Ezekiel 23:39

39 For when ¹they had slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols, on the same day ²they came into my sanctuary to profane it. And behold, ³this is what they did in my house.

Ezekiel 23:39 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 23:39

For when they had slain their children to their idols
This explains more clearly what is before said, that by causing their children to pass through the fire was a slaying them; and that their passing through it "for them" was for their idols, and unto them; see ( Ezekiel 23:37 ) , and how when they had been guilty of such shocking wickedness, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it;
not that they came into the temple on purpose to profane it; but coming into it, being themselves defiled with the murder of their infants, and offering sacrifices to idols, or performing a hypocritical service to the Lord, this was in the event a profanation of the sanctuary: and, lo, thus they have done in the midst of mine house;
set up idols there, and worshipped them; as they did in the temple itself, in the times of Ahaz and Manasseh; see ( Jeremiah 7:30 ) .

Ezekiel 23:39 In-Context

37 For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. With their idols they have committed adultery, and they have even offered up to them for food the children whom they had borne to me.

38 Moreover, this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary on the same day and profaned my Sabbaths

39 For when they had slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols, on the same day they came into my sanctuary to profane it. And behold, this is what they did in my house.

40 They even sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and behold, they came. For them you bathed yourself, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments.

41 You sat on a stately couch, with a table spread before it on which you had placed my incense and my oil.

Cross References

• 1. ver. 37; Ezekiel 16:20, 21, 36
• 2. Ezekiel 44:7
• 3. [2 Kings 21:4]; See Jeremiah 23:11