Ezekiel 23:20

20 "She ¹lusted after their paramours, whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys and whose issue is like the issue of horses.

Ezekiel 23:20 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 23:20

For she doted upon their paramours
Or "concubines" ^F26; the neighbouring nations and allies of the Egyptians, whose friendship the Jews courted, and whose idols they served: the Septuagint and Arabic versions wrongly read the Chaldeans: whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue
of horses;
by "flesh" is meant the "membrum virile", which in asses is very large, and therefore dedicated to Priapus by the Heathens; and vast is the profusion of seed in coitus by horses, to which the flesh and issue of the Egyptian paramours are compared; who were very libidinous, and therefore desirable to insatiable women; all which serves to express the eagerness of the people of the Jews after idolatry.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 (Mhyvglp) "equecubinas eorum", Vatablus, so Junius & Tremellius, Polanus; "concubitores", Munster, Tigurine version; "cinaedos", Castalio; and, as Ben Melech observes, these were men, and not women.

Ezekiel 23:20 In-Context

18 "She uncovered her harlotries and uncovered her nakedness; then I became disgusted with her, as I had become disgusted with her sister.

19 "Yet she multiplied her harlotries, remembering the days of her youth, when she played the harlot in the land of Egypt

20 "She lusted after their paramours, whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys and whose issue is like the issue of horses.

21 "Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when the Egyptians handled your bosom because of the breasts of your youth

22 "Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold I will arouse your lovers against you, from whom you were alienated, and I will bring them against you from every side:

Cross References

• 1. Ezekiel 16:26; Ezekiel 17:15