יחזקאל, פרק י״ג, פסוק ב׳

Ezekiel faces a severe challenge: confronting individuals who falsely present themselves as messengers of God. These impostors pose a grave threat, as their fabricated messages encourage wrongdoers and prevent them from abandoning their evil ways [מלבי״ם].

When Ezekiel addresses the prophets of Israel, the primary approach among commentators is that he is speaking directly to these deceivers. Even the unusual phrasing used to describe their actions intentionally highlights their fraudulence. It signals that these individuals are not authentic messengers, but rather actors playing a part and staging fake visions [מלבי״ם].

The true nature of their deception lies in the origin of their messages, as they operate entirely from their own hearts [רד״ק]. There is a general consensus that these individuals invent declarations directly from their personal thoughts, without ever experiencing a genuine divine vision. They boldly present their ideas as if God had sent them, demanding that the public listen to His word, when in reality, the message is entirely their own invention.