Ezekiel 13 · Verse 18

Ezekiel 13:18

And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?
Ezekiel 13:18, King James Version

Ezekiel 13:18 in other translations

BSBand tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils for the heads of people of every height, in order to ensnare their souls. Will you ensnare the souls of My people but preserve your own?
WEBand say, “The Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all elbows and make veils for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people and save souls alive for yourselves?
ASVand say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the women that sew pillows upon all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves?
YLTAnd thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Woe to those sowing pillows for all joints of the arm, And to those making the kerchiefs For the head of every stature--to hunt souls, The souls do ye hunt of My people? And the souls ye have do ye keep alive?
DARBYand say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe unto the women that sew pillows for all wrists, and that make veils for the head of persons of every stature to catch souls! Will ye catch the souls of my people, and will ye save your own souls alive?
BBEThis is what the Lord has said: A curse is on the women who are stitching bands on all arms and putting veils on the heads of those of every size, so that they may go after souls! Will you go after the souls of my people and keep yourselves safe from death?
WebsterAnd say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all arm-holes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come to you?

What does Ezekiel 13:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. sew pillows to ... armholes--rather, elbows and wrists, for which the false prophetesses made cushions to lean on, as a symbolical act, typifying the perfect tranquility which they foretold to those consulting them. Perhaps they made their dupes rest on these cushions in a fancied state of ecstasy after they had made them at first stand (whence the expression, "every stature," is used for "men of every age"). As the men are said to have built a wall (Eze 13:10), so the women are said to sew pillows, &c., both alike typifying the "peace" they promised the impenitent. make kerchiefs--magical veils, which they put over the heads of those consulting them, as if to fit them for receiving a response, that they might be rapt in spiritual trance above the world. head of every stature--"men of every age," old and young, great and small, if only these had pay to offer them. hunt souls--eagerly trying to allure them to the love of yourselves (Pr 6:26; 2Pe 2:14), so as unwarily to become your prey. will ye save ... souls ... that come unto you--Will ye haul after souls, and when they are yours ("come unto you"), will ye promise them life? "Save" is explained (Eze 13:22), "promising life" [Grotius]. Calvin explains, "Will ye hunt My people's souls and yet will ye save your own souls"; I, the Lord God, will not allow it. But "save" is used (Eze 13:19) of the false prophetesses promising life to the impenitent, so that English Version and Grotius explain it best.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 That sew pillows to all arm holes - I believe this refers to those cushions which are so copiously provided in the eastern countries for the apartments of women; on which they sit, lean, rest their heads, and prop up their arms. I have several drawings of eastern ladies, who are represented on sofas; and often with their arm thrown over a pillow, which is thereby pressed close to their side, and against which they thus recline. The prophet's discourse seems to point out that state of softness and effeminacy to which the predictions of those false prophetesses allured the inhabitants of Jerusalem. A careless voluptuous life is that which is here particularly reprehended. And make kerchiefs - The word kerchief is French, couvre chef, that which covers the head; hence handkerchief and neck handkerchief, and pocket handkerchief are pitifully improper; because none of them is used to cover the head, from which alone that article of dress has its name. But what are we to understand by kerchiefs here? Probably some kind of ornamental dress which rendered women more enticing, so that they could the more successfully hunt or inveigle souls (men) into the worship of their false gods. These they put on heads of every stature - women of all ages, קומה komah, of every woman that rose up to inveigle men to idolatry. The word מספחות mispachoth, translated here kerchiefs, and by the Vulgate cervicalia, bolsters, Calmet contends, means a sort of nets used in hunting, and in every place where it occurs it will bear this meaning; and hence the use to which it is here said to be applied, to hunt souls.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 13:17-23

It is ill with those who had rather hear pleasing lies than unpleasing truths. The false prophetesses tried to make people secure, signified by laying them at ease, and to make them proud, signified by the finery laid on their heads. They shall be confounded in their attempts, and God's people shall be delivered out of their hands. It behoves Christians to keep close to the word of God, and in every thing to seek…

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 13:17-23 →

Ezekiel 13:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְאָמַרְתָּ֞ve.'a.mar.Taand you will sayH559
כֹּה\־koh-thusH3541
אָמַ֣ר\׀'a.Marhe saysH559
אֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.Nai[the] LordH136
יְהוִ֗הYah.wehYahwehH3069
הוֹי֩hOwoe!H1945
לִֽמְתַפְּר֨וֹתlim.ta.pe.Rotto [women who] sewH8609
כְּסָת֜וֹתke.sa.TotbandsH3704
עַ֣ל\׀'alonH5921
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
אַצִּילֵ֣י'a.tzi.Lei[the] joints ofH679
יָדַ֗יya.Daihands myH3027
וְעֹשׂ֧וֹתve.'o.Sotand [women who] makeH6213
הַמִּסְפָּח֛וֹתha.mis.pa.Chotthe long veilsH4555
עַל\־'al-onH5921
רֹ֥אשׁrosh[the] head ofH7218
כָּל\־kol-everyH3605
קוֹמָ֖הko.MahstatureH6967
לְצוֹדֵ֣דle.tzo.Dedto huntH6679
נְפָשׁ֑וֹתne.fa.ShotpersonsH5315
הַנְּפָשׁוֹת֙ha.ne.fa.shOt¿ personsH5315
תְּצוֹדֵ֣דְנָהte.tzo.De.de.nahwill you huntH6679
לְעַמִּ֔יle.'a.Miof people myH5971
וּנְפָשׁ֖וֹתu.ne.fa.Shotand personsH5315
לָכֶ֥נָהla.Khe.nahof yourself
תְחַיֶּֽינָה\׃te.chai.Yei.nahwill you preserve alive?H2421

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 13:18

  • 2 Peter 2:14

    Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

  • Ezekiel 13:20

    Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.

  • 2 Timothy 4:3

    For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

  • Ezekiel 22:25

    There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.

  • Jeremiah 6:14

    They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

  • Ezekiel 13:16

    To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord God.

  • Jeremiah 4:10

    Then said I, Ah, Lord God! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.

  • Ephesians 4:14

    That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

  • Ezekiel 13:10

    Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Woe.
3
that sew.Rather,"that fasten cushions;" by which they intimated that they might indulge and repose themselves in security, for no enemy would disturb them. The apartments of the easterns are well supplied with cushions, on which they sit, lean, rest their heads, and prop up their arms.
10,16; Jer 4:10; 6:14; 2Ti 4:3
armholes. or, elbows. hunt souls.
22:25; Eph 4:14; 2Pe 2:14
will ye save.
22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezekiel 13:17

    Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,

  • Ezekiel 13:18

    And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?

  • Ezekiel 13:19

    And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?

Read all of Ezekiel 13

Ezekiel 13:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y di: Así ha dicho el Señor Jehová: ¡Ay de aquellas que cosen almohadillas á todos codos de manos, y hacen veletes sobre la cabeza de toda edad para cazar las almas! ¿Habéis de cazar las almas de mi pueblo, para mantener así vuestra propia vida?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et dis: Ainsi dit le Seigneur, l’ Éternel: Malheur à celles qui cousent des coussinets pour toutes les jointures des mains, et qui font des voiles pour la tête des gens de toute taille, afin de prendre au piège des âmes! Voulez-vous prendre au piège les âmes de mon peuple et vous conserver la vie à vous-mêmes?
German
Elberfelder 1871		und sprich: So spricht der Herr, Jehova: Wehe denen, welche Binden zusammennähen über alle Gelenke der Hände und Kopfhüllen machen nach dem Haupte jedes Wuchses, um Seelen zu fangen! Die Seelen meines Volkes fanget ihr, und eure Seelen erhaltet ihr am Leben?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et dic: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Væ quæ consuunt pulvillos sub omni cubito manus, et faciunt cervicalia sub capite universæ ætatis ad capiendas animas: et cum caperent animas populi mei, vivificabant animas eorum!