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?
Ver. 18. That sew pillows.] In token of most certain and constant rest and peace.
To make kerchiefs.] Vela vel pepla. The Roman soothsayers, caput velabant cum volebant exordiri suos exorcismos, used the like ceremonies; so did those that gave oracles at the den of Trophonius.
To hunt souls.] And so to destroy them. See Proverbs 6:26. Women are insinuative creatures, especially when they have a repute for holiness, and are esteemed prophetic.
Will ye hunt the souls?] O indignum facinus Are precious souls no more set by?
Upon the head of every stature.] Fitting the humours of all sorts and sizes of people, by prophesying to the younger of pleasure, and to the elder sort for profit. David, by a like art, tells old men of gold and silver, young men of honey and honeycomb, to be found in God's statutes. Psa 19:10
Will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?] q.d., I hardly think you will. Will ye not kill and eat, as the hunter doth his prey? or rather, will not the devil deal by you both as the cock master doth by his fighting cocks, take pleasure in their mutual killing one another, that he may make a supper of them both?