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Ezekiel 23:43 — Word Study

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WLCוָאֹמַ֕ר לַבָּלָ֖ה נִֽאוּפִ֑ים עַתָּ֛ה יִזְנ֥וּ תַזְנוּתֶ֖הָ וָהִֽיא׃

BSAThen I saidʼâmar [spoke, declared] of [her] [who] [had] [grown] oldbâleh [worn out, exhausted] in adulteriesniʼuph [unfaithfulness, spiritual whoredom] let them use her as a prostitutezânâh [treat her as a harlot, commit fornication with her] for that is all she ishûwʼ [her true nature, her identity]

Word
Listen & take awayEzekiel 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 43 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (va.Hi') — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Ezekiel 23:43quick helps
In a sentenceEzekiel speaks of a woman who has become old in her unfaithfulness, declaring her to be used as a prostitute.
Who is speakingEzekiel, the prophet, is the speaker here.
Where we areThis verse is part of a longer prophetic message about unfaithfulness and judgment.
The hard wordנִאֻפִ֑ים
Take awayThe identity of the woman is revealed through her actions and state of being.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהִיא verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Ezekiel 23:43

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Judgment of Oholah and Oholibahgenerated

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.

Ezekiel 23:43 speaks about a woman who has aged in her unfaithfulness, indicating a long history of spiritual and moral decline. This verse emphasizes the consequences of her actions, as she is likened to a prostitute, reflecting her true nature. The surrounding verses elaborate on her past and the judgment that follows, illustrating the themes of betrayal and retribution found throughout the book of Ezekiel.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Ezra 9:7From 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.
2Psalm 106:6We have sinned like our fathers; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
3Jeremiah 13:23Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good— you who are accustomed to doing evil.
4Daniel 9:16O 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.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word נִאֻפִ֑ים, ni'ufimgenerated

The word נִאֻפִ֑ים (ni'ufim) is a noun that refers specifically to acts of adultery. It is derived from the root word for committing adultery, which emphasizes unfaithfulness in marital relationships.

In this context, it highlights the spiritual infidelity of the woman being described, suggesting that her actions are not just physical but also represent a deeper betrayal of trust and covenant.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the term adulteries is used, and this is consistent across the KJV and ASV, which also use adulteries to convey the meaning of נִאֻפִ֑ים.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in this verse is אֹמַ֕ר, and I said, which governs the entire statement. The structure includes a prepositional phrase describing the subject, a noun phrase indicating her state, and a clause that outlines what is to be done with her.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the speaker's declaration, followed by the description of the woman's condition and the subsequent command regarding her treatment.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew נִאֻפִ֑ים is rendered as μοιξεύουσιν, which carries a similar meaning of infidelity but emphasizes the act of sexual immorality more directly.

This choice reflects a focus on the physical implications of the woman's actions, aligning with the broader themes of judgment present in both texts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Ezekiel 23:43 describes a woman who has grown old in her unfaithfulness. The prophet Ezekiel declares that she should be treated as a prostitute, revealing her true identity and the consequences of her actions.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the woman has grown old in adulteries?

This phrase indicates a long history of unfaithfulness, suggesting that her actions have become habitual and defining.

Why is she referred to as a prostitute?

The reference to prostitution symbolizes her unfaithfulness and the betrayal of trust, both in human relationships and in her relationship with God.

What is the significance of Ezekiel's declaration?

Ezekiel's declaration serves as a judgment against the woman's actions, emphasizing the consequences of her spiritual and moral failures.

How does this verse connect to the overall message of Ezekiel?

This verse reflects the themes of judgment and accountability that run throughout the book of Ezekiel, illustrating the consequences of unfaithfulness.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What are some ways I can recognize unfaithfulness in my own life?
  2. How can I ensure that I remain faithful in my commitments?
  3. What steps can I take to restore trust in relationships that have been damaged?
  4. How does understanding the consequences of unfaithfulness shape my actions moving forward?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 23:43 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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

Read John Gill on Ezekiel 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

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.

Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 23 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

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.

Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 23 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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?

Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 23 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(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.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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…

Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 23 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Will they now commit ... - Rather, Now shall there be committed her whoredom, even this; i.

Read Albert Barnes on Ezekiel 23 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

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?

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 23 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

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!’

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Then I said of her who was old in adulteries, ‘Now they will play the prostitute with her, and she with them.’

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

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!’

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now they will commit immoral acts with her.’

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Then said I of her that was old in adulteries, Now will they play the harlot with her, and she with them.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Then said I of her that was old in adulteries, Now will they commit whoredoms with her, and she with them.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Then said I to her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit lewd deeds with her, and she with them ?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then I sayd vnto her, that was olde in adulteries, Now shall she and her fornications come to an end.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And I said of her that was old in adulteries, Will she now commit her fornications, even she.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And I say of the worn-out one in adulteries, Now they commit her whoredoms — she also!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And I say of the worn-out one in adulteries, || Now they commit her whoredoms—she also!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Then thought I of her that was worn out in adulteries, Will they now [still] commit lewdness with her, when she [is thus]?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then I said of her who was worn out by adultery, 'Now they will be sexually immoral with her, and she with them.'

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And I said to her that was worn out in her adulteries: Now will this woman still continue in her fornication.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Then I said about the old worn-out woman, ‘Now they can have her as a prostitute because that's what she is!’

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Then I said ... now she will go on with her loose ways.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וָandclauseverbאֹמַ֕רI.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַofnoun phrasethe.[woman]noun phraseclauseverbבָּלָ֖הworn.outadverbialנִֽאוּפִ֑יםadulteri(es)clauseclauseadverbialעַתָּ֛הnowverbיִזְנ֥וּthey.will.act.as.a.prostitutesnoun phrase · objectתַזְנוּתֶ֖prostitution(s)הָherוָandclausesubjectהִֽיאshe

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text aligns closely with the Septuagint, with six out of seven words matching. This indicates a strong consistency in the core message of the verse across these ancient texts.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וָאֹמַ֕ר לַבָּלָ֖ה נִֽאוּפִ֑ים עַתָּ֛ה יִזְנ֥וּ תַזְנוּתֶ֖הָ וָהִֽיא׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וָאֹמַ֕רεἶπαנִֽאוּפִ֑יםμοιξεύουσινעַתָּ֛הκαὶיִזְנ֥וּἐχεπόρνευσενתַזְנוּתֶ֖הָπόρνηςוָהִֽיא׃αὐτὴ

6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Ezekiel 23:43אָמַרand I saidand I saidאָמַרבָּלֶהof the [womof the [woman] בָּלֶהנִאֻףadulteriesadulteriesנִאֻףעַתָּ֫הnownowעַתָּ֫הזָנָהthey will athey will act aזָנָהתַּזְנוּתprostitutioprostitution heתַּזְנוּתהוּאand sheand sheהוּאעֵתtimetimeעֵתזָנָהto fornicato fornicateזָנָהבָּלָהto become to become oldבָּלָהנָאַףto commit to commit adultנָאַףכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהנֹאדwineskinwineskinנֹאדטָלָאto spotto spotטָלָאנָאpleasepleaseנָאאֲנַ֫חְנוּweweאֲנַ֫חְנוּאֶתְנַןwageswagesאֶתְנַןזְנוּנִיםfornicatiofornicationזְנוּנִיםעֶרְוָהnakednessnakednessעֶרְוָהטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵא
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Ezekiel 23:43

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and I said of the [woman] worn out adulteries now they will act as a prostitutes prostitution her and she
וָאֹמַ֕רva.'o.Mar and I said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
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'.
Amplified meaning
spoke, declared
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singular
Hc/Vqw1cs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and I said of the [woman] worn out adulteries now they will act as a prostitutes prostitution her and she
לַבָּלָ֖הla.ba.Lah of the [woman] worn out H1087 Preposition
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
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.
Amplified meaning
worn out, exhausted
Tyndale gloss
old
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּלֶה (baleh) means 'worn out' or 'old.' It is derived from the root word represented by Strong's H1086. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to wear and age.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּלֶה] adj. worn out

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1087 בָּלֶה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1087 baleh baw-leh'

from 1086; worn out:--old.

see HEBREW for 01086

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּלֶה (ba.leh) — old.

worn out, old

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition
HRd/Aafsa
and I said of the [woman] worn out adulteries now they will act as a prostitutes prostitution her and she
נִֽאוּפִ֑יםni.'u.Fim adulteries H5004 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
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.
Amplified meaning
unfaithfulness, spiritual whoredom
Tyndale gloss
adultery
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נִאֻף (ni'uph) primarily means 'adultery' and is derived from the root word for 'to commit adultery.' It can also figuratively refer to idolatrous worship. The entries consistently focus on its meaning related to infidelity.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[נִאֻף] n.[m.] adultery

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5004 נִאֻף

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5004 ni'uph nee-oof'

from 5003; adultery:--adultery.

see HEBREW for 05003

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִאֻף (ni.uph) — adultery.

1) adultery

1a) idolatrous worship (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and I said of the [woman] worn out adulteries now they will act as a prostitutes prostitution her and she
עַתָּ֛הa.ta now H6258 Adverb
433× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
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.
Tyndale gloss
now
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַתָּ֫ה (attah) is an adverb of time meaning 'now.' It can also function as a conjunction or expletive, indicating immediacy or a current moment. The word is derived from a related term, עַת (att), and is used in various contexts to denote the present time.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַתָּ֫ה 435, עָ֑֫תָּה, adv. of time, now

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6258 עַתָּ֫ה, עָ֑֫תָּה of time, now

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6258 `attah at-taw'

from 6256; at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or

expletive:--henceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas.

see HEBREW for 06256

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — now.

1) now

1a) now

1b) in phrases

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HD — Adverb
HD
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and I said of the [woman] worn out adulteries now they will act as a prostitutes prostitution her and she
יִזְנ֥וּyiz.nuh they will act as a prostitutes H2181 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
94× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
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.
Amplified meaning
treat her as a harlot, commit fornication with her
Tyndale gloss
to fornicate
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָנָה (zanah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to commit fornication or to be a harlot. It encompasses a range of actions, including adultery and idolatry, with a focus on unfaithfulness, particularly in a figurative sense regarding one's relationship with God. The entries indicate that it can also refer to cult prostitution and moral defection, with various grammatical forms expressing different nuances of the term.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָנָה vb. commit fornication, be a harlot

Qal

be or act as a harlot

fig. of improper intercourse with foreign nations

of intercourse with other deities

of moral defection

Pu. fornication was not done (in going) after thee

Hiph.

cause to commit fornication

commit fornication

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2181 זָנָה commit fornication, be a harlot

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2181 zanah zaw-naw'

a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit

adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple

fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively,

to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the

spouse of Jehovah):--(cause to) commit fornication, X

continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be,

play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go

a-whoring, whorish.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָנָה (za.nah) — to fornicate.

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
and I said of the [woman] worn out adulteries now they will act as a prostitutes prostitution her and she
תַזְנוּתֶ֖הָtaz.nu.Te.ha prostitution her H8457 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
20× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
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.
Tyndale gloss
fornication
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תַּזְנוּת (taznuwth) refers to fornication or harlotry, and is derived from the root meaning to commit sexual immorality. It can also figuratively denote idolatry. The term appears in contexts related to both sexual and spiritual unfaithfulness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[תַּזְנוּת] n.f.abstr. fornication

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8457 תַּזְנוּת

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8457 taznuwth taz-nooth'

or taznuth {taz-nooth'}; from 2181; harlotry, i.e.

(figuratively) idolatry:--fornication, whoredom.

see HEBREW for 02181

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תַּזְנוּת (taz.nut) — fornication.

fornication, harlotry

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfsc/Sp3fs — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3fs
and I said of the [woman] worn out adulteries now they will act as a prostitutes prostitution her and she
וָהִֽיא׃va.Hi' and she H1931 Conjunction · pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
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.
Amplified meaning
her true nature, her identity
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronoun
HC/Pp3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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