The Ones Who Made It All Up.

וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

The word of the Lord came to me:

בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הִנָּבֵ֛א אֶל־נְבִיאֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הַנִּבָּאִ֑ים וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ לִנְבִיאֵ֣י מִלִּבָּ֔ם שִׁמְע֖וּ דְּבַר־יְהוָֽה׃

[2] “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the Lord !’

כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה ה֖וֹי עַל־הַנְּבִיאִ֣ים הַנְּבָלִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֹלְכִ֛ים אַחַ֥ר רוּחָ֖ם וּלְבִלְתִּ֥י רָאֽוּ׃

[3] Thus says the Lord God , Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

כְּשֻׁעָלִ֖ים בָּחֳרָב֑וֹת נְבִיאֶ֥יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הָיֽוּ׃

[4] Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel.

לֹ֤א עֲלִיתֶם֙ בַּפְּרָצ֔וֹת וַתִּגְדְּר֥וּ גָדֵ֖ר עַל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לַעֲמֹ֥ד בַּמִּלְחָמָ֖ה בְּי֥וֹם יְהוָֽה׃

[5] You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the Lord .

חָ֤זוּ שָׁוְא֙ וְקֶ֣סֶם כָּזָ֔ב הָאֹֽמְרִים֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וַֽיהוָ֖ה לֹ֣א שְׁלָחָ֑ם וְיִֽחֲל֖וּ לְקַיֵּ֥ם דָּבָֽר׃

[6] 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.

הֲל֤וֹא מַֽחֲזֵה־שָׁוְא֙ חֲזִיתֶ֔ם וּמִקְסַ֥ם כָּזָ֖ב אֲמַרְתֶּ֑ם וְאֹֽמְרִים֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וַאֲנִ֖י לֹ֥א דִבַּֽרְתִּי׃ ס

[7] Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the Lord ,’ although I have not spoken?”

לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה יַ֚עַן דַּבֶּרְכֶ֣ם שָׁ֔וְא וַחֲזִיתֶ֖ם כָּזָ֑ב לָכֵן֙ הִנְנִ֣י אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃

[8] Therefore thus says the Lord God : “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord God .

וְהָיְתָ֣ה יָדִ֗י אֶֽל־הַנְּבִיאִ֞ים הַחֹזִ֣ים שָׁוְא֮ וְהַקֹּסְמִ֣ים כָּזָב֒ בְּס֧וֹד עַמִּ֣י לֹֽא־יִהְי֗וּ וּבִכְתָ֤ב בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֹ֣א יִכָּתֵ֔בוּ וְאֶל־אַדְמַ֥ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֣א יָבֹ֑אוּ וִידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֥י אֲנִ֖י אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃

[9] My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God .

יַ֣עַן וּבְיַ֜עַן הִטְע֧וּ אֶת־עַמִּ֛י לֵאמֹ֥ר שָׁל֖וֹם וְאֵ֣ין שָׁל֑וֹם וְהוּא֙ בֹּ֣נֶה חַ֔יִץ וְהִנָּ֛ם טָחִ֥ים אֹת֖וֹ תָּפֵֽל׃

[10] Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash,

אֱמֹ֛ר אֶל־טָחֵ֥י תָפֵ֖ל וְיִפֹּ֑ל הָיָ֣ה׀ גֶּ֣שֶׁם שׁוֹטֵ֗ף וְאַתֵּ֜נָה אַבְנֵ֤י אֶלְגָּבִישׁ֙ תִּפֹּ֔לְנָה וְר֥וּחַ סְעָר֖וֹת תְּבַקֵּֽעַ׃

[11] say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out.

וְהִנֵּ֖ה נָפַ֣ל הַקִּ֑יר הֲלוֹא֙ יֵאָמֵ֣ר אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אַיֵּ֥ה הַטִּ֖יחַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר טַחְתֶּֽם׃ ס

[12] And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?’

לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה וּבִקַּעְתִּ֥י רֽוּחַ־סְעָר֖וֹת בַּֽחֲמָתִ֑י וְגֶ֤שֶׁם שֹׁטֵף֙ בְּאַפִּ֣י יִֽהְיֶ֔ה וְאַבְנֵ֥י אֶלְגָּבִ֖ישׁ בְּחֵמָ֥ה לְכָלָֽה׃

[13] Therefore thus says the Lord God : I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end.

וְהָ֨רַסְתִּ֜י אֶת־הַקִּ֨יר אֲשֶׁר־טַחְתֶּ֥ם תָּפֵ֛ל וְהִגַּעְתִּ֥יהוּ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְנִגְלָ֣ה יְסֹד֑וֹ וְנָֽפְלָה֙ וּכְלִיתֶ֣ם בְּתוֹכָ֔הּ וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

[14] And I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the Lord .

וְכִלֵּיתִ֤י אֶת־חֲמָתִי֙ בַּקִּ֔יר וּבַטָּחִ֥ים אֹת֖וֹ תָּפֵ֑ל וְאֹמַ֤ר לָכֶם֙ אֵ֣ין הַקִּ֔יר וְאֵ֖ין הַטָּחִ֥ים אֹתֽוֹ׃

[15] Thus will I spend my wrath upon the wall and upon those who have smeared it with whitewash, and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it,

נְבִיאֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הַֽנִבְּאִים֙ אֶל־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְהַחֹזִ֥ים לָ֖הּ חֲז֣וֹן שָׁלֹ֑ם וְאֵ֣ין שָׁלֹ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֹֽה׃ פ

[16] the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord God .

וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם שִׂ֤ים פָּנֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־בְּנ֣וֹת עַמְּךָ֔ הַמִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וֹת מִֽלִּבְּהֶ֑ן וְהִנָּבֵ֖א עֲלֵיהֶֽן׃

[17] “And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own hearts. Prophesy against them

וְאָמַרְתָּ֞ כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הוֹי֩ לִֽמְתַפְּר֨וֹת כְּסָת֜וֹת עַ֣ל׀ כָּל־אַצִּילֵ֣י יָדַ֗י וְעֹשׂ֧וֹת הַמִּסְפָּח֛וֹת עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ כָּל־קוֹמָ֖ה לְצוֹדֵ֣ד נְפָשׁ֑וֹת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת֙ תְּצוֹדֵ֣דְנָה לְעַמִּ֔י וּנְפָשׁ֖וֹת לָכֶ֥נָה תְחַיֶּֽינָה׃

[18] 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?

וַתְּחַלֶּלְ֨נָה אֹתִ֜י אֶל־עַמִּ֗י בְּשַׁעֲלֵ֣י שְׂעֹרִים֮ וּבִפְת֣וֹתֵי לֶחֶם֒ לְהָמִ֤ית נְפָשׁוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־תְמוּתֶ֔נָה וּלְחַיּ֥וֹת נְפָשׁ֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־תִֽחְיֶ֑ינָה בְּכַ֨זֶּבְכֶ֔ם לְעַמִּ֖י שֹׁמְעֵ֥י כָזָֽב׃ ס

[19] You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death souls who should not die and keeping alive souls who should not live, by your lying to my people, who listen to lies.

לָכֵ֞ן כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הִנְנִ֤י אֶל־כִּסְּתוֹתֵיכֶ֙נָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַ֠תֵּנָה מְצֹדְד֨וֹת שָׁ֤ם אֶת־הַנְּפָשׁוֹת֙ לְפֹ֣רְח֔וֹת וְקָרַעְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֔ם מֵעַ֖ל זְרוֹעֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי֙ אֶת־הַנְּפָשׁ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם מְצֹדְד֥וֹת אֶת־נְפָשִׁ֖ים לְפֹרְחֹֽת׃

[20] “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.

וְקָרַעְתִּ֞י אֶת־מִסְפְּחֹֽתֵיכֶ֗ם וְהִצַּלְתִּ֤י אֶת־עַמִּי֙ מִיֶּדְכֶ֔ן וְלֹֽא־יִהְי֥וּ ע֛וֹד בְּיֶדְכֶ֖ן לִמְצוּדָ֑ה וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ן כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

[21] Your veils also I will tear off and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand as prey, and you shall know that I am the Lord .

יַ֣עַן הַכְא֤וֹת לֵב־צַדִּיק֙ שֶׁ֔קֶר וַאֲנִ֖י לֹ֣א הִכְאַבְתִּ֑יו וּלְחַזֵּק֙ יְדֵ֣י רָשָׁ֔ע לְבִלְתִּי־שׁ֛וּב מִדַּרְכּ֥וֹ הָרָ֖ע לְהַחֲיֹתֽוֹ׃

[22] Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life,

לָכֵ֗ן שָׁ֚וְא לֹ֣א תֶחֱזֶ֔ינָה וְקֶ֖סֶם לֹא־תִקְסַ֣מְנָה ע֑וֹד וְהִצַּלְתִּ֤י אֶת־עַמִּי֙ מִיֶּדְכֶ֔ן וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ן כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

[23] therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. And you shall know that I am the Lord .”