complete verse (Ezekiel 13:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 13:17:

  • Kupsabiny: “But you, Ezekiel, you must rebuke the women who pretend to be prophesying using their heads/thoughts only.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘Now, you man, also speak against the women who prophesy from their-own only.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So, you human, show that you are angry with the women of Jerusalem who prophesy things that they themselves have imagined.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 13:17

Good News Translation begins this verse with “The LORD said” to indicate that God is still speaking at the beginning of this new subsection. Other languages may find this addition helpful.

And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people: For son of man, see Ezek 13.2. Many translations understand the Hebrew expression rendered set your face against in a hostile sense (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, International Children’s Bible, King James Version / New King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). For others it simply means “look at” (Good News Translation; similarly New Century Version, New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Moffatt), that is, turn toward and face, in the same way as Ezekiel did to the mountains in 6.2. Most likely it has this neutral meaning, but because God also tells Ezekiel to condemn the false female prophets, it would not be wrong to render it with a hostile expression. It may also be translated “turn your attention to” or “address your words to.” The daughters of your people are Israelite women. In most languages “the women of Israel” (Contemporary English Version) will be the best rendering, especially if readers would understand the daughters of your people to refer to young girls.

Who prophesy out of their own minds renders a Hebrew expression that is very similar to the one used to describe the false male prophets in verse 2 (see the comments there). But here the form of the verb is slightly different. It refers in a derogatory manner to the way these women behaved and implies that they were just imitating the prophets, pretending that they were prophets too. This sense is very difficult to capture in translation, and few translations have succeeded in doing so. Anchor Bible renders it well by saying “who play the prophet.” A good model for this clause is “They merely make up what they say as my words.”

Prophesy against them: God tells Ezekiel to speak out his words of judgment against the women. See Ezek 13.2.

A model for this verse is:

• Then the LORD said to me, “And now, mortal man, turn your attention to those women of Israel who say they are speaking for me but who merely make up what they say. Speak out my words against them.

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 .