Ezekiel 23:3

3 they played the whore in Egypt; they played the whore in their youth; their breasts were caressed there, and their virgin bosoms were fondled.

Ezekiel 23:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 23:3

And they committed whoredoms in Egypt
When they were but one body, one nation; and while they sojourned as strangers in that land they learned and practised the idolatries of it, ( Joshua 24:14 ) , and so the Targum,

``and they erred in Egypt, after the worship of their idols they erred, and there they corrupted their works:''

they committed whoredoms in their youth;
as soon as they were come out of Egypt, and were formed into a political and ecclesiastical state, had the law of God given them, and promised obedience to him, and were espoused by him, which times are called the days of their youth and espousal, ( Jeremiah 2:2 ) ( Hosea 2:15 ) , and then were they guilty of whoredom, or spiritual adultery, which idolatry, in making and worshipping the golden calf, after the manner of Egypt; and in joining themselves to Baalpeor, the god of the Moabites, ( Exodus 32:1-4 ) ( Numbers 25:2 Numbers 25:3 ) ; there were their breasts pressed, there they bruised the teats of their
virginity;
that is, the Egyptians, who drew them into idolatry, and with whom they committed it; which is expressed by the actions of adulterous persons, suggesting that, before this, they were as chaste and pure virgins to God, adhered to his worship, and served him only, and were not defiled with the superstition and idolatry of the Heathens: or, "they made ^F12 the teats or paps of their virginity"; that is, made them swell and increase, being impregnated by them, and their idolatry completed; or to move and heave being pressed.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 (ydd wve) "fecerant mammas", Starckius; "fecerent ut earam mammae agrerent", Gussetius; "sese commovendo scilicet, in contentione libidinis aestuantes, et pectoris anheli reciprocationem sequentes", ib. p. 652. "ibi subagitarunt ubera virginum", Coeccius.

Ezekiel 23:3 In-Context

1 The word of the Lord came to me:

2 Mortal, there were two women, the daughters of one mother;

3 they played the whore in Egypt; they played the whore in their youth; their breasts were caressed there, and their virgin bosoms were fondled.

4 Oholah was the name of the elder and Oholibah the name of her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem

5 Oholah played the whore while she was mine; she lusted after her lovers the Assyrians, warriors