Ezekiel 13 · Verse 4

Ezekiel 13:4

O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
Ezekiel 13:4, King James Version

Ezekiel 13:4 in other translations

BSBYour prophets, O Israel, are like foxes among the ruins.
WEBIsrael, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
ASVO Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
YLTAs foxes in the wastes, Thy prophets, O Israel, have been.
DARBYO Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in desert places.
BBEO Israel, your prophets have been like jackals in the waste places.
WebsterO Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

What does Ezekiel 13:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. foxes--which cunningly "spoil the vines" (So 2:15), Israel being the vineyard (Psa 80:8-15; Is 5:1-7; 27:2; Jr 2:21); their duty was to have guarded it from being spoiled, whereas they themselves spoiled it by corruptions. in ... deserts--where there is nothing to eat; whence the foxes become so ravenous and crafty in their devices to get food. So the prophets wander in Israel, a moral desert, unrestrained, greedy of gain which they get by craft.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts - The cunning of the fox in obtaining his prey has been long proverbial. These false prophets are represented as the foxes who, having got their prey by great subtlety, run to the desert to hide both themselves and it. So the false prophets, when the event did not answer to their prediction, got out of the way, that they might not be overwhelmed with the reproaches and indignation of the people.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 13:1-9

Heavy judgments against lying prophets. (Ezek 13:1-9) The insufficiency of their work. (Ezek 13:10-16) Woes against false prophetesses. (Ezek 13:17-23) Verses 1-9 Where God gives a warrant to do any thing, he gives wisdom. What they delivered was not what they had seen or heard, as that is which the ministers of Christ deliver. They were not praying prophets, had no intercourse with Heaven; they contrived how to…

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 13:1-9 →

Ezekiel 13:4 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.

כְּשֻׁעָלִ֖יםke.shu.'a.Limlike foxesH7776
בָּחֳרָב֑וֹתbo.cho.ra.Votamong ruinsH2723
נְבִיאֶ֥יךָne.vi.'Ei.khaprophets yourH5030
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElO IsraelH3478
הָיֽוּ\׃ha.Yuthey have beenH1961

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

Cross references for Ezekiel 13:4

  • Revelation 19:20

    And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

  • Titus 1:10-12

    For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

  • Revelation 13:11-14

    And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

    For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

  • Micah 3:5

    Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

  • Micah 2:11

    If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

  • Romans 16:18

    For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

  • Galatians 2:4

    And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

  • Song of Solomon 2:15

    Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

  • 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;

  • Matthew 7:15

    Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

    Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
prophets.Crafty, mischievous, and ravenous; always scheming something for their own interest; while they would not risk their persons to avert the mischief which they had caused.
like.
So 2:15; Mic 2:11; 3:5; Mt 7:15; Ro 16:18; 2Co 11:13-15; Ga 2:4
Eph 4:14; 2Th 2:9,10; 1Ti 4:1,2; Tit 1:10-12; Re 13:11-14; 19:20

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

Context

  • Ezekiel 13:3

    Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

  • Ezekiel 13:4

    O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

  • Ezekiel 13:5

    Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.

Read all of Ezekiel 13

Ezekiel 13:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Como zorras en los desiertos fueron tus profetas, oh Israel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Israël, tes prophètes ont été comme des renards dans les lieux déserts.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wie Füchse in den Trümmern sind, Israel, deine Propheten geworden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Quasi vulpes in desertis prophetæ tui, Israël, erant.