Your prophets, O Israel, are like foxes among the ruins.
Parallel translations
- WEB Israel, your prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
- KJV O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
- 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 19:20But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
- Gal 2:4This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.
- 2 Th 2:9–10The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,
- Song 2:15Catch for us the foxes—the little foxes that ruin the vineyards—for our vineyards are in bloom.
- Eph 4:14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.
- Rom 16:18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
- Rev 13:11–14Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon.
- Mic 2:11If a man of wind were to come and say falsely, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be just the preacher for this people!
- Mic 3:5This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths:
- 2 Cor 11:13–15For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
- Matt 7:15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
- 1 Tim 4:1–2Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
- Titus 1:10–12For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision,
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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.