Ezekiel 23:43
Ezekiel 23:43 in Multiple Translations
Then I said of her who had grown old in adulteries: ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is!’
Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them?
Then said I of her that was old in adulteries, Now will they play the harlot with her, and she with them.
Then I said ... now she will go on with her loose ways.
Then I said about the old worn-out woman, ‘Now they can have her as a prostitute because that's what she is!’
Then I sayd vnto her, that was olde in adulteries, Now shall she and her fornications come to an end.
And I say of the worn-out one in adulteries, Now they commit her whoredoms — she also!
Then I said of her who was old in adulteries, ‘Now they will play the prostitute with her, and she with them.’
Then said I to her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit lewd deeds with her, and she with them ?
And I said to her that was worn out in her adulteries: Now will this woman still continue in her fornication.
Then I said about the woman who had become exhausted by her having sex with many men, ‘Now allow those men to act toward her as though she is a prostitute, because that is all that she is.’
Berean Amplified Bible — Ezekiel 23:43
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Ezekiel 23:43 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וָ/אֹמַ֕ר
לַ/בָּלָ֖ה
נִֽאוּפִ֑ים
עת
עַתָּ֛ה
יזנה
יִזְנ֥וּ
תַזְנוּתֶ֖/הָ
וָ/הִֽיא
וָ/אֹמַ֕ר
ʼâmar
H559
to say
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs
לַ/בָּלָ֖ה
bâleh
H1087
old
Prep | Adj
נִֽאוּפִ֑ים
niʼuph
H5004
adultery
N-mp
עת
ʻattâh
H6258
now
Adv
עַתָּ֛ה
ʻattâh
H6258
now
Adv
יזנה
zânâh
H2181
to fornicate
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
יִזְנ֥וּ
zânâh
H2181
to fornicate
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
תַזְנוּתֶ֖/הָ
taznûwth
H8457
fornication
N-fp | Suff
וָ/הִֽיא
hûwʼ
H1931
he/she/it
Conj | Pron
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Ezekiel 23:43
וָ/אֹמַ֕ר
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
לַ/בָּלָ֖ה
bâleh
H1087
"old"
Prep | Adj
Worn out or old, describing something that's no longer new or useful, like the old testament's description of worn out things. It's a state of being tired or exhausted, as seen in the book of Psalms.
Definition: worn out, old
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: old. See also: Joshua 9:4; Joshua 9:5; Ezekiel 23:43.
נִֽאוּפִ֑ים
niʼuph
H5004
"adultery"
N-mp
This word means adultery, which is when someone is unfaithful to their spouse. In the Bible, it is used to describe the act of cheating on one's partner, like in the book of Hosea.
Definition: 1) adultery 1a) idolatrous worship (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: adultery. See also: Jeremiah 13:27; Ezekiel 23:43.
עת
ʻattâh
H6258
"now"
Adv
This word means now or at this time, like in Exodus when God says now is the time to act. It can also be used to connect ideas or show a change in time, as seen in the book of Isaiah.
Definition: 1) now 1a) now 1b) in phrases
Usage: Occurs in 422 OT verses. KJV: henceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas. See also: Genesis 3:22; Joshua 24:23; 2 Samuel 24:13.
עַתָּ֛ה
ʻattâh
H6258
"now"
Adv
This word means now or at this time, like in Exodus when God says now is the time to act. It can also be used to connect ideas or show a change in time, as seen in the book of Isaiah.
Definition: 1) now 1a) now 1b) in phrases
Usage: Occurs in 422 OT verses. KJV: henceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas. See also: Genesis 3:22; Joshua 24:23; 2 Samuel 24:13.
יזנה
zânâh
H2181
"to fornicate"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
To fornicate means to commit adultery or be unfaithful, often used to describe idolatry in the Bible. It can also refer to a person being a cult prostitute or causing others to be unfaithful.
Definition: 1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication 1a2) to commit adultery 1a3) to be a cult prostitute 1a4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.) 1b) (Pual) to play the harlot 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to commit adultery 1c2) to force into prostitution 1c3) to commit fornication
Usage: Occurs in 81 OT verses. KJV: (cause to) commit fornication, [idiom] continually, [idiom] great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish. See also: Genesis 34:31; Isaiah 57:3; Psalms 73:27.
יִזְנ֥וּ
zânâh
H2181
"to fornicate"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
To fornicate means to commit adultery or be unfaithful, often used to describe idolatry in the Bible. It can also refer to a person being a cult prostitute or causing others to be unfaithful.
Definition: 1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication 1a2) to commit adultery 1a3) to be a cult prostitute 1a4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.) 1b) (Pual) to play the harlot 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to commit adultery 1c2) to force into prostitution 1c3) to commit fornication
Usage: Occurs in 81 OT verses. KJV: (cause to) commit fornication, [idiom] continually, [idiom] great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish. See also: Genesis 34:31; Isaiah 57:3; Psalms 73:27.
תַזְנוּתֶ֖/הָ
taznûwth
H8457
"fornication"
N-fp | Suff
Fornication, or taznuth, refers to harlotry or idolatry, often used figuratively to describe spiritual unfaithfulness. In the KJV, it is translated as fornication or whoredom, emphasizing its negative connotation.
Definition: fornication, harlotry
Usage: Occurs in 19 OT verses. KJV: fornication, whoredom. See also: Ezekiel 16:15; Ezekiel 23:7; Ezekiel 23:43.
וָ/הִֽיא
hûwʼ
H1931
"he/she/it"
Conj | Pron
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Definition: pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)
Usage: Occurs in 1693 OT verses. KJV: he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who. See also: Genesis 2:11; Genesis 32:19; Exodus 21:3.
Study Notes — Ezekiel 23:43
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Ezekiel 23:43 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 23:43
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 23:43
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 23:43
- Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 23:43
- Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 23:43
- Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 23:43
- Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 23:43
- Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 23:43
- Sermons on Ezekiel 23:43
Context — Judgment on Both Sisters
41You sat on a couch of luxury with a table spread before it, on which you had set My incense and My oil,
42accompanied by the sound of a carefree crowd. Drunkards were brought in from the desert along with men from the rabble, who put bracelets on your wrists and beautiful crowns on your head.
43Then I said of her who had grown old in adulteries: ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is!’
44And they slept with her as with a prostitute; they slept with Oholah and Oholibah, those lewd women. 45But righteous men will sentence them to the punishment of those who commit adultery and bloodshed, because they are adulteresses with blood on their hands.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 23:3 | and they played in Egypt, prostituting themselves from their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin bosoms caressed. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 13:23 | Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good— you who are accustomed to doing evil. |
| 3 | Ezra 9:7 | From the days of our fathers to this day, our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities, we and our kings and priests have been delivered into the hands of the kings of the earth and put to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation, as we are this day. |
| 4 | Daniel 9:16 | O Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, I pray that Your anger and wrath may turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all around us. |
| 5 | Psalms 106:6 | We have sinned like our fathers; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. |
Ezekiel 23:43 Summary
This verse is saying that because this woman has been unfaithful to God for so long, she will now face the consequences of her actions. It's like God is saying, 'You've made your choice, now you'll have to live with it.' This is not because God is cruel, but because He is just and wants His people to be faithful to Him, as seen in Deuteronomy 32:4 and Psalm 119:75. It's a reminder that our choices have consequences, and we should always strive to follow God with our whole hearts, as encouraged in Matthew 22:37.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to have grown old in adulteries?
This phrase suggests a long history of spiritual unfaithfulness, where God's people have consistently turned away from Him to follow other loves, much like the situation described in Jeremiah 3:20 and Hosea 1:2.
Is God commanding the use of this woman as a prostitute?
No, God is not commanding this, but rather declaring the consequences of her actions, much like He does in Romans 1:24-25, where He gives people over to their sinful desires.
How does this verse relate to the concept of spiritual adultery?
This verse illustrates the concept of spiritual adultery, where God's people turn away from Him to follow other idols or loves, as seen in Ezekiel 16:32 and James 4:4, highlighting the seriousness of such actions in God's eyes.
What is the tone of God's declaration in this verse?
The tone is one of sorrow, judgment, and consequence, much like in Matthew 23:37, where Jesus laments over Jerusalem's rejection of Him, showing God's heart of love and justice.
Reflection Questions
- What are the areas in my life where I may be 'growing old' in spiritual unfaithfulness, and how can I return to a vibrant relationship with God?
- How does the concept of spiritual adultery challenge my understanding of my relationship with God, and what steps can I take to ensure my heart remains faithful to Him?
- In what ways can I recognize and resist the temptation to turn away from God and follow other loves or idols in my life?
- What does this verse teach me about God's character, particularly in relation to justice, mercy, and love, and how can I apply this understanding in my own life?
Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 23:43
Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries,.... That had been an old adulterer or idolater; meaning either Aholah the ten tribes, who from Jeroboam's time had been guilty of idolatry; or
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 23:43
The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations; A summing up of the sins of the two sisters, especially those of Judah.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 23:43
Then said I; after the manner of man God seems to stand musing, or saying to himself, or it may be supposed that God speaks to the prophet, asking him. Unto her; or rather, of her, concerning her. Old in adulteries, such usually are out of request with adulterers; and now Samaria and Jerusalem had been long spiritual adulteresses, and one would think her lovers would be weary of her, if she were not weary of them.
Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 23:43
Ezekiel 23:43 Then said I unto [her that was] old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she [with them]?Ver. 43. To her that was old in adulteries.] Inveteratae et detritae, withered and overworn. And she with them?] Is she - as Helen was παλαιγυνη - the same still, no changeling yet?
Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 23:43
(43) Will they now commit?—This should not be made a question, nor should the opening of Eze 23:44 be made adversative. The thought is that, after all means of reclamation had failed, God gave her up to her sins. Translate, Now shall her whoredom be committed, even this. And they went in, &c.
Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 23:43
43. unto her … old in adulteries] Old is worn out, e.g. of clothes, Joshua 9:4-5, and the verb of the body, in the decay of nature (Genesis 18:12, of Sarah). The construction of A.V. is unusual; the words might be read as an exclamation: She that is aged committeth adulteries! or, With her that is aged shall they commit adulteries! Ew., reading “aged” as a noun, To perdition with adulteries! None of these senses is very natural. LXX., as in some other places, appears to assume a contraction, which it expands, Do they not commit adultery with these? The meaning put by A.V., R.V. upon the rest of the verse can hardly be drawn from the words, which are extremely obscure. The natural sense is: “now shall her whoredom commit whoredom even itself” (Hitz.); but the idea that what the faded harlot can no more do herself her vicious propensity continues to do, though true in itself, is scarcely to be expected here. LXX., which had nearly our present text before it, disposes the letters differently: And she too has gone a whoring after the manner (with the doings) of a harlot. So Syr., And according to the doings of harlots have they committed whoredom.
Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 23:43
Will they now commit ... - Rather, Now shall there be committed her whoredom, even this; i.
Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 23:43
43. Mosheh Ben Shesheth renders: “As I looked I thought: Can it be that a woman who is old and decrepit will commit adultery? Or is it not enough that she has grown old in whoredoms?
Sermons on Ezekiel 23:43
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Satan's Servants in God's Pulpit by Keith Daniel | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of walking before God with charity, love, and a pure heart. He questions the listeners if they truly have a good conscience a |
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How God Transforms Your Life by Danny Bond | In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the transformation of Saul into Paul and how God can transform anyone's life. The process of transformation begins with faith in Jesus Christ |
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Three Gifts Under the Tree by Jim Cymbala | In this sermon, the speaker discusses three unusual gifts that God has given to believers. These gifts are a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, and a willing spirit. The speaker share |
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Thoughts for Young Men by J.C. Ryle | J.C. Ryle emphasizes the critical need for young men to be self-controlled and spiritually vigilant, as highlighted in Paul's letter to Titus. He reflects on the unique challenges |
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Reasons for Exhorting Young Men by J.C. Ryle | J.C. Ryle emphasizes the urgent need to exhort young men, highlighting their unique vulnerabilities and the spiritual dangers they face. He reflects on the alarming reality that ma |
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A Flower Which Does Not Grow in Nature's Garden! by Thomas Brooks | Thomas Brooks emphasizes the profound nature of repentance, illustrating it as a divine gift that cannot be achieved by human effort alone. He likens the difficulty of turning one' |
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The Wrong Emphasis by A.W. Pink | A.W. Pink emphasizes that when the conversion of sinners becomes the primary focus of a preacher, rather than the glory of God, it leads to a distortion of the truth. This misguide |