Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
Parallel translations
- KJV O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
- BSB Your prophets, O Israel, are like foxes among the ruins.
- NKJV O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.
- NASB Israel, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins.
- NLT “O people of Israel, these prophets of yours are like jackals digging in the ruins.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Israel's false prophets are like foxes among ruins—scavenging and destructive rather than protective.
Overview
The image of foxes prowling waste places pictures prophets who exploit the nation's brokenness instead of repairing it. Rather than guarding the flock, they undermine it for their own gain. True shepherds build up; these scatter and consume.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Rev 19:20The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.
- Gal 2:4This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage;
- 2 Th 2:9–10even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
- Song 2:15Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that plunder the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom.
- Eph 4:14that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
- Rom 16:18For those who are such don’t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.
- Rev 13:11–14I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.
- Mic 2:11If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies: “I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink”; he would be the prophet of this people.
- Mic 3:5Yahweh says concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; for those who feed their teeth, they proclaim, “Peace!” and whoever doesn’t provide for their mouths, they prepare war against him:
- 2 Cor 11:13–15For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.
- Matt 7:15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
- 1 Tim 4:1–2But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
- Titus 1:10–12For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 13:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.