life to the soules that come vnto you?
Legacy Standard Bible
and say, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, "Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to hunt down souls! Will you hunt down My people's souls, but preserve your own souls?
Berean Standard Bible
and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: 'Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils for the heads of people of every height, in order to ensnare their souls. Will you ensnare the souls of My people but preserve your own?
Contemporary English Version
Tell them they're doomed! They wear magic charms on their wrists and scarves on their heads, then trick others into believing they can predict the future. They won't get away with telling those lies.
Complete Jewish Bible
tell them that Adonai Elohim says, ‘Woe to the women who sew magic pads for all arm joints and put veils over people of all sizes, in order to hunt human lives! Will you hunt down the lives of my people while you keep your own lives safe?
Darby Translation
and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe unto the women that sew pillows for all wrists, and that make veils for the head [of persons] of every stature to catch souls! Will ye catch the souls of my people, and will ye save your own souls alive?
Easy-to-Read Version
‘This is what the Lord God says: Bad things will happen to you women. You sew cloth bracelets for people to wear on their arms. You make special scarves for people to wear on their heads. You say those things have magic powers to control people's lives. You trap the people only to keep yourselves alive!
George Lamsa Translation
Thus says the LORD God: Woe to the women who embroider wristlets and make coverings for every head and for every type of person to snare the souls of men! Will you hunt the souls of my people, and will you save your own souls?
Good News Translation
and tell them what the Sovereign Lord is saying to them: "You women are doomed! You sew magic wristbands for everyone and make magic scarves for everyone to wear on their heads, so that they can have power over other people's lives. You want to possess the power of life and death over my people and to use it for your own benefit.
Lexham English Bible
And you must say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Woe to those who sew magic charm bands on all the wrists of the hands of my people and those who make the veils that are on the head of people of every height, to ensnare people's lives! Will you ensnare the lives of my people and keep yourselves alive?
Literal Translation
and say, So says the Lord Jehovah: Woe to those sewing amulets to all joints of my hands, and make long veils for the head of every man of stature, to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls ofMy people, and will you save alive the soulsfor yourselves?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& saye: Thus saieth the LORDE God: Wo be vnto you, that sowe pilowes vnder all arme holes, and bolsters vnder the heades both of yonge and olde, to catch soules withall. For when ye haue gotten the soules of my people in youre captiuyte, ye promyse them life,
American Standard Version
and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the women that sew pillows upon all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves?
Bible in Basic English
This is what the Lord has said: A curse is on the women who are stitching bands on all arms and putting veils on the heads of those of every size, so that they may go after souls! Will you go after the souls of my people and keep yourselves safe from death?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and say: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Woe to the women that sew cushions upon all elbows, and make pads for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of My people, and save souls alive for yourselves?
King James Version (1611)
And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the women that sow pillowes to all arme holes, and make kerchiefes vpon the head of euery stature to hunt soules: Will ye hunt the soules of my people, and will yee saue the soules aliue that come vnto you?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And say, thus saith the Lorde God: Wo be vnto them that sowe pillowes vnder all arme holes, and put kirchifes vpon the heades of euery stature to hunt soules. Wyll ye hunt the soules of my people, and geue life to the soules that [come] vnto you?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord, Woe to the women that sew pillows under every elbow, and make kerchiefs on the head of every stature to pervert souls! The souls of my people are perverted, and they have saved souls alive.
English Revised Version
and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD: Woe to the women that sew pillows upon all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! will ye hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and seie thou, The Lord God seith these thingis, Wo to hem that sowen togidere cuschens vndur ech cubit of hond, and maken pilewis vndur the heed of ech age, to take soulis; and whanne thei disseyueden the soulis of my puple, thei quykenyden the soulis of hem.
Update Bible Version
and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the women that sew pillows on all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of [persons of] every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves?
Webster's Bible Translation
And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the [women] that sew pillows to all arm-holes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive [that come] to you?
New English Translation
and say ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to those who sew bands on all their wrists and make headbands for heads of every size to entrap people's lives! Will you entrap my people's lives, yet preserve your own lives?
New King James Version
and say, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves [fn] and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive?
New Living Translation
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: What sorrow awaits you women who are ensnaring the souls of my people, young and old alike. You tie magic charms on their wrists and furnish them with magic veils. Do you think you can trap others without bringing destruction on yourselves?
New Life Bible
and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: "It is bad for the women who sew objects with secret powers to wear on their arms, and make coverings for the heads to trap people. Will you go after the lives of My people, but save the lives of others for yourselves?
New Revised Standard
and say, Thus says the Lord God : Woe to the women who sew bands on all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every height, in the hunt for human lives! Will you hunt down lives among my people, and maintain your own lives?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and say, Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, Alas! for the women Who sew oracle, cases on all elbows And prepare wraps upon the head of every stature to hunt souls, - the souls ye hunt, are those of my people, Whereas your own souls:, ye keep alive.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And say: Thus saith the Lord God: Woe to them that sew cushions under every elbow: and make pillows for the heads of persons of every age to catch souls: and when they caught the souls of my people, they gave life to their souls.
Revised Standard Version
and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people, and keep other souls alive for your profit?
Young's Literal Translation
And thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Wo to those sowing pillows for all joints of the arm, And to those making the kerchiefs For the head of every stature -- to hunt souls, The souls do ye hunt of My people? And the souls ye have do ye keep alive?

Contextual Overview

17 "Now you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their own inspiration. Prophesy against them 18 and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to hunt down lives! Will you hunt down the lives of My people, but preserve the lives of others for yourselves?19 "For handfuls of barley and fragments of bread, you have profaned Me to My people to put to death some who should not die and to keep others alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies."'" 20 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. 21 "I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people from your hands, and they will no longer be in your hands to be hunted; and you will know that I am the LORD. 22 "Because you disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him grief, but have encouraged the wicked not to turn from his wicked way and preserve his life, 23 therefore, you women will no longer see false visions or practice divination, and I will deliver My people out of your hand. Thus you will know that I am the LORD."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Woe: Ezekiel 13:3

that sew: Rather,"that fasten cushions;" by which they intimated that they might indulge and repose themselves in security, for no enemy would disturb them. The apartments of the easterns are well supplied with cushions, on which they sit, lean, rest their heads, and prop up their arms. Ezekiel 13:10, Ezekiel 13:16, Jeremiah 4:10, Jeremiah 6:14, 2 Timothy 4:3

armholes: or, elbows

hunt souls: Ezekiel 22:25, Ephesians 4:14, 2 Peter 2:14

will ye save: Ezekiel 13:22

Reciprocal: Genesis 10:9 - a mighty 1 Samuel 24:11 - thou huntest Isaiah 30:10 - speak Ezekiel 16:23 - woe Micah 3:5 - that bite

Cross-References

Genesis 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Genesis 13:4
to the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
Genesis 13:7
And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land.
Genesis 13:8
So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.
Genesis 14:13
Then a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were allies with Abram.
Genesis 18:1
Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.
Genesis 23:2
Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
Genesis 35:27
Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.
Genesis 37:14
Then he said to him, "Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
Numbers 13:22
When they had gone up into the Negev, they came to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And say, thus saith the Lord God, woe to the [women] that sew pillows to all armholes,.... Or, "put pillows to all elbows" l; thereby signifying that they might be at ease, and rest secure, and look upon themselves as in the utmost safety, and not fear any enemy, the invasion of the Chaldeans; or that their city would be destroyed, and they carried captive, as the prophets of the Lord had foretold:

and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature; whether taller or lower; the word stature, according to Kimchi, is used, because the people stood when they inquired of these prophetesses whether they should have peace or not, or good or evil should befall them: or, "of every age", as the Septuagint version; young or old; they put these kerchiefs, or "veils" m, as some render the word, upon all sorts of persons (for they refused none that came to them they could get any thing by), upon their heads, either as a token of victory and triumph, signifying that they should have the better of their enemies, and rejoice over them; or to make them proud, and suggest to them that they should never be stripped of their ornaments; or else, as the former sign shows that they lulled them asleep upon pillows, and led them on in a carnal security, so they kept them in blindness and ignorance: and this they did,

to hunt souls; to bring them into their nets and snares; to catch them with their false prophecies, and deceive them by their fallacious signs, and superstitious rites and ceremonies, and so ruin and destroy them n;

will ye hunt the souls of my people; that cleave to me, and regard my prophets; will ye endeavour to ensnare those, and seek to destroy their peace and comfort, and even their souls? ye shall not be able to do it:

and will ye save the souls alive [that come] unto you? and inquire of you how things will be, and listen to your lying divinations; can you save them from the ruin and destruction that is coming upon them? no, you will not be able to do it; and what wickedness is it in you to attempt the one or the other? The Targum is,

"the souls of my people can ye destroy or quicken? your souls, which are yours, can you quicken?''

the sense is they could neither do the one nor the other; and yet such was their iniquity, that they sought to do both.

l למתפרות "applicantibus, [sive] accommodantibus", Gataker; "conjungentibus, vel adunantibus", Gussetius, Ebr. Comment. p. 947.

כסתות על כל אצילי "pulvillos super omnes cubitos manus", Calvin; "pro omnibus cubitis manuum", Piscator. m "Velamina", Polanus. So Kimchi and Ben Melech. n Gussetius thinks that by the words rendered "pillows" and "kerchiefs" are meant "nets", with which they covered their heads and arms; for, otherwise, what connection is there between the above things and hunting? Ebr. Comment. p. 395, 565.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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. The veil was a conspicuous ornament in the east - women whatever their “stature” (or, height) putting them on - and it was worn by magicians in order to seem more mysterious and awful.

Ezekiel 13:19

Pollute me - Profane Me by your false words, which ye pretend to be from Me.

Handfuls of barley - Such were the gifts with which men used to approach a seer (compare 1 Samuel 9:7-8; 1 Kings 14:3).

Ezekiel 13:20

To make them fly - If the marginal reading “into gardens” be adopted, it must mean, Ye entice men to the gardens or groves, where magical arts are practiced. That groves were used for this purpose and for idolatrous rites is notorious.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 13:18. That sew pillows to all arm holes — I believe this refers to those cushions which are so copiously provided in the eastern countries for the apartments of women; on which they sit, lean, rest their heads, and prop up their arms. I have several drawings of eastern ladies, who are represented on sofas; and often with their arm thrown over a pillow, which is thereby pressed close to their side, and against which they thus recline. The prophet's discourse seems to point out that state of softness and effeminacy to which the predictions of those false prophetesses allured the inhabitants of Jerusalem. A careless voluptuous life is that which is here particularly reprehended.

And make kerchiefs — The word kerchief is French, couvre chef, that which covers the head; hence handkerchief and neck handkerchief, and pocket handkerchief are pitifully improper; because none of them is used to cover the head, from which alone, that article of dress has its name. But what are we to understand by kerchiefs here? Probably some kind of ornamental dress which rendered women more enticing, so that they could the more successfully hunt or inveigle souls (men) into the worship of their false gods. These they put on heads of every stature-women of all ages, komah, of every woman that rose up to inveigle men to idolatry.

The word מספחות mispachoth, translated here kerchiefs, and by the Vulgate cervicalia, bolsters, Calmet contends, means a sort of nets used in hunting, and in every place where it occurs it will bear this meaning; and hence the use to which it is here said to be applied, to hunt souls.


 
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