Ezekiel 13:11 Meaning and Explanation
“Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A weak structure can appear dependable until it meets real pressure. Ezekiel's warning shows why false spiritual assurances are dangerous: God's judgment does not merely criticize them from a distance. It reveals whether they can stand, and the answer is decisive.
God commands Ezekiel to announce that the wall coated with untempered morter will fall. The overflowing shower, hailstones, and stormy wind portray the judgment that will expose its weakness.
The Context of Ezekiel 13:11
Verse 10 compared the false prophets' promise of peace to a wall covered with untempered morter. In verse 11, Ezekiel is told to address those who applied that coating. The coming shower, hailstones, and wind are announced before the wall's fall, and verse 12 anticipates the public question about the daubing once the wall has collapsed. In verses 13-15, the LORD himself explains that he will rend and break down the wall in his fury, bring it to the ground, and judge both the wall and those who daubed it. Verse 16 returns to the false visions of peace for Jerusalem.
What Does Ezekiel 13:11 Mean?
The command is direct: "Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall." Ezekiel is not asked to offer a vague caution. He must declare the end of the wall whose surface has been made to look secure. The "overflowing shower," "great hailstones," and "stormy wind" form a picture of forces no cosmetic covering can withstand. The wording addresses the daubers themselves, holding them responsible for their part in spreading the deception. They did more than passively observe a faulty wall. Their work covered it and encouraged people to rely upon it. God therefore speaks openly about both the deception and its coming exposure.
The weather imagery carries the chapter's movement from false prophecy to divine verdict. Verses 2-8 have already said that these prophets followed their own spirit, saw vanity, and spoke lies while claiming the LORD's authority. Their promised peace did not change God's declared opposition to them. The storm answers their false word with God's true word. Verse 12 shows that the fall will raise a searching question: where is the coating that was supposed to make the wall dependable? The very thing presented as protection will be shown unable to preserve either the wall or the confidence built upon it.
Scripture often uses storm imagery to portray the searching power of God's judgment. Jesus gives a related image of rain, floods, and winds striking houses. In his teaching, the outcome reveals the importance of hearing his words and doing them. Ezekiel's immediate subject is false prophecy, while Jesus addresses those who hear him; together they show that appearances and professions cannot supply a foundation. God calls for truth that stands before him. The warning also leaves room for mercy, for the chapter's exposure of lies is part of God's stated purpose to deliver his people from those who ensnare them.
Bible Verses Related to Ezekiel 13:11
“Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?”
- Ezekiel 13:12
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it. So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;”
- Ezekiel 13:13-15
“Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.”
- Isaiah 28:17
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
- Matthew 7:24-27
Where Ezekiel 13:11 Echoes in Scripture
Matthew 7:24-27 strongly echoes the storm-and-structure imagery. Jesus describes rain, floods, and winds testing houses, with the result depending on the foundation. His image is not a direct quotation of Ezekiel, yet it develops the same biblical reality that severe testing discloses what has truly been built. Ezekiel condemns those who made a weak wall look safe; Jesus calls hearers to build their lives through obedient response to his words.
How to Apply Ezekiel 13:11 Today
We may examine the supports on which we lean before pressure makes their weakness plain. A familiar religious phrase, a leader's confidence, a successful season, or our own good intentions cannot bear the weight of trust if they are detached from God's truth. This reflection need not produce fearfulness. It can lead us into honest prayer, careful reading of Scripture, repentance where needed, and wise fellowship with people who welcome correction. When our work involves advising others, we can resist the urge to make hard realities disappear with easy assurances. Faithful encouragement speaks hope without concealing truth.
Reflection & Prayer
What foundation is shaping the confidence of our home, work, or community? Pray: "Lord GOD, expose what is weak before it harms us. Teach us to receive your word honestly and to build our lives in ways that can stand before you."