Ezekiel 23
23
A Parable of Two Sisters
1 # 23:1 This chapter is an allegory that describes the sins of the people of Judah with the same terms as found in Ezek. 16. It describes the unfaithfulness of a wife to her husband and her adulterous affair. Her sexual activities were shocking and would be considered obscene to modern-day English readers. The detailing of her sexual perversion is a picture of Judah’s flirtation with other nations around her to form political alliances instead of turning to Yahweh. The language used in the Hebrew is expressive, vivid, and meant to shock. See the footnote on 16:1. Yahweh spoke to me, saying, 2“Son of man, there once were two women, daughters of the same mother. 3While they were still girls, they became prostitutes in Egypt. Men caressed their breasts; their virgin breasts were first fondled there. 4Oholah (Samaria) # 23:4 Oholah was the nickname for Samaria, the capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Although she is called the older, the Hebrew word can also mean “bigger” or “greater.” Oholah means “her tent [sanctuary],” implying the Samaritans had established their own worship outside of Jerusalem. Samaria had her own tent, but it was not God’s. Many believers are focused more on their own “tent” (ministry) than on building God’s kingdom. was the older and Oholibah (Jerusalem) # 23:4 Oholibah was the nickname for Jerusalem, the capital of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Oholibah means “my tent [sanctuary] is in her,” implying the true worship of Yahweh was to be in Jerusalem (see John 4:20). her younger sister. I married them both, # 23:4 See Ezek. 16:8. and they bore me sons and daughters.
5“Although Oholah was mine, # 23:5 Or “under my authority.” she continued her prostitution. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians—warriors 6wearing uniforms of purple, governors, and officials. All of them were young and handsome and skilled horsemen. 7She was a prostitute for all the most important men of Assyria. She made herself unfit for my presence by worshiping all the idols of every man she had sex with. 8When she was a girl in Egypt, men fondled her breasts and made love to her often, pouring their lust upon her repeatedly. She did not give up her prostitution.
9“So I handed her over to the power of her lovers, to the Assyrians whom she lusted after. 10They stripped her naked, seized her sons and daughters, and killed her with the sword. She became notorious among women because of her punishment for her sins.
11“Her sister Oholibah saw all this, but she was even more depraved and a wilder prostitute than her sister. # 23:11 Or “more depraved in her lusting and prostitution than her sister.” 12She lusted after the Assyrians—warriors dressed to perfection, governors, and officials. All of them were young and handsome and skilled horsemen. 13Then I saw that she was completely immoral; both sisters were equally corrupt. 14-15But Oholibah sank ever deeper into unrestrained sexual immorality, worse than ever. She saw the wall carvings of the Babylonian men, painted bright red, the images of the elite men of Babylon (natives of Chaldea), # 23:14–15 These images of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) may have been carved and painted on the walls of Jerusalem or inside the temple. Before this, Oholibah had wanted to have sex with the Assyrian men, but now she was aroused by the men of Babylon. The Babylonian Empire replaced the Assyrian Empire at the fall of Nineveh in 612 BC. and her lust was enflamed even more. The men looked magnificent, like officers going into battle on their horses! They were the high-ranking Babylonian chariot officers with beautiful sashes tied around their waists and elaborate turbans on their heads. 16As soon as she saw them, she went wild with lust and sent messengers to them in Babylon to come and have sex with her. # 23:16 Historically, this was likely the attempt made by the king of Judah to form a political alliance with the Babylonians against the Assyrians. 17The Babylonians came to her, shared her love-bed, and defiled her with their lust. Once they had defiled her, she withdrew her affection and turned her back on them. # 23:17 Historically, this was likely the instance of the king of Judah changing his political allegiance from the Babylonians to the Egyptians. 18She exposed her naked body to everyone and showed them openly that she was a prostitute. Therefore, I turned my back on her just as I had done with her sister. 19Yet she began sinking even deeper into her depraved sexual immorality, acting the way she did when she was a young prostitute in Egypt. 20She was driven by insatiable lust for Egyptian men, with genitals as large as donkeys’, ejaculating as forcefully as stallions. # 23:20 Undoubtedly, this is the coarsest and most vulgar verse in Ezekiel, if not the entire Bible. The translation team has chosen to leave the Hebrew text in its shocking and graphic form. 21In that way, you were longing to repeat the debauchery of your youth, when men used to fondle your nipples in Egypt and played with your young breasts.”
God’s Judgment on Judah (Oholibah)
22“And so, Oholibah, Lord Yahweh says to you: ‘Behold, I will stir up all your former lovers against you, from whom you have withdrawn your affection. I will bring them against you from every side: 23the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, men of Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, # 23:23 Pekod, Shoa, and Koa were tribes that lived near the Tigris River east of Babylon. Little is known about them, but their names are significant. In Hebrew Pekod means “Punish,” Shoa means “Cry for help,” and Koa means “Scream.” Such a play on words is frequent in the prophetic writings, especially in Ezekiel. and all the Assyrians with them, young and handsome men, all governors, officials, and warriors—all of them skillful horsemen. 24They will attack you from the north # 23:24 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is uncertain, but possibly, “They will attack you equipped [for battle].” and advance on you with chariots, wagons, and troops, setting themselves against you on all sides with shields # 23:24 The Hebrew has different words for shields; two are found in this verse, one for large shields and one for small. Sinnah denotes a large shield like a “body protector,” while magen denotes a smaller, round shield. and helmets. I will commit to them the right to judge you, and they will pass sentence on you as they see fit. 25I will direct my fiery indignation against you and let them treat you with fury. They will slice off your nose and ears, and what is left of your people will fall by the sword. They will capture your surviving sons and daughters and burn them alive. 26They will strip off your clothes and rob you of your fine jewels.
27“ ‘So I will put a stop to your debauchery and the habitual prostitution you began in Egypt. You will not view the Egyptians as your lovers anymore. You will never think of them again. 28For Lord Yahweh says: Now, I will hand you over to those you hate, those for whom you no longer feel affection. 29They will treat you with hatred, strip you of all that you have worked hard for, and leave you stark naked. Just as you were naked in your prostitution, so you will be naked when everyone discovers your debauchery and habitual prostitution! 30You have brought all this on yourself because you have played the whore with the nations and have made yourself unfit for my presence by worshiping their idols. 31Since you have followed your sister’s footsteps, I will put her cup of punishment # 23:31 A cup is a frequent biblical metaphor for punishment or suffering (see the first footnote on Matt. 26:39). in your hands to drink. 32The Lord Yahweh says to you:
“ ‘You will drink of the same cup as your sister,
a large cup both deep and wide
that contains much sorrow!
Drink it all,
for it will lead to mockery and insults!
33You will be drunk with misery and sorrow.
It is a cup of horror and devastation,
the cup of your sister Samaria.
34You will drain it dry.
Then, in despair, you will smash the cup in pieces,
gnaw on the shattered shards,
and cut off your own breasts, once fondled by others.
For I, Lord Yahweh, have spoken.
35“ ‘And so, Lord Yahweh says: Because you have forgotten me and have turned your back on me, you too will have to bear the consequences of your outrageous, depraved sexual immorality.’ ”
The Two Sisters Are Judged
36And Yahweh said to me, “Son of man, are you ready to render judgment upon Oholah and Oholibah and charge them with their detestable practices? 37They have been wicked adulteresses. Their hands are dripping with blood, and they have committed gross adultery with their vile images. They have even committed murder by offering up their children, who are mine, as burnt sacrifices to feed their false gods! # 23:37 See Lev. 18:21; Jer. 7:31; 19:5; 32:35; Ezek. 20:25–26. 38Moreover, they have sinned against me by defiling my sanctuary and dishonoring my Sabbaths. 39The same day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they came into my sanctuary and made it unfit for worship. Yes, this is what they have done in my own house!
40“Worse still, they sent messengers to summon men from far away to come have sex with them, and they came. To meet your lovers you bathed yourselves, painted your eyes, put on your provocative clothes with your finest jewelry. 41You reclined on your sumptuous couch with a table spread before you with my aromatic incense and oils. 42The noise of your party, a carefree crowd, echoed all around—a noisy crowd of drunk nomads! # 23:42 The Hebrew is the uncertain term sawba’im. It could refer to “drunkards” or “Sabeans,” a desert people group located at the southwest corner of the Arabian Peninsula. They put bracelets on the women’s arms and magnificent headpieces # 23:42 Or “crowns.” on their heads. 43I thought, ‘Isn’t that woman worn out with her adultery? Let them use her as a prostitute—she’s a professional.’
44“Yet the men continued to have sex with her as one does with a prostitute, just as they slept with Oholah and Oholibah—those lewd women! 45But there are righteous men who will declare them guilty of adultery and murder. For they are, indeed, adulteresses and their hands are stained with blood.”
46Lord Yahweh says: “Gather a mob to deal with them, to rob and terrorize them! 47Let the mob stone them and attack them with their swords. Let their sons and daughters be slaughtered and their houses set on fire. 48This is how I shall purge the land of lewdness so that all women will be warned not to commit prostitution as you have done. 49And you two sisters, you will be punished as your sins deserve. You will bear the price for your immorality and your vile idolatry. Then you will know that I am Lord Yahweh.”
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Ezekiel 23: TPT
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