Ezekiel 13:17-23

Denunciation of the false prophetesses

Female prophets were not unknown in Israel whether in earlier or later times, as Deborah (Judges 4:3) and Huldah (2 Kings 22:14). The prophetesses referred to here were like the prophets, prophesying out of their own heart (Ezekiel 13:17). Their prophesying was by some species of divination, which they used in order to obtain oracles. The methods of divination practised are somewhat obscure: they bound fillets upon the joints and threw cloths or veils over the heads of those who consulted them. By these means they "hunted" souls; they saved souls alive that should not live and slew souls that should not die (Ezekiel 13:19), or as expressed otherwise, they made the heart of the righteous sad and strengthened the hands of the wicked (Ezekiel 13:22). In other words like the false prophets they misled the people, promising life to the ungodly and prophesying disaster to those who were righteous.