Ezekiel 23

Chap. XXIII. Ver. 1—49. Evil example destructive.—“Those who first seduce others into wickedness will have a dreadful account to render: for when the fence of modesty, fear, and conscience, are broken down, and habits of sinful indulgence are contracted, it is extremely difficult to reclaim the offenders. Evil habits, conversation, and connexions, so pollute the memory, the imagination, and the affections, and so weaken the authority of reason and conscience over the animal inclinations and corrupt propensities of our fallen nature, that, even after apparent reformation, the offenders are very prone to relapse into their former practices. Every object tends to bring them to remembrance, associated with the idea of pleasure, and separated from the recollection of the painful consequences; and thus they are again tempted to return to them.

When sinful imaginations are indulged, and former scenes of vice reviewed with delight, there can be no true repentance or change of heart; for true penitents reflect, with loathing and remorse on the iniquities of their former years. Whilst our ears and minds are wounded with the mention of the practices of those, who ‘work all uncleanness with greediness;’ we are not generally aware, that these abominations have in them less turpitude, than our ingratitude to God, and rebellion and enmity against him; except as they partake of that criminality in common with more decent transgressions.—If we would not be polluted with wickedness, we must avert our eyes from it and close our senses against those objects which excite sin, prefer worldly connexions, fashions and maxims, to the worship and service of God, and the company of his people: and an intercourse with polished, but irreligious nations, always occasions an increase of vanity and iniquity.

That love, which is cemented by concurrence in sin, generally terminates in disgust, contempt, and enmity, and God commonly employs tempters to punish those who listen to them. When sinners do not take warning by the punishment of others; they will be made warnings themselves, to teach men not to copy their crimes.—Contempt, astonishment, desolation, rage, and despair, will be the portion of the cup of all who forget God, turn their backs on him, and refuse to return: but they, who are his people, God hates, venture to go into his sanctuary and profane his ordinances, to compromise for their crimes, or cloak them. If the grace of God do not change men’s hearts, old age will not cure them of the love of sin: nay, the filthiness of the heart often seems to increase with the decays of nature; and worn out debauchees, like rotten wood, become more inflammable when ready to moulder into dust.

How dreadful must it be for men to enter the eternal world in such a temper of soul, and with such vile affections!—Unrepented, unmortified, unpardoned sin must end in the destruction of body and soul, in time and to eternity: families, churches, and nations are ruined by it continually: and all righteous men and holy angels, yea, the whole assembled world will applaud the sentence, which at the last day the Judge shall pronounce against the workers of iniquity.”—7". Scott.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XXIII. Ver. 2. Two women.—The idolatries of Samaria and Jerusalem are here compared to the lewd practices of two common harlots, who were sisters, and rivalled each other in wickedness. The allegory is similar to that of Chap. xvi. Ver. 3. In Egypt.—See (Ezekiel 20:8).: Ver. 4. Names of them.—[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.

—Bagster.— Aholah—That is, “Her tent.”—Aholibah, “My tent is in her.”—had a tabernacle of her own; but God pitched his tabernacle in [Jerusalem]. Ver. 5. When she was mine—That is, before she set up a separate form of worship. [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.]—Bagster. Ver. 8. Lay with her—This is to be taken allegorically, in reference to their [idolatrous alliances]. Ver. 10. Famous.—Famous was used by our translators in the sense of notorious or celebrated, whether in a good or bad sense. Ver. 14. Portrayed upon the wall.—Maurice says, this exactly answers to the manner in which their idols were painted and decorated; and so the Brahmins of India dress themselves and their idols to the same day.

Ind. Antiq. Ver. 15. In dyed attire, &c.—This alludes to their beautiful and flowing turbans.—Princes to look to.—(That is, “princes in appearance;” which seem to have been the deified men 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.)—Bagster. Ver. 20. As of asses…. horses—That is, very hardy and very lustful. Ver. 22. Thy lovers, &c.—This refers to the Chaldeans, whom she had offended by her rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar. Ver. 23. Pekod and Shoa—Names of places.

See (Jeremiah 1:21).—All the Assyrians.—The Assyrians were now under the Babylonians, and served in their armies.—Newcome. Ver. 24. With chariots, wagons, and wheels.—Newcome, “With scythed cars, chariots, and (wheel) carriages.” So Boothroyd. Cars with scythes attached to their wheels, used as terrible instruments of destruction in war, before the invention of gunpowder. Ver. 25. Take away thy nose and thine ears.—[This refers to the severe vengeance which enraged husbands usually 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 common among the Chaldeans and Persians, and other nations.

To this Martial refers: “Who persuaded you to cut off the adulterer’s nose.”]—Bagster. Jerome mentions this as a common punishment of adulterers. Ver. 27. Not lift thine eyes.—These severe judgments shall mean you from idolatry, and make you abhor the least appearance of 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, society, 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 2414 years! Ver. 34. Thou shalt even drink, &c.—This is very strong language, and intimates, after drinking from the cup, that she should break the cup, and tear her breasts with its fragments.

Ver. 37. To devour them.—By this it appears that, though passing through the fire might be often no more than an idolatrous ceremony, in other cases it was fatal. Compare expos. of (2 Kings 16), and note on (Ezekiel 16:21). Ver. 40. Paintedst thine eyes.—(Kachalt aineycha, rendered by the LXX. “thou didst paint thine eyes with stibium,” and Vulgate, “thou didst paint round thine eyes with stibium,” or lead ore; whence it is called in Arabic Kochi, and in Syriac kecholo, and koochlo. See note on (2 Kings 9:30).)—B. See (Isaiah 3:16). Ver. 41. A stately bed.—“Honourable,” or “glorious.”—Prepared—for an idolatrous feast. Ver. 42. Voice of a multitude.—(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.

—Bagster.—Men of the common sort.—Heb. “Of the multitude of men;” that is, of the lower classes.—Sabeans from the wilderness, or desert: which put bracelets, &c.—That is, which wore coronets and Ver. 45. Righteous men.—(The Chaldeans, so called, because appointed by God to execute his judgments on these criminals.)—Bagster. Ver. 47. Stone them with stones.—This was a Jewish punishment, (John 8:5).—Despatch them with swords.—See (Ezekiel 16:40).