Ezekiel 23
1 The whoredoms of Aholah and Aholibah.
23 Aholibah is to be plagued by her lovers.
36 The prophet reproves the adulteries of them both;
45 and shews their judgments.
two <08147> [two.]
Egypt <04714> [in Egypt.]
youth <05271> [in their.]
name ........ name <08034> [the names.]
The kingdom of Israel, of which Samaria was the capital, containing ten tribes, and occupying a larger extent of country than that of Judah, is therefore called "her elder sister;" and Aholah, the name given to her, implies that the whole religious establishment in Israel was a human invention, a temple and service of their own, and not of God's appointment. Aholibah, the name given to Judah, implies that the worship established there was from God, and that His temple was truly at Jerusalem.
older <01419> [the elder.]
birth <03205> [they were.]
Oholah .......................... Oholah <0170> [Aholah. that is, His tent, or tabernacle.]
Oholibah ...................... Oholibah <0172> [Aholibah. that is, My tabernacle in her.]
Oholah <0170> [Aholah.]
The Israelites, in addition to their former gross idolatries, received the impure idolatrous worship of the Assyrians, who became their neighbours by the conquest of Syria.
lusted <05689> [doted.]
Assyrians <0804> [on the.]
desirable <02531> [all of.]
bestowed ... sexual favors <08457 05414> [committed her whoredoms with them. Heb. bestowed her whoredoms upon them.]
choicest young men ... Assyria <01121 0804 04005> [the chosen men of Assyria. Heb. the choice of the children of Asshur.]
idols <01544> [with all their.]
prostitution ..................... ravished <08457> [whoredoms.]
exposed <01540> [discovered.]
seized ........ her <03947> [they took.]
notorious <08034> [famous. Heb. a name.]
sister .............................. sister <0269> [her sister.]
corrupt .... lust <05691 07843> [was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she. Heb. she corrupted her inordinate love more than she. her sister in her whoredoms. Heb. the whoredoms of her sister.]
Assyrians ............ horses <01121 05483> [upon.]
governors <06346> [captains.]
both <08147> [that they.]
carved ......... carved <02707 02710> [pourtrayed.]
bright red <08350> [vermilion.]
belts <0232> [with girdles.]
officers <07991> [all of.]
looking like <04758> [look to.]
That is, "princes in appearance;" which seem to have been the deified men worshipped by the Chaldeans. The inhabitants of Judah, like the Israelites, connected themselves with the Assyrians, and were enamoured with their idols; and then with the Chaldeans, and followed their idols; still retaining their attachment to the Egyptians and their idolatrous rites.
saw <05869 04758> [as soon as she saw them with her eyes. Heb. at the sight of her eyes.]
sent <07971> [and sent.]
Babylonians <01121> [Babylonians. Heb. children of Babel.]
<05315> [and her.]
disgusted <03363> [alienated. Heb. loosed, or disjointed.]
exposed <01540> [discovered.]
I <05315> [then.]
increased <07235> [multiplied.]
remembering <02142> [in calling.]
stir <05782> [I will raise.]
<05315> [from.]
bring <0935> [and I.]
Babylonians ............. Assyrians <01121> [Babylonians.]
Chaldeans <03778> [the Chaldeans.]
Pekod <06489> [Pekod.]
Babylonians ............. Assyrians <01121> [the Assyrians.]
desirable <02531> [desirable.]
weapons <02021> [with chariots.]
assign <05414> [I will set.]
direct <05414> [I will set.]
cut off <05493> [they shall take away.]
This refers to the severe vengeance which enraged husbands took on their faithless wives: and implies that God would employ the Chaldeans to destroy the princes and priests of Judah, for violating their covenants and treaties. Such punishments were anciently common; and such is the present practice in one of the South Sea Islands.
seize ... sons <03947 01121> [they shall take thy.]
survivors ................ survivors <0319> [thy residue.]
strip <06584> [strip.]
beautiful jewelry <03627 08597> [fair jewels. Heb. instruments of thy decking.]
obscene <02154> [will I.]
prostitution <02184> [and thy.]
practiced <05375> [so that.]
These severe judgments shall effectually deter you from idolatry, and make you abhor the least approaches to it. This often repeated prediction has received a most wonderful accomplishment. For neither the authority, frowns, examples, or favour of their conquerors or powerful neighbours, nor their own fears, hopes, interests, or predilection for the sensual worship of idols, could prevail with them to run into gross idolatry, either during the captivity, or ever afterwards, to the present day, a period of 2,414 years.
hate <08130> [whom thou.]
treat <06213> [deal.]
nakedness <06172> [the nakedness.]
prostitution <02181> [thou hast.]
polluting <02930> [because thou art.]
followed ....... so <01980> [walked.]
cup <03563> [her.]
drink <08354> [drink.]
scorned <06712> [thou shalt be.]
overcome <04390> [filled.]
cup ........ cup ... horror <03563 08047> [with the cup of astonishment.]
drain ... dry <08354> [drink.]
tear out <05423> [and pluck.]
forgotten <07911> [Because.]
completely disregarded <07993> [and cast.]
says ............. bear <0559 05375> [therefore.]
willing ... pronounce <08199> [wilt.]
willing ... pronounce <08199> [judge. or, plead for.]
Oholah <0170> [Aholah.]
declare <05046> [declare.]
adultery ........... adultery ...... their <05003> [they have.]
blood <01818> [and blood.]
sons <01121> [have also.]
done ........... desecrated <06213 02930> [they have.]
profaned <02490> [and have.]
came <0935> [they came.]
done <06213> [thus.]
sent ............. set out <07971> [ye have.]
arrived <0935> [to come. Heb. coming.]
bathed <07364> [thou didst.]
painted <03583> [paintedst.]
{Kachalt aineych,} rendered by the LXX. [estibizou tous ophthalmous sou;] "thou didst paint thine eyes with stibium," and Vulgate {circumlinisti stibio oculos tuos,} "thou didst paint round thine eyes with stibium," or lead ore; whence it is called in Arabic {kochl,} and in Syriac {kecholo,} and {koochlo.}
decorated yourself <05710> [and deckedst.]
magnificent <03520> [stately. Heb. honourable.]
table <07979> [a table.]
placed <07760> [whereupon.]
sound <06963> [a voice.]
This seems to be an account of an idolatrous festival, perhaps that of Bacchus; in which a riotous and drunken multitude assembled, adorned with bracelets and chaplets, accompanied with music, songs, and dances.
men <07230> [common sort. Heb. multitude of men. were brought.]
<05436> [Sabeans. or, drunkards. bracelets.]
worn out <01087> [old.]
immoral acts <08457> [whoredoms with her. Heb. her whoredoms.]
had sex .............. had sex <0935> [so went.]
But ....... appropriately <06662> [the righteous.]
The Chaldeans, so called, because appointed by God to execute his judgment on these criminals.
adulteresses <05003 04941> [after the manner of adulteresses.]
adulteresses <05003> [because.]
up <05927> [I will.]
terror ... plunder <0957 02189> [to be removed and spoiled. Heb. for a removing and spoil.]
army <06951> [the company.]
slash ..... swords <01254 02719> [dispatch them. or, single them out.]
kill <02026> [shall slay.]
burn <08313> [and burn.]
obscene ................... obscene <02154> [I cause.]
women <0802> [that.]
repay <05414> [they shall.]
punished <05375> [ye shall bear.]
know <03045> [and ye shall know.]
