Lectionary Calendar
Monday, July 28th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible
New Life Version
Ezekiel 13:4
O Israel, your men who speak in My name are of no more worth than foxes in destroyed cities.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins.
Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins.
Hebrew Names Version
Yisra'el, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
Yisra'el, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
King James Version
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
English Standard Version
Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel.
Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel.
New American Standard Bible
"Israel, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins.
"Israel, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins.
New Century Version
People of Israel, your prophets have been like wild dogs hunting to kill and eat among ruins.
People of Israel, your prophets have been like wild dogs hunting to kill and eat among ruins.
Amplified Bible
"O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among the ruins.
"O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among the ruins.
World English Bible
Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
Geneva Bible (1587)
O Israel, thy Prophets are like the foxes in the waste places.
O Israel, thy Prophets are like the foxes in the waste places.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among ruins.
"O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among ruins.
Legacy Standard Bible
O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among waste places.
O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among waste places.
Berean Standard Bible
Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among the ruins.
Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among the ruins.
Contemporary English Version
Israel's prophets are no better than jackals that hunt for food among the ruins of a city.
Israel's prophets are no better than jackals that hunt for food among the ruins of a city.
Complete Jewish Bible
Isra'el, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins.
Isra'el, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins.
Darby Translation
O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in desert places.
O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in desert places.
Easy-to-Read Version
"‘Israel, your prophets are false prophets. They are like jackals hunting for food among the ruins of a city.
"‘Israel, your prophets are false prophets. They are like jackals hunting for food among the ruins of a city.
George Lamsa Translation
O Israel, your prophets are like the foxes in the ruins.
O Israel, your prophets are like the foxes in the ruins.
Good News Translation
People of Israel, your prophets are as useless as foxes living among the ruins of a city.
People of Israel, your prophets are as useless as foxes living among the ruins of a city.
Lexham English Bible
Your prophets have been like foxes among ruins.
Your prophets have been like foxes among ruins.
Literal Translation
O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.
O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
O Israel, thy prophetes are like the foxes vpon the drie felde:
O Israel, thy prophetes are like the foxes vpon the drie felde:
American Standard Version
O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
Bible in Basic English
O Israel, your prophets have been like jackals in the waste places.
O Israel, your prophets have been like jackals in the waste places.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in ruins.
O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in ruins.
King James Version (1611)
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
O Israel, thy prophetes are lyke the fores in desert places.
O Israel, thy prophetes are lyke the fores in desert places.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Thy prophets, O Israel, are like foxes in the deserts.
Thy prophets, O Israel, are like foxes in the deserts.
English Revised Version
O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Israel, thi profetis weren as foxis in desert.
Israel, thi profetis weren as foxis in desert.
Update Bible Version
O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
Webster's Bible Translation
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
New English Translation
Your prophets have become like jackals among the ruins, O Israel.
Your prophets have become like jackals among the ruins, O Israel.
New King James Version
O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.
O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.
New Living Translation
"O people of Israel, these prophets of yours are like jackals digging in the ruins.
"O people of Israel, these prophets of yours are like jackals digging in the ruins.
New Revised Standard
Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel.
Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
As jackals, among ruins, thy prophets O Israel have been.
As jackals, among ruins, thy prophets O Israel have been.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thy prophets, O Israel, were like foxes in the deserts.
Thy prophets, O Israel, were like foxes in the deserts.
Revised Standard Version
Your prophets have been like foxes among ruins, O Israel.
Your prophets have been like foxes among ruins, O Israel.
Young's Literal Translation
As foxes in the wastes, Thy prophets, O Israel, have been.
As foxes in the wastes, Thy prophets, O Israel, have been.
THE MESSAGE
People Who Love Listening to Lies God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, preach against the prophets of Israel who are making things up out of their own heads and calling it ‘prophesying.' "Preach to them the real thing. Tell them, ‘Listen to God's Message!' God , the Master, pronounces doom on the empty-headed prophets who do their own thing and know nothing of what's going on! Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals scavenging through the ruins. They haven't lifted a finger to repair the defenses of the city and have risked nothing to help Israel stand on God 's Day of Judgment. All they do is fantasize comforting illusions and preach lying sermons. They say ‘ God says...' when God hasn't so much as breathed in their direction. And yet they stand around thinking that something they said is going to happen. "Haven't you fantasized sheer nonsense? Aren't your sermons tissues of lies, saying ‘ God says...' when I've done nothing of the kind? Therefore—and this is the Message of God , the Master, remember—I'm dead set against prophets who substitute illusions for visions and use sermons to tell lies. I'm going to ban them from the council of my people, remove them from membership in Israel, and outlaw them from the land of Israel. Then you'll realize that I am God , the Master. "The fact is that they've lied to my people. They've said, ‘No problem; everything's just fine,' when things are not at all fine. When people build a wall, they're right behind them slapping on whitewash. Tell those who are slapping on the whitewash, ‘When a torrent of rain comes and the hailstones crash down and the hurricane sweeps in and the wall collapses, what's the good of the whitewash that you slapped on so liberally, making it look so good?' "And that's exactly what will happen. I, God , the Master, say so: ‘I'll let the hurricane of my wrath loose, a torrent of my hailstone-anger. I'll make that wall you've slapped with whitewash collapse. I'll level it to the ground so that only the foundation stones will be left. And in the ruin you'll all die. You'll realize then that I am God . "‘I'll dump my wrath on that wall, all of it, and on those who plastered it with whitewash. I will say to them, There is no wall, and those who did such a good job of whitewashing it wasted their time, those prophets of Israel who preached to Jerusalem and announced all their visions telling us things were just fine when they weren't at all fine. Decree of God , the Master.' "And the women prophets—son of man, take your stand against the women prophets who make up stuff out of their own minds. Oppose them. Say ‘Doom' to the women who sew magic bracelets and head scarves to suit every taste, devices to trap souls. Say, ‘Will you kill the souls of my people, use living souls to make yourselves rich and popular? You have profaned me among my people just to get ahead yourselves, used me to make yourselves look good—killing souls who should never have died and coddling souls who shouldn't live. You've lied to people who love listening to lies.' "Therefore God says, ‘I am against all the devices and techniques you use to hunt down souls. I'll rip them out of your hands. I'll free the souls you're trying to catch. I'll rip your magic bracelets and scarves to shreds and deliver my people from your influence so they'll no longer be victimized by you. That's how you'll come to realize that I am God . "‘Because you've confounded and confused good people, unsuspecting and innocent people, with your lies, and because you've made it easy for others to persist in evil so that it wouldn't even dawn on them to turn to me so I could save them, as of now you're finished. No more delusion-mongering from you, no more sermonic lies. I'm going to rescue my people from your clutches. And you'll realize that I am God .'"
People Who Love Listening to Lies God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, preach against the prophets of Israel who are making things up out of their own heads and calling it ‘prophesying.' "Preach to them the real thing. Tell them, ‘Listen to God's Message!' God , the Master, pronounces doom on the empty-headed prophets who do their own thing and know nothing of what's going on! Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals scavenging through the ruins. They haven't lifted a finger to repair the defenses of the city and have risked nothing to help Israel stand on God 's Day of Judgment. All they do is fantasize comforting illusions and preach lying sermons. They say ‘ God says...' when God hasn't so much as breathed in their direction. And yet they stand around thinking that something they said is going to happen. "Haven't you fantasized sheer nonsense? Aren't your sermons tissues of lies, saying ‘ God says...' when I've done nothing of the kind? Therefore—and this is the Message of God , the Master, remember—I'm dead set against prophets who substitute illusions for visions and use sermons to tell lies. I'm going to ban them from the council of my people, remove them from membership in Israel, and outlaw them from the land of Israel. Then you'll realize that I am God , the Master. "The fact is that they've lied to my people. They've said, ‘No problem; everything's just fine,' when things are not at all fine. When people build a wall, they're right behind them slapping on whitewash. Tell those who are slapping on the whitewash, ‘When a torrent of rain comes and the hailstones crash down and the hurricane sweeps in and the wall collapses, what's the good of the whitewash that you slapped on so liberally, making it look so good?' "And that's exactly what will happen. I, God , the Master, say so: ‘I'll let the hurricane of my wrath loose, a torrent of my hailstone-anger. I'll make that wall you've slapped with whitewash collapse. I'll level it to the ground so that only the foundation stones will be left. And in the ruin you'll all die. You'll realize then that I am God . "‘I'll dump my wrath on that wall, all of it, and on those who plastered it with whitewash. I will say to them, There is no wall, and those who did such a good job of whitewashing it wasted their time, those prophets of Israel who preached to Jerusalem and announced all their visions telling us things were just fine when they weren't at all fine. Decree of God , the Master.' "And the women prophets—son of man, take your stand against the women prophets who make up stuff out of their own minds. Oppose them. Say ‘Doom' to the women who sew magic bracelets and head scarves to suit every taste, devices to trap souls. Say, ‘Will you kill the souls of my people, use living souls to make yourselves rich and popular? You have profaned me among my people just to get ahead yourselves, used me to make yourselves look good—killing souls who should never have died and coddling souls who shouldn't live. You've lied to people who love listening to lies.' "Therefore God says, ‘I am against all the devices and techniques you use to hunt down souls. I'll rip them out of your hands. I'll free the souls you're trying to catch. I'll rip your magic bracelets and scarves to shreds and deliver my people from your influence so they'll no longer be victimized by you. That's how you'll come to realize that I am God . "‘Because you've confounded and confused good people, unsuspecting and innocent people, with your lies, and because you've made it easy for others to persist in evil so that it wouldn't even dawn on them to turn to me so I could save them, as of now you're finished. No more delusion-mongering from you, no more sermonic lies. I'm going to rescue my people from your clutches. And you'll realize that I am God .'"
Contextual Overview
1 Then the Word of the Lord came to me saying, 2 "Son of man, speak against those of Israel who speak false words in My name. Say to those who tell what is going to happen in the future out of their own minds, ‘Listen to the Word of the Lord! 3 The Lord God says, "It is bad for the foolish people who tell what is going to happen by following their own spirit and have seen nothing. 4 O Israel, your men who speak in My name are of no more worth than foxes in destroyed cities. 5 You have not gone up to the broken places to build the wall around the people of Israel so that it will stand in the battle on the day of the Lord. 6 They have lied and have spoken false words using their secret ways, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says,' when the Lord has not sent them. Yet they hope that what they say will come true. 7 Did you not see a false dream and tell a lie using your secret ways when you said, ‘This is what the Lord says,' when I have not spoken?"'" 8 So the Lord God says: "Because you have spoken false words and seen a lie, I am against you," says the Lord God. 9 "My hand will be against those who see false dreams and speak false words. They will have no place in the gathering of My wise people. Their names will not be written down with the people of Israel. And they will not go into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
prophets: Crafty, mischievous, and ravenous; always scheming something for their own interest; while they would not risk their persons to avert the mischief which they had caused.
like: Song of Solomon 2:15, Micah 2:11, Micah 3:5, Matthew 7:15, Romans 16:18, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Galatians 2:4, Ephesians 4:14, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:10, 1 Timothy 4:1, 1 Timothy 4:2, Titus 1:10-12, Revelation 13:11-14, Revelation 19:20
Reciprocal: Jeremiah 20:6 - thy friends Luke 13:32 - that fox
Cross-References
Genesis 4:26
A son was born to Seth also, and he gave him the name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord.
A son was born to Seth also, and he gave him the name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord.
Genesis 13:1
So Abram left Egypt and went to the Negev, with his wife and all that belonged to him. And Lot went with him.
So Abram left Egypt and went to the Negev, with his wife and all that belonged to him. And Lot went with him.
Genesis 13:2
Now Abram was very rich in cattle, silver and gold.
Now Abram was very rich in cattle, silver and gold.
Genesis 13:3
He traveled from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,
He traveled from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,
Genesis 13:7
There was fighting between those who cared for Abram's animals and those who cared for Lot's animals. The Canaanite and the Perizzite were living in the land at that time.
There was fighting between those who cared for Abram's animals and those who cared for Lot's animals. The Canaanite and the Perizzite were living in the land at that time.
Genesis 13:8
So Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no fighting between you and me or between the men who take care of our animals, for we are brothers.
So Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no fighting between you and me or between the men who take care of our animals, for we are brothers.
Genesis 13:18
Then Abram moved his tent and came to live among the oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord.
Then Abram moved his tent and came to live among the oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord.
Psalms 26:8
O Lord, I love the house where You live, the place where Your shining-greatness lives.
O Lord, I love the house where You live, the place where Your shining-greatness lives.
Psalms 84:10
For a day in Your house is better than a thousand outside. I would rather be the one who opens the door of the house of my God, than to live in the tents of the sinful.
For a day in Your house is better than a thousand outside. I would rather be the one who opens the door of the house of my God, than to live in the tents of the sinful.
Psalms 107:1
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His loving-kindness lasts forever!
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His loving-kindness lasts forever!
Gill's Notes on the Bible
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes of the deserts. The false prophets, as the Targum; these are called Israel's prophets, because received, embraced, and encouraged by them; not the Lord's, for they were not sent by him, nor had any messages from him; and such are comparable to foxes, for their craftiness and cunning, and lying in wait to deceive, as these seduced the Lord's people, Ezekiel 13:10; and such are false teachers, who walk in craftiness, and handle the word of God deceitfully, and are deceitful workers; and to foxes in the deserts, which are hungry and ravenous, and make a prey of whatsoever comes within their reach, as these prophets did of the people,
Ezekiel 13:19. Kimchi interprets "deserts" of breaches and ruinous places in the walls of a vineyard, where the foxes lie, or through which they enter into the vineyard and spoil it; as these false prophets entered in among the Israelites, like to a vineyard, and did them much hurt and damage, by insinuating themselves among the weak, and those of little faith, which the above writer compares to breaches in vineyards; see Song of Solomon 2:15. It may be the deserts may have respect to the land of Chaldea, where Israel was carried captive, and where these foxes, the false prophets, could play their part to advantage; not being under the notice and restraints of the sanhedrim at Jerusalem.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
In the deserts - Foxes find a home among ruins etc. Lamentations 5:18. So the prophets find their profit in the ruin of their country.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Ezekiel 13:4. Thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. — The cunning of the fox in obtaining his prey has been long proverbial. These false prophets are represented as the foxes who, having got their prey by great subtlety, run to the desert to hide both themselves and it. So the false prophets, when the event did not answer to their prediction, got out of the way, that they might not be overwhelmed with the reproaches and indignation of the people.
