Commentary
Old Testament : Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
The Song of Songs
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
![](images/minus.gif)
Text -- Ezekiel 23:20-49 (NET)
![](images/arrow_open.gif)
Strongs On/Off
Context
23:20 She lusted after their genitals – as large as those of donkeys , and their seminal emission was as strong as that of stallions .
23:21 This is how you assessed the obscene conduct of your youth , when the Egyptians fondled your nipples and squeezed your young breasts .
23:22 “Therefore , Oholibah , this is what the sovereign Lord says : Look here, I am about to stir up against you the lovers with whom you were disgusted ; I will bring them against you from every side :
23:23 the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans , Pekod , Shoa , and Koa , and all the Assyrians with them, desirable young men , all of them governors and officials , officers and nobles , all of them riding on horses .
23:24 They will attack you with weapons , chariots , wagons , and with a huge army ; they will array themselves against you on every side with large shields , small shields , and helmets . I will assign them the task of judgment ; they will punish you according to their laws .
23:25 I will direct my jealous anger against you, and they will deal with you in rage . They will cut off your nose and your ears , and your survivors will die by the sword . They will seize your sons and daughters , and your survivors will be consumed by fire .
23:26 They will strip your clothes off you and take away your beautiful jewelry .
23:27 So I will put an end to your obscene conduct and your prostitution which you have practiced in the land of Egypt . You will not seek their help or remember Egypt anymore .
23:28 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says : Look here, I am about to deliver you over to those whom you hate , to those with whom you were disgusted .
23:29 They will treat you with hatred , take away all you have labored for, and leave you naked and bare . Your nakedness will be exposed , just as when you engaged in prostitution and obscene conduct .
23:30 I will do these things to you because you engaged in prostitution with the nations , polluting yourself with their idols .
23:31 You have followed the ways of your sister , so I will place her cup of judgment in your hand .
23:32 “This is what the sovereign Lord says : “You will drink your sister’s deep and wide cup ; you will be scorned and derided , for it holds a great deal .
23:33 You will be overcome by drunkenness and sorrow . The cup of your sister Samaria is a cup of horror and desolation .
23:34 You will drain it dry , gnaw its pieces , and tear out your breasts , for I have spoken , declares the sovereign Lord .
23:35 “Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says : Because you have forgotten me and completely disregarded me, you must bear now the punishment for your obscene conduct and prostitution .”
23:36 The Lord said to me: “Son of man , are you willing to pronounce judgment on Oholah and Oholibah ? Then declare to them their abominable deeds !
23:37 For they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands . They have committed adultery with their idols , and their sons , whom they bore to me, they have passed through the fire as food to their idols.
23:38 Moreover , they have done this to me: In the very same day they desecrated my sanctuary and profaned my Sabbaths .
23:39 On the same day they slaughtered their sons for their idols , they came to my sanctuary to desecrate it. This is what they have done in the middle of my house .
23:40 “They even sent for men from far away ; when the messenger arrived , those men set out . For them you bathed , painted your eyes , and decorated yourself with jewelry .
23:41 You sat on a magnificent couch , with a table arranged in front of it where you placed my incense and my olive oil .
23:42 The sound of a carefree crowd accompanied her, including all kinds of men ; even Sabeans were brought from the desert . The sisters put bracelets on their wrists and beautiful crowns on their heads .
23:43 Then I said about the one worn out by adultery , ‘Now they will commit immoral acts with her .’
23:44 They had sex with her as one does with a prostitute . In this way they had sex with Oholah and Oholibah , promiscuous women .
23:45 But upright men will punish them appropriately for their adultery and bloodshed , because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands .
23:46 “For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Bring up an army against them and subject them to terror and plunder .
23:47 That army will pelt them with stones and slash them with their swords ; they will kill their sons and daughters and burn their houses .
23:48 I will put an end to the obscene conduct in the land ; all the women will learn a lesson from this and not engage in obscene conduct .
23:49 They will repay you for your obscene conduct , and you will be punished for idol worship. Then you will know that I am the sovereign Lord .”
![](images/advanced.gif)
![](images/advanced.gif)
![](images/advanced.gif)
Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics
![](images/arrow_open.gif)
Names, People and Places:
Dictionary Themes and Topics:
EZEKIEL, 1 |
Parables |
Backsliders |
EZEKIEL, 2 |
Ezekiel |
Idolatry |
Jerusalem |
WRATH, (ANGER) |
Prostitution |
Vision |
Israel |
Cup |
Sin |
Aholibah |
War |
Pekod |
Shoa |
LEWD; LEWDNESS |
Adultery |
Drunkeess |
more
![](images/cmt_minus_head.gif)
expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes -> Eze 23:20; Eze 23:21; Eze 23:21; Eze 23:21; Eze 23:22; Eze 23:23; Eze 23:23; Eze 23:23; Eze 23:24; Eze 23:24; Eze 23:24; Eze 23:24; Eze 23:25; Eze 23:25; Eze 23:25; Eze 23:25; Eze 23:27; Eze 23:27; Eze 23:28; Eze 23:28; Eze 23:29; Eze 23:29; Eze 23:30; Eze 23:31; Eze 23:32; Eze 23:33; Eze 23:34; Eze 23:34; Eze 23:34; Eze 23:35; Eze 23:35; Eze 23:36; Eze 23:37; Eze 23:37; Eze 23:38; Eze 23:40; Eze 23:40; Eze 23:42; Eze 23:42; Eze 23:42; Eze 23:42; Eze 23:44; Eze 23:45; Eze 23:46; Eze 23:46; Eze 23:47; Eze 23:49
NET Notes: Eze 23:20 Heb “She lusted after their concubines (?) whose flesh was the flesh of donkeys.” The phrase “their concubines” is extremely p...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:21 Heb “for the sake of,” but the expression is awkward and is better emended to read “to squeeze.” See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:22 The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been tr...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:29 Heb “The nakedness of your prostitution will be exposed, and your obscene conduct and your harlotry.”
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:30 The infinitive absolute continues the sequence begun in v. 28: “Look here, I am about to deliver you.” See Joüon 2:430 §123.w.
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:31 Heb “her cup.” A cup of intoxicating strong drink is used, here and elsewhere, as a metaphor for judgment because both leave one confused ...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:32 The image of a deep and wide cup suggests the degree of punishment; it will be extensive and leave the victim helpless.
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:34 The severe action is more extreme than beating the breasts in anguish (Isa 32:12; Nah 2:7). It is also ironic for these are the very breasts she so bl...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:35 The word “punishment” is not in the Hebrew text but is demanded by the context.
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:36 Heb “will you judge.” Here the imperfect form of the verb is probably used with a desiderative nuance. Addressed to the prophet, “ju...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:37 Heb “they have passed to them for food.” The verb is commonly taken to refer to passing children through fire, especially as an offering t...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:40 The Hebrew verb form is feminine singular, indicating that Oholibah (Judah) is specifically addressed here. This address continues through verse 42a (...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:42 Heb “they”; the referents (the sisters) have been specified in the translation for the sake of clarity.
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: Eze 23:45 Heb “and upright men will judge them (with) the judgment of adulteresses and the judgment of those who shed blood.”
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)