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18 and say ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to those who sew bands[a] on all their wrists[b] and make headbands[c] for heads of every size to entrap people’s lives![d] Will you entrap my people’s lives, yet preserve your own lives?

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 13:18 sn The wristbands mentioned here probably represented magic bands or charms. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:413.
  2. Ezekiel 13:18 tn Heb “joints of the hands.” This may include the elbow and shoulder joints.
  3. Ezekiel 13:18 tn The Hebrew term occurs in the Bible only here and in v. 21. It has also been understood as a veil or type of head covering. D. I. Block (Ezekiel [NICOT], 1:414) suggests that given the context of magical devices, the expected parallel to the magical arm bands, and the meaning of this Hebrew root (סָפַח [safakh, “to attach” or “join”]), it may refer to headbands or necklaces on which magical amulets were worn.
  4. Ezekiel 13:18 tn Heb “human lives” or “souls” (three times in v. 18 and twice in v. 19).

18 and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own?

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