Ezekiel 13:18

Woe to the women. Although the general meaning of verses 18 and 19 seems clear, there is considerable uncertainty as to the details. Ezekiel had seen what he describes; we have not. He used words familiar enough then, but since many of them occur nowhere else in the Old Testament, their meaning is not altogether certain.

Pillows. Hebrew kesathoth, from the Akkadian kasu, “to bind,” hence “bands,” or “amulets,” the exact nature of which is a matter of conjecture.

Armholes. Hebrew ’assilim, “joints.” The phrase reads literally, “joints of my hand,” by which, it appears, the knuckles, wrists, elbows, or shoulders (Jeremiah 38:12) could be designated. The Hebrew literally reads “my hands.” The ancient versions and the Targums read either “hand” or “hands.” If the possessive pronoun is intended, it would convey the interesting thought that these false prophetesses were restraining the hands of the Lord Himself.

Kerchiefs. Hebrew mispachoth, a word occurring only here in the Old Testament, thought to mean some veil or covering for the head. Apparently the veils were not worn by the prophetesses themselves, but by those who came to consult them.

Souls. Hebrew nephashoth (singular nephesh), here simply “persons” (see on Psalm 16:10). The meaning seems to be that these false prophetesses victimized those who resorted to them.

That come. These words are supplied. The sentence may be translated, “Will ye hunt the souls of my people and keep your own souls alive?” The meaning may be that in self-interest the prophetesses lived upon the credulity of their victims.