_Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel_ So they called themselves, as if none but they had been worthy of the name of Israel's prophets, who were indeed Israel's deceivers. _Say unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts_ According to their own fancy, without having received any r... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye have not gone up into the gaps_ Or stood in the _gap_, or _breach_, as it is expressed Ezekiel 22:30; Psalms 106:23. Ye have not exercised your prophetical office, and framed your own conduct, so as to stop the wrath of Jehovah, by admonitions and exhortations to the people, and by personal piet... [ Continue Reading ]
_They have seen vanity and lying divinations_ They have uttered false prophecies concerning peace and prosperity, pretending to have seen that which they did not see, and producing that as a divine truth which they knew to be a detestable lie. _They have made others_ Who were so simple as to believe... [ Continue Reading ]
_They have seduced my people_, &c. Have made my people to err, both with respect to the greatness of their own guilt, and my displeasure on account of it, as if both were less than they really are, and no great danger was to be apprehended. They deceived them, by assuring them that none of those jud... [ Continue Reading ]
_Likewise, set thy face against the daughters of thy people_ Direct thy discourse against the female pretenders to prophecy. God sometimes bestowed the gift of prophecy upon women, Exodus 15:20; Jdg 9:4; 2 Kings 22:14. This encouraged others of that sex to pretend to the same gift: compare Revelatio... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye hunt the souls_, &c. To make them run into those snares and seductions that you have laid for them, Ezekiel 13:18. The metaphor is continued from the manner of hunting and pursuing living creatures, thereby to drive them into the toils prepared for th... [ Continue Reading ]