Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.

EZEKIEL 13:20KJV
Know the Bible

Ezekiel 13:20 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 13:20 mean?

Ezekiel 13:20 says that God is against the false practices of certain people who use "pillows" to hunt souls and make them "fly," and that He will put a stop to their actions, freeing those they have trapped. The verse uses vivid language to describe how God will rescue people from spiritual deception or manipulation.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to condemn false prophets—especially women—who were using magical objects (called "pillows" in the King James Version) as part of deceptive rituals. The setting is ancient Israel during a time of spiritual confusion, and the verse warns that God will not allow these false prophets to continue misleading or controlling people.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 13:20

  • "pillows" (כְּסָתוֹת, kesatot): This word refers to some kind of fabric or amulet used in rituals, not pillows as we think of them today. The exact object is unclear, but it suggests a tool of superstition or magic.
  • "hunt" (צּוּד, tsud): This word means to trap or ensnare, showing that the false prophets were actively trying to capture people spiritually, not just passively misleading them.
  • "souls" (נֶפֶשׁ, nefesh): This word means "life" or "person," emphasizing that real people were being affected, not just abstract ideas.
  • "fly" (פָּרַח, parach): This word can mean "to fly" or "to flutter," and here it likely refers to the idea of making souls escape or be set loose, possibly through magical means.

Why Ezekiel 13:20 matters

  • Ezekiel 13:20 clears up that the "pillows" are not ordinary cushions but objects used in superstitious or magical practices, which God strongly opposes.
  • The verse highlights how spiritual deception can be active and harmful, not just a matter of mistaken belief but of deliberate manipulation.
  • This verse connects to the wider passage, where Ezekiel exposes false prophets and their dangerous influence, showing that God cares deeply about protecting people from spiritual harm.

Where else these words appear

“pillows” Hebrew H3704 · used in 2 verses

  • Ezekiel 13:18 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?

“ye” Hebrew H859 · used in 11 verses

  • Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
  • Genesis 24:23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?
  • Genesis 39:9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

“hunt” Hebrew H6679 · used in 15 verses

  • Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;
  • Joshua 9:12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:
  • Jeremiah 16:16 Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.

“fly” Hebrew H6524 · used in 33 verses

  • Genesis 40:10 And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
  • Numbers 17:5 And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
  • Isaiah 17:11 In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.