Ezekiel 13:22
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:
Study Note
Study Note
The accusation against false prophets — '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' — identifies the dual social damage of false prophecy: discouraging the faithful and emboldening the corrupt. The specific targeting of 'the heart of the righteous' (lev tsaddiq) shows that the damage is not merely institutional but psychological — false teaching causes genuine moral suffering in those whose conscience is responsive to God's reality. Ezekiel 13 as a whole uses the metaphor of prophets as plasterers who cover structural cracks with whitewash, a metaphor for theology that conceals rather than confronts crisis. The verse remains a pointed diagnostic for the pastoral and social consequences of false teaching in communities of faith.
Other Translations
Because with lies ye have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad, and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive;
Because of paining the heart of the righteous with falsehood, And I have not pained it, And strengthening the hands of the wicked, So as not to turn back from his evil way, To keep him alive,
Because with your false words you have given pain to the heart of the upright man when I had not made him sad; in order to make strong the hands of the evil-doer so that he may not be turned from his evil way and get life:
Cross References
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