Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:

EZEKIEL 13:10KJV
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Ezekiel 13:10 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 13:10 mean?

Ezekiel 13:10 describes how false prophets misled the people of Israel by promising peace when there was no real peace, comparing their empty assurances to building a weak wall and covering it with poor-quality plaster. The verse warns that these false promises give a false sense of security, hiding the real dangers facing the people.

In this verse, God speaks through Ezekiel to condemn prophets in Israel who claimed everything was fine ("Peace") when trouble was coming. The image of building a wall and others covering it with "untempered morter" (weak, untested plaster) shows how these leaders tried to cover up problems instead of addressing them honestly. The verse is part of a larger warning about the dangers of listening to those who say what people want to hear instead of the truth.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 13:10

  • "seduced" (נָטָה, natah): This word means to lead astray or mislead. Here, it highlights that the prophets were not just mistaken but actively leading the people in the wrong direction.
  • "Peace" / "peace" (שָׁלוֹם, shalom): This word often means wholeness or well-being, not just the absence of conflict. The false prophets were promising a deep sense of safety that did not actually exist.
  • "wall" (חֵץ, chets): The word here refers to a flimsy wall, not a strong or protective structure. This emphasizes the weakness of the false assurances.
  • "untempered" (תָּפֵל, taphel): This word means something unfit, weak, or not properly mixed. The "untempered morter" is a metaphor for the prophets' empty promises—things that look solid but will not hold up under pressure.

Why Ezekiel 13:10 matters

  • Ezekiel 13:10 clarifies that the problem was not just false optimism but a deliberate covering up of real dangers, which put the people at greater risk.
  • The verse connects to the whole chapter, where God holds leaders accountable for misleading the community, showing that spiritual leadership carries real responsibility.
  • The imagery of the weak wall and poor plaster helps readers see that not all assurances or teachings are trustworthy, especially when they ignore reality.

Where else these words appear

“untempered” Hebrew H8602 · used in 7 verses

  • Job 6:6 Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
  • Ezekiel 13:11 Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.
  • Ezekiel 13:15 Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;

“daubed” Hebrew H2902 · used in 11 verses

  • Leviticus 14:42 And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other morter, and shall plaister the house.
  • 1 Chronicles 29:4 Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal:
  • Ezekiel 13:12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?

“lo” Hebrew H2009 · used in 16 verses

  • Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
  • Genesis 42:28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?
  • 1 Samuel 14:43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.