יחזקאל, פרק י״ג, פסוק ו׳

False prophets thrive on a double deception, weaving their own personal imaginations with clever divination techniques to create the illusion of authentic divine messages. Their actions reveal a profound emptiness, ultimately planting disappointing hopes in those who listen.

While they claim to experience genuine prophetic visions [רש"י], these experiences are entirely hollow. To mislead the public, these individuals employ a two-pronged strategy. On one hand, they present fabricated visions. On the other, they dabble in magic, tricks, and fortune-telling. Because their fortune-telling occasionally strikes upon a fragment of truth, the masses are easily tempted into believing their grander claims [רד"ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

A precise distinction exists within their deception. Part of their message is pure emptiness—ideas that have absolutely no substance and exist solely within the prophets' own minds. Another part consists of outright lies, specifically promises made to the people that will never actually materialize in the real world [מלבי"ם].

The true severity of their crime lies in how they present these fabrications. They wrap their personal guesses and empty imaginations in divine authority, boldly declaring that God has spoken. They attribute their own thoughts to God, despite the fact that He never spoke to them and never sent them on any mission [מצודת דוד, מלבי"ם].

This deception inevitably leads to a tragic sense of hope and waiting [רש"י, מצודת ציון]. Commentators offer two main perspectives on who exactly is doing the hoping. One approach focuses on the false prophets themselves, questioning how they could possibly dare to hope and guarantee that their words will come true, given that their promises lack any basis in reality and carry no divine backing [רש"י, מצודת דוד, מלבי"ם]. A contrasting view shifts the focus to the audience. In this interpretation, the false prophets successfully plant fake hope within the nation. It is the people who eagerly wait and hope for these grand promises to be fulfilled, only to be met with bitter disappointment [רד"ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].