Bible Strands
Ezekiel 13:22
Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies, even though I have caused them no grief, and because you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways to save their lives,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Lord speaks through Ezekiel to false prophets who have misled God’s people with deceptive visions. This declaration follows immediately after God promises to tear away their veils and deliver His people from their hands.
The words — The Hebrew יַ֣עַן (Ya.'an) translates to "because," introducing the grounds for judgment. הַכְא֤וֹת (hakh.'ot) means "disheartened," describing how the prophets caused grief to the righteous through their lies.
The thread — The text describes prophets strengthening evildoers while denying consequences, a pattern repeated in Jeremiah 23:14 and mirrored in Genesis 3:4. The same condemnation of false divination and false visions reappears in Ezekiel 13:23.
Why it lands — The text states that false messages harm the righteous while enabling the wicked, requiring readers to reject any teaching that discourages repentance. It demands that listeners test every claim against the Lord’s actual word rather than accepted tradition.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 23:14 And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: They commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns his back on wickedness. They are all like Sodom to Me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”
- Jeremiah 14:13 “Ah, Lord GOD!” I replied, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”
- Genesis 3:4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent told the woman.
- Jeremiah 23:17 They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘The LORD says that you will have peace,’ and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, ‘No harm will come to you.’
- Ezekiel 9:4 “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem,” said the LORD, “and put a mark on the foreheads of the men sighing and groaning over all the abominations committed there.”
- Ezekiel 13:16 those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw a vision of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Lord GOD.’
- 2 Peter 2:18 With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.
- Jeremiah 4:10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, how completely You have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’ while a sword is at our throats.”
- Jeremiah 6:14 They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.
- Jeremiah 8:11 They dress the wound of the daughter of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.