The KJV says:
“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?”
— Ezekiel 13:18
Then verse 20 says:
“Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.”
Meaning in Plain Terms
“To hunt the souls” means they were capturing, manipulating, or entrapping people spiritually through false religious practices.
The phrase “to make them fly” is difficult wording, but the sense is that these women were treating souls like birds caught in a snare. They were “hunting” people’s lives, consciences, and spiritual safety as though they were prey.
So the idea is:
They were spiritually trapping people through false prophecy, superstition, and religious manipulation.
They were not helping souls. They were endangering them.
What Were the “Pillows” and “Kerchiefs”?
The KJV mentions:
- “pillows to all armholes”
- “kerchiefs upon the head”
These seem to have been some kind of religious or occult-like objects connected to their false ministry. The exact form is uncertain, but the meaning is clear: they used outward objects, rituals, or appearances to give authority to their lies.
They were making their false prophecy look spiritual.
A conservative way to understand it is that these items were part of a deceptive practice used to impress, control, comfort, or frighten people.
What Was Their Sin?
God gives the charge in Ezekiel 13:22:
“Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way…”
That explains the whole passage.
They did two wicked things:
- They discouraged the righteous
They made faithful people sad when God had not condemned them. - They encouraged the wicked
They gave comfort to sinners so they would not repent.
That is exactly backwards from true preaching. True preaching comforts the repentant and warns the rebellious. These women were comforting rebels and troubling the righteous.
“Will Ye Save the Souls Alive?”
When God says, “will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?” He is exposing their arrogance and deception. They acted as if they had power over life, death, safety, and judgment. But they did not.
Only the LORD can deliver a soul.
They were pretending to offer protection, blessing, or spiritual help while actually leading people deeper into danger.
Baptist Application
This is a strong warning against religious manipulation.
It applies to any teacher, preacher, counselor, or religious leader who:
- speaks lies in God’s name,
- gives false assurance to people living in sin,
- uses emotional pressure or religious gimmicks,
- makes obedient believers feel condemned without biblical cause,
- promises peace where God has not promised peace.
The passage is not mainly about sewing or clothing. It is about using religion to control souls.
Bottom Line
In Ezekiel 13, “hunt the souls to make them fly” means these false prophetesses were snaring people spiritually like birds, using deceptive religious practices and false messages. They troubled the righteous, encouraged the wicked, and claimed a spiritual power they did not have.
God’s answer was clear:
“I will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt…”
— Ezekiel 13:20
The LORD would tear away their deception and deliver His people from their trap.
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