Ezekiel 23:41

41 and sit upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, upon which thou hast set my incense and my oil.

Ezekiel 23:41 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 23:41

And satest upon a stately bed
Or honourable ^F7, a bed of state: either a throne, a royal seat under a canopy, on which the king of Judah sat to receive foreign ambassadors; or a stately bed at a feast, made for the entertainment of them; it being usual in the eastern nations to sit on beds at eating, to which the next clause agrees. The allusion is to a harlot sitting on a bed decked out by her to allure men to lie with her; see ( Proverbs 7:16 ) : and a table prepared before it;
before the bed, furnished with the richest provisions to treat the ambassadors with; or this may design an altar built for them to offer on it sacrifices to their idols, according to the customs of their countries: whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil;
which were the gifts of God to this people, and which they should have used in his service; but with these they treated the ministers of Heathen princes; scenting the room where they were entertained with incense, and anointing their heads and feet with oil, for their pleasure and refreshment; or they offered these on the altars of the idols to them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 (hdwbk) "honorato", Junius and Tremellius, Polanus, Coeccius, Starckius.

Ezekiel 23:41 In-Context

39 For when they had slain their sons unto their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, behold, thus have they done in the midst of my house.

40 And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, behold, they came for the love of whom thou didst wash thyself, paint thy eyes, and deck thyself with ornaments,

41 and sit upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, upon which thou hast set my incense and my oil.

42 And in her was heard a voice of a multitude at a feast; and with the men of renown were brought the Sabeans from the wilderness to multiply the men, and they put bracelets upon their hands and crowns of glory upon their heads.

43 Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Now shalt thy whoredoms come to an end, and she with them;