King James Version

What Does Ezekiel 22:28 Mean?

Ezekiel 22:28 in the King James Version says “And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith...” — study this verse from Ezekiel chapter 22 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.”

Ezekiel 22:28 · KJV

Context

26

Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. violated: Heb. offered violence to

27

Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.

28

And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.

29

The people of the land have used oppression , and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. oppression: or, deceit wrongfully: Heb. without right

30

And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

Read Ezekiel 22 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter (טָפְלוּ תָפֵל, tafelu tafel)—plasterers applying whitewash over cracked walls, cosmetic religion hiding structural rot (see Ezekiel 13:10-15). These prophets seeing vanity (חֹזִים שָׁוְא, chozim shav)—false visions, empty revelations—and divining lies (קֹסְמִים כָּזָב, qosemim kazav), forbidden occult practices passed off as prophecy.

Saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken—the ultimate prophetic crime, attributing personal invention to Yahweh. Deuteronomy 18:20 prescribes death for presumptuous prophecy. These whitewashers enabled the wolves of verse 27, providing religious cover for political corruption.

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Historical & Cultural Context

False prophets proliferated in pre-exilic Judah, offering comfortable lies ('Peace, peace!' Jeremiah 6:14) while true prophets announced judgment. They performed divination (condemned in Deuteronomy 18:10-12) while claiming Yahweh's authority, syncretizing paganism with covenant faith. Their 'whitewash' collapsed when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC.

Reflection Questions

  1. What forms does 'whitewashing' take in modern church leadership—covering systemic problems with superficial fixes?
  2. How can we distinguish between genuine prophetic word and human opinion 'daubed' with religious language?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 17 words
וּנְבִיאֶ֗יהָ1 of 17

“And her prophets”

H5030

a prophet or (generally) inspired man

טָח֤וּ2 of 17

“have daubed”

H2902

to smear, especially with lime

לָהֶם֙3 of 17
H0
תָּפֵ֔ל4 of 17

“them with untempered”

H8602

plaster (as gummy) or slime; (figuratively) frivolity

חֹזִ֣ים5 of 17

“morter seeing”

H2374

a beholder in vision; also a compact (as looked upon with approval)

שָׁ֔וְא6 of 17

“vanity”

H7723

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

וְקֹסְמִ֥ים7 of 17

“and divining”

H7080

properly, to distribute, i.e., determine by lot or magical scroll; by implication, to divine

לָהֶ֖ם8 of 17
H0
כָּזָ֑ב9 of 17

“lies”

H3577

falsehood; literally (untruth) or figuratively (idol)

אָמַר֙10 of 17

“Thus saith”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

כֹּ֤ה11 of 17
H3541

properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now

אָמַר֙12 of 17

“Thus saith”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אֲדֹנָ֣י13 of 17

“the Lord”

H136

the lord (used as a proper name of god only)

יְהוִ֔ה14 of 17

“GOD”

H3069

god

וַֽיהוָ֖ה15 of 17

“when the LORD”

H3068

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

לֹ֥א16 of 17
H3808

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

דִבֵּֽר׃17 of 17

“hath not spoken”

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

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 22:28 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 22:28 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezekiel 13:6-7Ezekiel 13:10-16Jeremiah 23:25-32Isaiah 30:10Ezekiel 13:22-23Jeremiah 28:15

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