Ezekiel 23:1-9

Oholah and Oholibah's Sin and Its Consequences

1 The word of the LORD came to me again, saying,
2 "Son of man, there were 1two women, the daughters of one mother;
3 and they played the harlot in Egypt. They 2played the harlot in their youth; there their breasts were pressed and there their virgin bosom was handled.
4 "Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah
5 "Oholah played the harlot while she was Mine; and she lusted after her lovers, after the 3Assyrians, her neighbors,
6 who were clothed in purple, 4governors and officials, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses.
7 "She bestowed her harlotries on them, all of whom were the choicest men of Assyria; and with all whom she lusted after, with all their idols she 5defiled herself.
8 "She did not forsake her harlotries 6from the time in Egypt; for in her youth men had lain with her, and they handled her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.
9 "Therefore, I gave her into the hand of her 7lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, after whom she lusted.

Ezekiel 23:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 23

In this chapter the idolatries of Israel and Judah are represented under the metaphor of two harlots, and their lewdness. These harlots are described by their descent; by the place and time in which they committed their whoredoms; by their names, and which are explained, Eze 23:1-4, the idolatries of Israel, or the ten tribes, under the name of Aholah, which they committed with the Assyrians, and which they continued from the Egyptians, of whom they had learned them, are exposed, Eze 23:5-8, and their punishment for them is declared, Eze 23:9,10 then the idolatries of Judah, or the two tribes, under the name of Aholibah, are represented as greater than those of the ten tribes, Eze 23:11, which they committed with the Assyrians, Eze 23:12, with the Chaldeans and Babylonians, Eze 23:13-18 in imitation of the Egyptians, reviving former idolatries learnt of them, Eze 23:19-21, wherefore they are threatened, that the Chaldeans, Babylonians, and Assyrians, should come against them, and spoil them, and carry them captive, Eze 23:22-35, and the prophet is bid to declare the abominable sin of them both, Eze 23:36-44, and to signify that they should be judged after the manner of adulteresses, should be stoned, and dispatched with swords, their sons and their daughters, and their houses burnt with fire; by which means their adulteries or idolatries should be made to cease, Eze 23:45-49.

as the Targum; another prophecy, one upon the same subject, as in Eze 16:1,

\\saying\\; as follows:

28967-950611-1613-Eze23.2

Cross References 7

  • 1. Ezekiel 16:46
  • 2. Leviticus 17:7; Jeremiah 3:9
  • 3. 2 Kings 15:19; 2 Kings 16:7; 2 Kings 17:3; Ezekiel 16:28; Hosea 5:13; Hosea 8:9, 10
  • 4. Ezekiel 23:12, 13
  • 5. Ezekiel 20:7; Ezekiel 22:3, 4; Hosea 5:3; Hosea 6:10
  • 6. Exodus 32:4; 1 Kings 12:28; 2 Kings 10:29; 2 Kings 17:16; Ezekiel 23:3, 19
  • 7. Ezekiel 16:37; Ezekiel 23:22

Footnotes 5

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