Ezekiel 23

Under the names of the two women, Ohola and Oholiba God describeth at large the whoredoms and adulterous of Samaria and Jerusalem or Israel and Juda verse1,2c. Also 36 for which cause this unsatiable were to be sentenced and dealt with according to the ustice therein required 22c.also verse 45,c.]

1. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying:

2. Child of man there were two women the daughters of one mother [meaning Juda and the ten tribes both descendeth from Israel Jerem 3,8,7.10 and above chap 16.44,45 .]

3. These commited whoredom that is commited idolatry see Levit 7.7 and above chap 20.8 and below verse8.19c.] in Egypt they commited whoredomin their youth [wheni shall first took them for mine own people see Jerem 2.2 Hosea 2:2 with the annotate] there were their breast pressed and there were the teats of their viginity felt [or handled Heb they handled or felt that they did it it as done their idolatrous practices are thus shadowed so below verse 8 c. others spoled and bruised.

4. Now their names [meaning figurative or borrowed names] were Ohala [that is their tent or terbanacle so God calleth the ten tribes and Samaria (their chief city, Isaiah 7:9. as followeth) because they had separated themselves from Juda, the temple and the true worship of God, and had set up a worship of their devising. See 1 Kings 12:16, 28, 29. c.] in greatest, [so are the ten tribes called by reason of their power and respect] and Oholiba [that is, my Tent (is) in, or among them. So God called Jerusalem and Juda, because his Temple and worship were there, which he had ordained himself] her sister: and they became mine, or had married them, and had made a matrimonial covenant with them. See above chapter 16.8,22. for God giveth them these names from that which happened during the time of the marriage, while that lasted] and sons and daughters: these were their names; [Meaning proper, and no fihurative names] Samaria is Ohola and Jerusalemoholiba.

5. Now Ohola played the harlot, being under me [That is, though she was my married wife, and, was under my subjection, yet she proved unfaithful unto me, and kept company with others, instead of me; as the Hebrew word may be also rendred, but not without such filling up of the sense] and she doted on her suiters, [the heathenish nations, with whom sha entred into covenant, and embraced their idols. See verse 7, 30, c.] on the Assyrians [Heb. Assur] that were near: [see 2 Kings 15:19 and Isaiah 7:8, 17, 18. Hosea 8:9, 10, c.]

6. Clothed with skie-colour, princes and Rulers, all of thm desirable young men: [Heb. Young men of desire, or wish; that is, desirable, wished for, and consequently pleasant, gracious young men. So verse 12, 13.] horsemen riding upon horses.

7. Thus she committed her whoredome with them, [Heb. Properly she gave, or delivered her whoredomes to them, that is, she behaved herself as a bold impudent strumpet] which were all the choise of the children of Assur: [That is, Assyrians. See above chapter. 16.26. so verse 23 and children of Babel, verse 15,23] and with all on whom she doted, with all their dung-gods she defiled herself. [or, the words being a little transported, thus: and she defiled herself with all their dung-gods, and with all on she doted.

8. Neither left sha her (whoredomes brought) from Egypt: [as above verse 3. this may be specially understood of the idolatry of the golden caves, first set up in the wilderness, and after at Dan and Bethel; and the covenants made Egypt. See 2 Kings 17:4.] for they had layen with her in her youth, and had felt the tears of her virginity; [as above verse 3.] and they had poured out their whoredome upon her.

9. Therefore I delivered her unto the hand of her sisters, into the hand of the children of Assur, [see 2 Kings chapter 17 and 18.] upon whom she doted.[And yet afterwards fell off from them, 2 Kings 17:4.]

10. These discovered her shame, [she above chap.16.37.] and they took away her sons and her daughters, but they slew her with a sword: [that is, they slew the most principal of the people with the sword. Compare below verse 25.] and she got a name women, [that is, she became famous, as a special example and spectacle of God’s righteous judgement among all nations, as followeth] after they had exercised judgements upon her. [That is, had punished her for her disloyalty committed against God, and her consederates]

11. When her sister Oholiba [Jerusalem and Juda, above verse 4] saw (this), then she corrupted her love yet them she, [she did worse then Ohola, that is, thenthe tribes, not taking warning by her example. Compare this with Jeremiah 3:8, 9, 10, 11. And above chapter 16.47, 51.] And her whoredoms more then the whoredoms of her sister.

12. She doted upon the children of Assur, [see above chapter 18.28.] the princes and rulers that were near, [as above verse 5.] clothed with perfect ornament [Heb. With perfection; to wit, of ornament] horsemen riding upon horses: all of them desirable young men. [As above verse 6]

13. Then I saw that she was defiled; they had both one manner of way. [Juda took the same course that Israel had done. See Genes. 6 on verse 12. and below verse 31.]

14. Yea sha added yet unto her whoredoms: for when she saw men pourtrayed [Heb. Men of pourtaied, or pictured, printed, engraven things. See above chapter 8.10.] upon the wall, [to wit, in her own country; as the outlandish pictures, especially of proud nations, are wont to be every where carried about and pourtraied to satisfie the curiousity & pride of many men] the images of the Chaldeans pictured with vermilion, [see Jer. 22. on verse 14.]

15. Girded with a girdle upon their loins, having abundantly died (hats) [or (hats) died abundantly; or, much hanging down, waving up and down] upon their heads, which were all of them captains to look to (after) the likeness of the children of Babel of Chaldea the land their nativity. [from whence they were carried into Juda, or at least pourtraied or pictured after the habit that was worn in Babel]

16. Then she grew enamoured them [as immodest women are inflamed with and upon strange gay pictures, s was Judea enamoured with the pictures of the Chaldeans. See a beginning and spake of this, 2 Kings 20:12,13, c. above 16.29.] with the looking on of her eyes: [that is, as soon as she lookt upon them with her eyes, she was inflamed with an heathenish carnal idolatrous love towards thm] and she sent messengers unto them into Chaldea.

17. Now the children of Babel came to her in the bed of love, [That is, to lie with her; that is, to make a covenant with her] and defiled her with their whoredom: she also defiled her self with them after that her soul was drawn away from them [or turned away, separated herself, went away from them (the nature of the unchat woman) so verse 18.22, 28. she enstrangled her self from the Chaldeans, and departed from them, lusting after Egypt, verse 21.]

18. Thus she hath discovered whoredome, and discovered her shame: then my soul was drawn off from her, as my soul was drawn off from her sister. [Israel, or the ten tribes, called above Ohola]

19. Yet sh multiplied her whoredoms, remembering the dates of her youth, when [Or wherein, or how] she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt, [as above verse 3]

20. And she grew enanoured more then their concubins, [that is, th concubines of the Egyptians: the behavd her self much more immediately and more foolishly then other nations did that of time had been united with Egypt. Some understand here the Babylonians and Chaldeans] whose flesh is (as) the flesh asses, [to wit, the Egyptians flesh was such. (see above chapter 16.26.) who were exceeding bnt and inclined to corporal and spiritual whoredome] and whse issue is (like) th issue of horses. [or stone horses]

21. Thus thou hast fetcht up again [Heb. Visited: which word in our languageis sometimes also used in the same signification when speake of visiting, trying, examining this or that thing again]the lewd fact of thy youth :when those of those of Egypt felt thy teats ,because of the paps of thy youth .

22. Therefore O Oholiba ,thus saith the Lord LORD behold ,I will raise up thy suiters [see above chap .16.37.]against thee ,from whom thy soul is drawn off :[meaning from the Chaldeans as above verse 17.]and I will bring them against thee from round about;

23. The children of Babel and all the Chaldeans ,Pekod,and Son,and Koa ,[these are names of lands or countries belonging to Babel and whose inhabitants were like wise used in the army of Babylonians against Judea and Jerusalem compare further Jerem 50.21 with the annotate some conceive them to be names of princes and captains of war]and all the children of Assur with them desirable young men which are all princes and rulers captains and renowned which all ride horse back .

24. they shall come against thee with carts [or charets ,fighting charet ,and following words riding wagons]wagons nd wheels and with an assembly of nations bucklers and shields and helmets [In the Hebrew these words are all used in the singular number ,cart,wagon ,wheels,bucklers,shields ,helmetsaccording to the the use of thr language]they shall set themselves round about against thee [that is besieged thee] and I will set judgement before their faces [that is I will lay the law open before them ,which they shll use against thee, I will use them an executioners of my udgements upon thee I will so order and govern them that they shall give thee thy deserved reward]and they shall jdge thee according to thir judgements [or way manner custome so as they are wont to punish rebels,perjured persons ,and adulteresses see thereof the sequel .]

25. And I will set my jealousie [my utmost nd just vengeance for thy disloyalty committed against me] against thee ,that they shall deal in fury with thee;they shall take off thy nose ;and thine ears [or take away c that is cut them off ;as the Egyptians were wont to do unto adulteresses :whereby is further meant all manner of cruelty that the enemies should shew to her]and the last of thee [that is the last of thee that rememeth ,thy remnant]shall fall by the sword [others thy last shall be that thou shalt fall by the sword that isthy end or at last thou shalt c so in the sequel]they shall take away thy sons and thy daughter and the last of thee shall be consumed by the fire .

26. They shall also strip thee thy clothes and shall take away thy ornament instruments .

27. Thus I will make thy lewdness to cease from thee [compare above chap 22.15.] together with thy whoredom brought from the land of Egyprt and thou shalt lift up thine eyes unto them [to wit the Egyptians]nor remember Egypt anymore .

28. For thus saith the Lord LORD behold I will deliver thee into the land of them whom thou hatest into into the hand of them from whom thy soul is drawn off.

29. they shall deal ith thee out the hatred ,and take away all thy labour [that is all thou hast gotten by ty labour all thy estate]and leave thee naked and bare ,that thy harlotry may be discovered together with thy lewdness and whoredom .

30. These things shall be done unto thee [or will I do unto thee or shall they do unto thee because the Hebrew word here as elsehere is put without limitation of person] because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen ,and necause thou hast defild thy self beore thir dung -gods .

31. thou hast walked in the way of thy sister :[as above verse 13.] therefore will I give her a cup into thine Hand [To wit, the cup of my wrath whereof she hath drunken. That is, I will punish thee with like punishment because thou hast committed like sins. See Psalms 11 on verse 6 and Job 21 on verse 20. Jeremiah 25:15, c.]

32. Thus saith the Lord LORD, thou shalt drink thy sister’s cup which is deep and large: thou shalt become a laughing stock and a mocking; [as those that have drunk themselves drunk are wont be] (the cup) containeth much. [Heb. is much in containing, or to contain; that is, much drink may go into it, as we use to say.

33. Thou shalt be fall of drunkenness and misery: [the word misery or sorrow serveth for exposition: as if God should say, thou shalt be drunken and fall, but it shall be with sorrow and misery] the cup of thy sister Samaria is a cup of desolation and of solitariness [others, of or with the cup, c (which), c.]

34. Thou shalt drink it, and suck (it) out, and thou shall break the sherds thereof to shivers, [As drunken men in their ager and madness break the drinking vessels in pieces, so shalt thou find thy self exceedingly vexed at my judgements] and thou shalt pluck of thine (own) breasts: [with which thou hast exercised spiritual whoredom. That is, thou shalt loath thy self because of thy sins, by feeling of the fear-full punishments that shall come upon thee for the same] for I have spoketh, saith the Lord LORD.

35. Therefore thus saith the Lord LORD, because thou hast forgotten me and cast me behind thy back [see 1 King 14 on verse 9] therefore thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. [That is, the punishment thereof. So below verse 49.]

36. And the LORD saith unto me, child of man, shouldeth give judgement [see above chapter 20 on verse 4 and 22.2] to Ohola and to Oholiba? [see above verse 4.] yea shew them their abominations.

37. For they have committed adultery, and there is blood in their hands, [Especially the blood of their own children. See above chapter 16.36 and below verse 45.] and they have committed adultery with their dung-Gods: moreover they have caused their children whom they had born unto me, [as being Abraham’s seed, and in covenant with me, likewise born whiles my marriage with them yet lasted. See above chapter 16 on verse 20.] To pass before them (through the fire) [see above chapter 6.20,21,36,45 with the Annotat. Likewise chapter 20.31 for meat, [to wit, of the fire; that is, to be consumed by the fire. Compare above chapter 16.20 and 21.32. with the Annotat.]

38. Yet thy have done this uniform: [Or against me] they have defiled my sanctuary [others my sanctuaries: that is, the temple wherein was the holy place and the holy of holies] in the same day and prophaned my Sabbaths.

39. For when they had slain to their dung-gods, [Or throated the, cut (their) throats, to, to the honour of their idols. See above chapter 16.20,35. With the Annotat. Also Isaiah 57:5.] then they came the same day into my sanctuary [as if (forsooth) they were willing to tender ye some service and honour unto me. Compare 2 Kings 21:4,5. Jeremiah 7:9,10 and 11.15 and above chapter 8.3,6 and below chapter 43.8] to prophane it: and lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house. [see 2 Kings 21:4,c]

40. This is also (to be added) they sent unto me to come from far: [to make unlawful covenants with heathenish nations, for the alluring and entertaining, of whom God relateth in the words of the following, that they used the likes tricks, devices and practices as cunning base thumpers are wont to do. Compare Proverbs 7:16,17, c. unto whom when a messenger was sent, lo then they came from whom thou didst wast thy self, paintedth thine eyes, and adornedth thy self with ornaments.

41. And thou satest upon a glorious bed, before which a table was prepared, and mine oil. [Which I had given thee, wherewith I as thy lawful husband had adowed and adorned thee, and which thou oughtest to have used to mine and glory. Compare Hosea 2:8,9 and above chapter 16.16,17,18,19.]

42. Now when the noise of the multitude was quiet upon it. [to wit, upon the aforesaid bed, that is, when these sisters had dispatched their covenant-affairrs with those great outlandish Lords, then (they sent) to wit, Ohola and Oholiba sent. This is here inserted to fill up the sense from verse 40] unto men of multitude of men, [that is, of the common people or of the meaner fort of them] (and) there were wine-ibers brought from the wilderness: [or drunkards, drunken men, c. others, Sabeans, c. because the Hebrew word was signifie both because there is likewise mention made in the wilderness so hereby may be understood all the rubble of vile and base nations, such as were the Sabeans (of whom see Job 1 verse 15) Arabians, Moors, c. (being also given to drinking and swilling) towards whom these adulterous sisters did likewise carry themselves lie vile base strumpers. Others, and in them (namely Juda and Israel was a voice of a merry company, (that is, there were heard mirth and joy (as is usual in flaws and brothelhouses) for the heathenish covenants, and with the multitude, or because of the multitude of men (that is, of the common fort of people) were brought Sabean, c.] they put arm-rings [or arm-wels, bracelets] upon their hands, [to wit, upon the hands of the harlots] and a beautiful crown [Heb. C own of ornament] upon their heads.

43. And I said [that is, I thought; spoken of God after the manner of men, to express the unbridled wickedness of the people whereof in the sequel] of this that was grown old (in) adulteries: [or worn out, &c. this may be applied unto Ohola, as whose whoredome began even under the reign of Joroboam, after the death of Solomon: or of Oholib, who continued longest in her own country or of both together. O here, and I told this old one of (he) adulteries, that is, I reproved her for them by my prophets, but it was to no purpose, as followeth] now will they whore the wheredome of this (whore) and that (also) [or and (also) of the other. It will begin again. Or others, it will once cease with them both. Now, c. as if the Lord should have said, now it seemeth that notwithstanding her old age, her wheredome will begin again anew. Others, now will they whore out the wheredoms of this (whore) and she (also) herself. That is, now will they surely once grow weary and cease as well those that come abroad to commit fornication with these harlots, as these harlots themselves: but no, the contrary hath appeared. Others (in that) they commit wheredome sometimes with this and sometimes with that (harlot). These words because of their brevity are diversly rendered]

44. And they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that is an harlot: so they went in unto Ohola and unto Oholiba, those lewd women. [Heb. women of lewdness]

45. Righteous man, thy sall judge [or,condemn] them [this may be generally taken, as if the Lord should have said; all honest righteous man shall be made to condemn these harlots. Or it may be applied to the Assyrians and Babylonians, who are called righteous, because they were the executioners of God’s Justice Israel and Juda and had just cause for it, by reason of their perjury and rebellion. See the next verse] (according to) the judgement of adulteresses, and according to the judgement of blood shredders: [see above chapter 16 on verse 28] for they are adulteresses, and is in their hand. [As above ver. 37.]

46. For thus saith the Lord LORD, I will [or one shall, they shall, as above chapter 16.40.] cause an assembly to come up against them, and will give them up for a commotion, and for a prey.

47. And the assembly shall stone them with stones, and cut them down with their swords: they shall stay their sons and their daughter, and their houses with fire.

48. Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land: that all women may be instructed not to do after your lewdness.

49. Thus shall they lay your lewdness upon you, [that is, upon your head, recompensing and punishing you according to your deserts] and ye shall hear bear the sins of your dung-gods: [that is, the punishments of your sins committed with your dung-gods, as above verse 35.] and ye shall know that I am the Lord LORD.