For there shall be no more any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel: The Hebrew particle ki rendered For connects this verse with the previous verses, introducing the reason why the proverb about false visions will not be valid. It is because there will be no more false visions. Some translations, such as Good News Translation, treat particle ki as an emphatic marker here, but it is more likely a logical connector. False vision is literally “empty [or, worthless] vision” (Jerusalem Bible; similarly King James Version, New Jerusalem Bible). Most versions say “false vision,” but since a worthless vision is obviously false, either rendering is acceptable. Some languages may say “vision of no value.” Flattering divination refers to false messages that some prophets gave to gain favor with the king. False prophets often did not tell the truth to the king but told him what they thought he wanted to hear. They did this to please him and so that he would not become angry with them. The Hebrew word for divination usually has a bad sense and involves foretelling the future with the help of magic or false gods. The core meaning of the Hebrew word for flattering is “smooth.” A person with a smooth tongue is a flatterer. Flattering predictions might sound good, but they were always “false” (Contemporary English Version). Flattering divination may be rendered “deceptive prophecy” (New Jerusalem Bible), “deceitful prophecy” (Jerusalem Bible), or “misleading prophecies” (Good News Translation; similarly Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant). Translators may also say “soothing divination” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) “pleasing prophecies” (New Century Version), or “predictions people want to hear.” For the house of Israel, see Ezek 12.6. A possible model for this verse is:

• This is because no one among the people of Israel will talk about visions of no value or predict things people want to hear.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .