Ezekiel 23

Ezekiel 23:1

Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Ezekiel 23:1 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:2

“Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother,

Ezekiel 23:2 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:3

and they played in Egypt, prostituting themselves from their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin bosoms caressed.

Ezekiel 23:3 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:4

The older was named Oholah, and her sister was named Oholibah. They became Mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their identities, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 23:4 · BSB

the names The kingdom of Israel , of which Samaria was the capital , containing ten tribes , and occupying a larger extent of country than that of Judah , is therefore called "her elder sister;" and Aholah , the name given to her , implies that the whole religious establishment in Israel was a human invention , a temple and service of their own , and not of God's appointment. Aholibah , the name given to Judah , implies that the worship established there was from God , and that His temple was truly at Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 23:5

Oholah prostituted herself while she was still Mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians—warriors

Ezekiel 23:5 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:6

clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all desirable young men, horsemen mounted on steeds.

Ezekiel 23:6 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:7

She offered sexual favors to all the elite of Assyria. She defiled herself with all the idols of those for whom she lusted.

Ezekiel 23:7 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:8

She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt, when men slept with her in her youth, caressed her virgin bosom, and poured out their lust upon her.

Ezekiel 23:8 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:9

Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, the Assyrians for whom she lusted.

Ezekiel 23:9 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:10

They exposed her nakedness, seized her sons and daughters, and put her to the sword. Thus she became a byword among women, and they executed judgment against her.

Ezekiel 23:10 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:11

Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister.

Ezekiel 23:11 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:12

She too lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors dressed in splendor, horsemen riding on steeds, all desirable young men.

Ezekiel 23:12 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:13

And I saw that she too had defiled herself; both of them had taken the same path.

Ezekiel 23:13 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:14

But Oholibah carried her prostitution even further. She saw the men portrayed on the wall, images of the Chaldeans, engraved in vermilion,

Ezekiel 23:14 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:15

wearing belts on their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like officers of the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth.

Ezekiel 23:15 · BSB

look to That is , "princes in appearance;" which seem to have been the deified men worshipped by the Chaldeans. The inhabitants of Judah , like the Israelites , connected themselves with the Assyrians , and were enamoured with their idols; and then with the Chaldeans , and followed their idols; still retaining their attachment to the Egyptians and their idolatrous rites.

Ezekiel 23:16

At the sight of them, she lusted for them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea.

Ezekiel 23:16 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:17

Then the Babylonians came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. But after she had been defiled by them, she turned away in disgust.

Ezekiel 23:17 · BSB

alienated Heb. loosed , or disjointed

Ezekiel 23:18

When Oholibah openly prostituted herself and exposed her nakedness, I turned away from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.

Ezekiel 23:18 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:19

Yet she multiplied her promiscuity, remembering the days of her youth, when she had prostituted herself in the land of Egypt

Ezekiel 23:19 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:20

and lusted after their lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of stallions.

Ezekiel 23:20 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:21

So you revisited the indecency of your youth, when the Egyptians caressed your bosom and pressed your young breasts.

Ezekiel 23:21 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:22

Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will incite your lovers against you, those from whom you turned away in disgust. And I will bring them against you from every side—

Ezekiel 23:22 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:23

the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, the men of Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them—all desirable young men, governors and commanders, officers and men of renown, mounted on horses.

Ezekiel 23:23 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:24

They will come against you with a host of peoples, with weapons, chariots, and wagons. They will array themselves against you on every side with buckler and shield and helmet. I will delegate judgment to them, and they will punish you according to their own standards.

Ezekiel 23:24 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:25

And I will set My jealous rage against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and ears, and your survivors will fall by the sword. They will seize your sons and daughters, and your remnant will be consumed by fire.

Ezekiel 23:25 · BSB

they shall take away This refers to the severe vengeance which enraged husbands took on their faithless wives , and implies that God would employ the Chaldeans to destroy the princes and priests of Judah , for violating their covenants and treaties. Such punishments were anciently common; and such is the present practice in one of the South Sea Islands.

Ezekiel 23:26

They will strip off your clothes and take your fine jewelry.

Ezekiel 23:26 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:27

So I will put an end to your indecency and prostitution, which began in the land of Egypt, and you will not lift your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore.’

Ezekiel 23:27 · BSB

so that These severe judgments shall effectually deter you from idolatry , and make you abhor the least approaches to it. This often repeated prediction has received a most wonderful accomplishment. For neither the authority , frowns , examples , or favour of their conquerors or powerful neighbours , nor their own fears , hopes , interests , or predilection for the sensual worship of idols , could prevail with them to run into gross idolatry , either during the captivity , or ever afterwards , to the present day , a period of 2 ,414 years.

Ezekiel 23:28

For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Surely I will deliver you into the hands of those you hate, from whom you turned away in disgust.

Ezekiel 23:28 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:29

They will treat you with hatred, take all for which you have worked, and leave you naked and bare, so that the shame of your prostitution will be exposed. Your indecency and promiscuity

Ezekiel 23:29 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:30

have brought these things upon you, because you have prostituted yourself with the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.

Ezekiel 23:30 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:31

Because you have followed the path of your sister, I will put her cup into your hand.’

Ezekiel 23:31 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:32

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘You will drink your sister’s cup, a cup deep and wide. It will bring scorn and derision, for it holds so much.

Ezekiel 23:32 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:33

You will be filled with drunkenness and grief, with a cup of devastation and desolation, the cup of your sister Samaria.

Ezekiel 23:33 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:34

You will drink it and drain it; you will dash it to pieces, and tear your breasts. For I have spoken,’ declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 23:34 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:35

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have forgotten Me and have cast Me behind your back, you must bear the consequences of your indecency and prostitution.’”

Ezekiel 23:35 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:36

Then the LORD said to me: “Son of man, will you pass judgment against Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.

Ezekiel 23:36 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:37

For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols. They have even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to Me, in the fire as food for their idols.

Ezekiel 23:37 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:38

They have also done this to Me: On that very same day, they defiled My sanctuary and profaned My Sabbaths.

Ezekiel 23:38 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:39

On the very day they slaughtered their children for their idols, they entered My sanctuary to profane it. Yes, they did this inside My house.

Ezekiel 23:39 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:40

Furthermore, you sisters sent messengers for men who came from afar; and behold, when they arrived, you bathed for them, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with jewelry.

Ezekiel 23:40 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:41

You sat on a couch of luxury with a table spread before it, on which you had set My incense and My oil,

Ezekiel 23:41 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:42

accompanied by the sound of a carefree crowd. Drunkards were brought in from the desert along with men from the rabble, who put bracelets on your wrists and beautiful crowns on your head.

Ezekiel 23:42 · BSB

common sort Heb. multitude of men

Sabeans or , drunkards

Ezekiel 23:43

Then I said of her who had grown old in adulteries: ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is!’

Ezekiel 23:43 · BSB

whoredoms with her Heb. her whoredoms

Ezekiel 23:44

And they slept with her as with a prostitute; they slept with Oholah and Oholibah, those lewd women.

Ezekiel 23:44 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:45

But righteous men will sentence them to the punishment of those who commit adultery and bloodshed, because they are adulteresses with blood on their hands.

Ezekiel 23:45 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:46

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Bring a mob against them and consign them to terror and plunder.

Ezekiel 23:46 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:47

The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords. They will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses.

Ezekiel 23:47 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:48

So I will put an end to indecency in the land, and all the women will be admonished not to imitate your behavior.

Ezekiel 23:48 · BSB

Ezekiel 23:49

They will repay you for your indecency, and you will bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’”

Ezekiel 23:49 · BSB