Ezekiel 13:18and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves?
The setting
Tel Abib, Babylon, ~593 BC. Ezekiel confronts female fortune-tellers among Jewish exiles who are exploiting desperate people with magical rituals and false hope...
The emotion here: outraged at seeing his exiled people exploited in their desperation
The original word
kesāmôt (כְּסָמוֹת) — magical bands or amulets worn on wrists for divination
Why it matters
Archaeological evidence shows Babylonian women used fabric bands and head coverings in magical rituals during this period
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ezekiel 13:18
These weren't just fortune tellers—they were performing death curses and life blessings for money
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about ancient witchcraft, but it's about religious charlatans exploiting vulnerable believers—exactly what happens today with prosperity preachers and paid prophetic words.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ezekiel 13:18
Bible Genome reading
Ezekiel 13:18 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ezekiel 13:18 comes from the book of Ezekiel, written during the Exile period. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include false prophecy, occult practices. Notable phrases: woe to the women; sew pillows; make kerchiefs. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Ezekiel 13:18 mean to you, today?
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