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?
Woe to the women that sew pillows to all arm-holes - rather, 'to all elbows and wrists,' for which the false prophetesses made cushions to lean on, as a symbolical act, typifying the perfect tranquility which they foretold to those consulting them. Perhaps they made their dupes rest on these cushions in a fancied state of ecstasy, after they made them at first stand (whence the expression, "every stature," is used for, 'men of every age'). As the men are said to have "built a wall" (Ezekiel 13:10), so the women are said to "sew pillows," etc., both alike typifying the "peace" they promised the impenitent.
Make kerchiefs - magical vails, which they put over the heads of those consulting them, as if to fit them for receiving a response, that they might be rapt in spiritual trance above the world.
Upon the head of every stature - men of every age, old and young, great and small, if only these had pay to offer them.
To hunt souls - eagerly trying to allure them to the love of yourselves (Proverbs 6:26; 2 Peter 2:14, "beguiling unstable souls"), so as unwarily to become your prey.
Will ye save the souls alive that come unto you? - will ye hunt after souls, and when they are yours ("come unto you"), will ye promise them life? "Save" is explained (Ezekiel 13:22), 'promising him life' (Grotius). Calvin explains, 'Will ye hunt my people's souls, and yet will ye save your own souls?' I the Lord God, will not allow it. But "save" is used (Ezekiel 13:19) of the false prophetesses promising life to the impenitent, so that the English version and Grotius explain it best.