Ezechiel 13:18
And say: Thus saith the Lord God: Woe to them that sew cushions under every elbow: and make pillows for the heads of persons of every age to catch souls: and when they caught the souls of my people, they gave life to their souls.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- et dic : Hæc dicit Dominus Deus : Væ quæ consuunt pulvillos sub omni cubito manus, et faciunt cervicalia sub capite universæ ætatis ad capiendas animas : et cum caperent animas populi mei, vivificabant animas eorum !
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ ἐρεῖς Τάδε λέγει Κύριος Οὐαὶ ταῖς συνραπτούσαις προσκεφάλαια ὑπὸ πάντα ἀγκῶνα χειρὸς καὶ ποιούσαις ἐπιβόλαια ἐπὶ πᾶσαν κεφαλὴν πάσης ἡλικίας, τοῦ διαστρέφειν ψυχάς. αἱ ψυχαὶ διεστράφησαν τοῦ λαοῦ μου, καὶ ψυχὰς περιεποιοῦντο,
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וְאָמַרְתָּ֞ כֹּה אָמַ֣ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הוֹי֩ לִֽמְתַפְּר֨וֹת כְּסָת֜וֹת עַ֣ל כָּל אַצִּילֵ֣י יָדַ֗י וְעֹשׂ֧וֹת הַמִּסְפָּח֛וֹת עַל רֹ֥אשׁ כָּל קוֹמָ֖ה לְצוֹדֵ֣ד נְפָשׁ֑וֹת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת֙ תְּצוֹדֵ֣דְנָה לְעַמִּ֔י וּנְפָשׁ֖וֹת לָכֶ֥נָה תְחַיֶּֽינָה
Haydock's commentary
Cushions, by making people easy in their sins, and promising them impunity, (Challoner) by disguising the truth, or not admonishing people of their danger, chap. iii. 17. He alludes to the cushions used on sofas.
Pillows. Symmachus, "veils;" (Septuagint and Kimchi) or "nets" designed "to take" the unwary; as mispachot may be properly rendered, ver. 20, 21., and Isaias v. 7. (Calmet)
Souls. That is, they flattered them with promises of life, peace, and security. (Challoner) (Worthington)
People are often said to do what they only announce, Leviticus xiii. 11. These impostors pretended to save, while they really destroyed. They shewed a cruel mercy, detaining the people in captivity, or rather Hebrew, "shall you catch?" &c. Do you expect to pass unpunished? (Calmet)
We might read the Vulgate, "Did they give?" &c. Protestants, "Will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?" (Haydock)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Gregory the Great The Book of Pastoral Rule, That the ruler should not set his heart on pleasing men, and yet should give heed to what ought to please them
Meanwhile it is also necessary for the ruler to keep wary watch, lest the lust of pleasing men assail him; lest, when he studiously penetrates the things that are within, and providently supplies the things that are without, he seek to be beloved of those that are under him more than truth; lest, while, supported by his good deeds, he seems not to belong to the world, self-love estrange him from his Maker. For he is the Redeemer’s enemy who through the good works which he does covets being loved by the Church instead of Him; since a servant whom the bridegroom has sent with gifts to the bride is guilty of treacherous thought if he desires to please the eyes of the bride. And in truth this self-love, when it has got possession of a ruler’s mind, sometimes carries it away inordinately to softness, but sometimes to roughness. …