King James Version

What Does Ezekiel 13:6 Mean?

Ezekiel 13:6 in the King James Version says “They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made ...” — study this verse from Ezekiel chapter 13 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.”

Ezekiel 13:6 · KJV

Hope

Context

4

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

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. gaps: or, breaches made: Heb. hedged the hedge

6

They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.

7

Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?

8

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.

Read Ezekiel 13 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. Ezekiel condemns false prophets claiming divine authority without divine commission. The Hebrew chazu-shav (חָזוּ־שָׁוְא, "they have seen vanity") means they envisioned emptiness, worthlessness, deception. Shav often describes idolatry or false oaths—things without substance or truth. "Lying divination" (qesem-kazav, קֶסֶם־כָּזָב) combines divination (prohibited practice, Deuteronomy 18:10) with falsehood, emphasizing deliberate deception.

"Saying, The LORD saith" (neum-Yahweh, נְאֻם־יְהוָה) was the prophetic formula authenticating messages from God. These false prophets appropriated divine authority without divine calling—spiritual fraud of the highest order. "The LORD hath not sent them" (va-Yahweh lo shelecham, וַיהוָה לֹא שְׁלָחָם) explicitly denies their commission; God neither authorized nor endorsed their message.

"They have made others to hope" (vayichalu, וְיִחֲלוּ) describes inducing expectation that God would confirm their false prophecies. This is particularly heinous—giving false hope to desperate people, claiming divine sanction for lies. False prophets promised peace when judgment approached (v. 10), sedating people spiritually when repentance was needed. Jesus warned of false prophets in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15). Paul warned of those preaching different gospels (Galatians 1:8-9). Testing prophetic claims against Scripture remains crucial (1 John 4:1).

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Historical & Cultural Context

Ezekiel prophesied during Babylonian exile (593-571 BC) among Judean captives deported in 597 BC. He was both priest and prophet, called to ministry in Babylon while Jerusalem still stood. False prophets in Jerusalem promised quick return from exile, contradicting Jeremiah's prophecy of 70 years captivity. These false prophets told people what they wanted to hear—God would soon restore them without need for repentance.

Ancient Near Eastern cultures employed various divination practices: examining animal entrails (hepatoscopy), casting lots, consulting spirits, interpreting dreams, astrology. Israel's Law strictly forbade such practices (Leviticus 19:26, Deuteronomy 18:9-14), commanding people to heed only true prophets whose predictions came true and whose teaching aligned with Torah. False prophets borrowed pagan divination while claiming Yahweh's authority—syncretism that corrupted Israel's faith.

Ezekiel 13 targets both male false prophets and female practitioners of magic and divination. The false prophets' message of false peace before Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BC made them guilty of spiritual manslaughter—lulling people into complacency when they desperately needed to repent. After Jerusalem's fall vindicated Jeremiah and Ezekiel, survivors learned the bitter cost of preferring comforting lies over hard truth. This pattern recurs throughout church history whenever ministers prioritize popularity over faithfulness to God's Word.

Reflection Questions

  1. How can we distinguish true from false prophetic claims in contemporary Christianity?
  2. Why do people prefer comforting lies over uncomfortable truth about sin and judgment?
  3. What responsibility do religious leaders bear for falsely claiming divine authority?
  4. How does the prevalence of false teaching underscore the importance of biblical literacy?
  5. What parallels exist between ancient false prophets and modern prosperity gospel teachers?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 13 words
חָ֤זוּ1 of 13

“They have seen”

H2372

to gaze at; mentally to perceive, contemplate (with pleasure); specifically, to have a vision of

שָׁוְא֙2 of 13

“vanity”

H7723

evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, object

וְקֶ֣סֶם3 of 13

“divination”

H7081

a lot; also divination (including its fee), oracle

כָּזָ֔ב4 of 13

“and lying”

H3577

falsehood; literally (untruth) or figuratively (idol)

הָאֹֽמְרִים֙5 of 13

“saying”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

נְאֻם6 of 13

“saith”

H5002

an oracle

וַֽיהוָ֖ה7 of 13

“The LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

וַֽיהוָ֖ה8 of 13

“The LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

לֹ֣א9 of 13
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

שְׁלָחָ֑ם10 of 13

“hath not sent”

H7971

to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)

וְיִֽחֲל֖וּ11 of 13

“them and they have made others to hope”

H3176

to wait; by implication, to be patient, hope

לְקַיֵּ֥ם12 of 13

“that they would confirm”

H6965

to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

דָּבָֽר׃13 of 13

“the word”

H1697

a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Ezekiel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Ezekiel 13:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Ezekiel 13:6 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 29:8Jeremiah 28:15Ezekiel 22:28Jeremiah 37:19Ezekiel 21:29Jeremiah 14:14

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