Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezekiel 13:19

"And ye have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hearken unto lies." — Ezekiel 13:19 (ASV)

Handfuls of barley. — It was an ancient custom to bring presents to a prophet when consulting him (1 Samuel 9:7–8; 1 Kings 14:3); but as barley was a cheap grain, and handfuls a very small quantity, these words show the exceedingly small gains for which these false prophetesses were willing to pervert the truth and lead the people to destruction. God was “polluted” by attaching His name and authority to that which was not true and would not come to pass, thus “making Him a liar” like themselves. Like all falsehood, their lies tended both ways—to entice the upright to their ruin and to give false security to the wicked. It is always impossible for a perversion of the truth, especially in regard to the Divine judgments, to be harmless.

Hear your lies. — Or, listen to a lie. The words imply a willingness to listen to the pleasing falsehood, and the state of things is that described by Jeremiah 5:31: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so.