kerchiefs

April 15, 2017

Yahweh against the prophetess’s activities (Ezek 13:20-13:21)

“Therefore thus says Yahweh God.

‘I am against

Your bands

With which you hunt lives.

I will tear them

From your arms.

I will let the lives

Go free

Like the lives

That you hunt down

Like birds.

I will tear off

Your veils.

I will save my people

From your hands.

They shall no longer

Be prey

In your hands.

You shall know

That I am Yahweh.”

Yahweh was opposed to the activities of the prophetesses. He was against their so-called magical arm bands. He was going to tear them off their arms. He was going to let free, those whom they were hunting. How they were hunting them was not clear. Perhaps, it was some kind of voodoo. These people would be set free like birds. He was also going to tear off their veils or kerchiefs. Yahweh was going to save his people from them, so that they would not be prey in their hands anymore. They would learn to know that he was God, Yahweh.

April 15, 2017

Description of the false female prophetesses (Ezek 13:18-13:19)

“Thus says Yahweh God!

Say to them!

‘Woe to the women

Who sew bands

On all wrists!

Woe to the woman

Who make veils

For the heads of persons

Of every height,

In the hunt for human lives!

Will you hunt down lives

Among my people?

Will you maintain

Your own lives?

You have profaned me

Among my people

For handfuls of barley,

For pieces of bread.

You put to death

Persons

Who should not die.

You keep alive

Persons

Who should not live,

By your lies

To my people,

Who listen to lies.’”

Yahweh said to Ezekiel that these prophetesses should be cursed. Then he went into a description of their activities. One group of these female prophetesses sewed bands on the wrists of people. What exactly was that? Most commentators are not sure. It was some kind of band, pillow, or lucky charm on the arm by the wrist, elbow, or armpit. They also made veils or kerchiefs for the head. How they were hunting down human lives is not clear.   However, they were profaning Yahweh with their lies. Apparently, they received a few handfuls of barley or pieces of bread for their activities. More serious is the fact that these women were sometimes asked to be judges. They would judge the innocence or guilt of a person, leading to their free life or the death penalty of a person, perhaps wrongly as indicated in this passage. Whatever their lies, the people of Israel were listening to them.