Ezekiel 23

REVIEW QUESTIONS

Why does Ezekiel refer to Jerusalem as a bloody city?

How would the Jews come to be defiled of name?

What examples of lewdness in Jerusalem does Ezekiel cite?

What was the fundamental or root sin of Jerusalem?

Why is God said to smite His hand? (Ezekiel 22:13)

What positive effect would the exile have on the sinful nation?

How were Jerusalem’s prophets conspiring against God?

What charges does Ezekiel bring against the priests of his day?

What does it mean to stand in the breach?

Who were Oholah and Oholibah?

How was Oholibah more corrupt than her elder sister?

With what foreign powers did the two sisters commit harlotry?

Explain the parable of the cooking pot.

Why was Ezekiel forbidden to engage in public mourning at the death of his wife?

How does chapter 24 indicate the great love which Jews had for their Temple?

In what sense was Ezekiel’s dumbness terminated when the news of Jerusalem’s fall arrived?

Ezekiel 23:1-4

II. A SAD HISTORY 23:1-49

In chapter 23 Ezekiel vividly portrays the history of the sister kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Israel is represented here by Samaria, and Judah by Jerusalem. They are allegorically compared to two wicked sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, who were unfaithful to their lawful husband. Both sisters sought liaisons with strange men. So also Israel and Judah had committed spiritual adultery against God. Samaria had already been punished for her unfaithfulness. Judah had failed to learn from the experiences of her sister kingdom, and was headed for the same fate. Such is the overall import of Ezekiel 23.

A, Introduction of the Two Sisters 23:1-4

TRANSLATION

(1) And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of the same mother; (3) and they committed harlotry in Egypt; they committed harlotry in their youth; there were their breasts pressed, and there their virgin breasts were fondled. (4) And their names were Oholah the elder, and Oholibah her sister; and they became Mine, and bore sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

COMMENTS

The allegory begins with the introduction of the two women, daughters of one mother. The two women are identified in Ezekiel 23:4 as Samaria and Jerusalem. Both cities had their origins in the nation Israel (Ezekiel 23:2). The tribes of Judah (represented by Jerusalem) and Ephraim (represented by Samaria) had both experienced the Egyptian bondage. But even in that formative period of Israel’s history they had shown inclinations toward idolatry. Using the figure of sexual license the fondling of the breasts Ezekiel describes how God’s people lost their virgin chastity even before leaving Egypt (Ezekiel 23:3). Nonetheless, the Lord married the sisters and produced children by them. The covenant relationship between God and Israel is frequently depicted in terms of a marriage in the Old Testament. The names of the sisters are given in Ezekiel 23:4. Samaria is Oholah (she who has a tent) and Jerusalem is Oholibah (a tent is in her). Both cities were noted for their religious shrines (tents).

Ezekiel 23:5-10

B. Samaria’s Prostitution 23:5-10

TRANSLATION

(5) And Oholah committed harlotry under Me, and she threw herself on her lovers, on the Assyrians, warriors, (6) clothed with blue. governors and rulers, all of them handsome young men, horsemen riding on horses. (7) And she bestowed her harlotries upon them, the choicest men of Assyria all of them; and on whomsoever she threw herself, with all their idols she defiled herself. (8) And she did not forsake her Egyptian harlotries; for they lay with her in her youth, and they bruised her virgin breasts; and they poured out their lust upon her. (9) Therefore, I will give her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians upon whom she threw herself. (10) They uncovered her nakedness; they took her sons and daughters, and slew her with the sword, and she became a byword to women, for judgments were made against her.

COMMENTS

For the purposes of this allegory Samaria is called the elder sister because that city had experienced the judgment of God prior to Jerusalem. Oholah (Samaria) committed harlotry from under God, i.e., from under His control and authority as her lawful husband. She threw herself at various lovers among whom the Assyrians were most notable. The Assyrian warriors dressed in handsome uniforms and led by men of note attracted the inhabitants of Samaria[356] (Ezekiel 23:6). Israel plunged headlong into political alliance with Assyria, and willingly paid the price demanded of all allies, viz., homage to the Assyrian deities. Thus did Samaria defile herself with all their idols (Ezekiel 23:7).

[356] The first king of Israel to render tribute to Assyria was Jehu in 841 B.C. The Black Obelisk Of Shalmaneser depicts and describes the scene.

The corrupt Oholah (Samaria) did not forsake her earlier harlotries when she took up with the Assyrians. She had committed spiritual adultery in Egypt. She had prostituted herself before Egyptian idols, and throughout her history she had continued to engage in those pagan cultic practices (Ezekiel 23:8).

Because of her harlotries Oholah (Samaria) was delivered by God into the hands of her lovers, the Assyrians. What irony, to be destroyed by the nation which she counted on as ally a lover (Ezekiel 23:9). The Assyrians stripped Oholah ravished her land, removed her wealth. The sons and daughters of Samaria were carried away into captivity. Oholah herself was slain with the sword, i.e., Samaria was destroyed by military action. Oholah became a name a byword or warning to all other women (nations) who might contemplate unfaithfulness to the Lord. What happened to Samaria should have been a warning to Jerusalem (Ezekiel 23:10).

Ezekiel 23:11-21

C. Jerusalem’s Prostitution 23:11-21

TRANSLATION

(11) And her sister Oholibah saw this, and she became corrupt in her doting more than she, and in harlotries more than the harlotries of her sister. (12) She threw herself upon the Assyrians, governors and rulers, warriors, clothed handsomely, horsemen riding horses, all of them handsome young men. (13) And I saw that she was defiled; they both went the same way. (14) And she added to her harlotries; for she saw men depicted upon the wall, the images of Chaldeans depicted in red color, (15) girded with girdles upon their loins, with flowing turbans upon their heads, all of them with the appearance of captains, the likeness of the sons of Babylon, the Chaldeans, the land of their captivity. (16) And when she saw them she threw herself upon them, and sent messengers to them to Chaldea. (17) And the Babylonians came to her to the bed of love, and they defiled her with their harlotries; and she was defiled by them, and her soul was alienated from them. (18) So she uncovered her harlotries, and she uncovered her nakedness; then My soul was alienated from her as My soul was alienated from her sister. (19) Yet she multiplied her harlotries, remembering the days of her youth, when she played the harlot in the land of Egypt. (20) And she threw herself upon the idea of being their concubine, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose sexual potency is like that of horses. (21) And so you relived the lewdness of your youth when they from Egypt bruised your breasts for the breasts of your youth.

COMMENTS

Oholibah (Jerusalem) learned nothing from the experience of her elder sister. She became yet more corrupt, adopting the same policy of political and religious flirtation with foreign powers, but intensifying it (Ezekiel 23:11). She too fell for the Assyrians with their handsomely clad officers and warriors (Ezekiel 23:12; cf. Ezekiel 23:5-6). Whereas Judah derived much advantage from the alliance with Assyria,[357] from the religious point of view the association was disastrous. God saw immediately that Judah had defiled herself with the Mesopotamian practices. Both sisters Samaria and Jerusalem had pursued the same corrupt way (Ezekiel 23:13).

[357] The reference may be to King Ahaz’s appeal to Tiglathpileser for help (2 Kings 16:1).

The harlotries pagan practices of Jerusalem were more extensive than those of Samaria. Oholibah saw paintings depicting the glories of a people who lived beyond Assyria. Her lust for political liaison was kindled by the sight of the martial Chaldeans (Ezekiel 23:14) girded in native dress. The waist-belt and turban with dangling fillets was the garb which set the sons of Babylon apart as a distinct people in the ancient world (Ezekiel 23:15).

Oholibah (Jerusalem) was unable to resist the lure to associate with this strange and exotic people. She threw herself upon them by sending messengers there to negotiate the alliance (Ezekiel 23:16). The Babylonians were quick to take advantage of this thoughtless infatuation. They came to her into the bed of love, i.e., they entered eagerly into the alliance with Judah. The result was inevitable. Judah was further defiled by the Babylonian cults which were transplanted there. Eventually Judah felt revulsion at this alliance and tried several times unsuccessfully to disengage herself from this entanglement.[358]

[358] The reference is to efforts of Jehoiakim and later Zedekiah to free themselves from Babylonian domination.

Yet one step remained before Oholibah (Jerusalem) reached the depth of corruption. In the process of trying to pry herself loose from the clutches of Babylon, Oholibah had uncovered her nakedness in an effort to attract other lovers who might rescue her. Such degrading national conduct was revolting to God. He now felt toward Judah the same antagonism which He had felt towards Samaria over a century earlier. He was alienated from His people (Ezekiel 23:18).

Oholibah seemed undismayed at the knowledge revealed to her constantly by the prophets that she was alienating herself from God. She multiplied her harlotries. Recalling her ancient association with Egypt, she made overtures in that direction (Ezekiel 23:19). To break her ties to Babylon she threw hersei-‘j upon their concubinage, i.e., Judah was willing to become one of the numerous vassal states of Egypt. The harlot Oholibah was attracted by the sexual potency of Egypt which is likened to that of an ass or horse. Sexual potency here is a symbol for military power (Ezekiel 23:20). Egyptian customs and cults long forgotten were called to remembrance as Judah plunged headlong into spiritual harlotry and political alliance with their ancient enemy to the south (Ezekiel 23:21).

Ezekiel 23:22-35

D. The Punishment of Jerusalem 23:22-35

TRANSLATION

(22) Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold I am about to stir up your lovers against you, those from whom your soul is alienated, and I will bring them against you round about; (23) the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shea and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, handsome young men, governors and rulers all of them, captains and counselors, all of them riding upon horses. (24) And they shall come against you with hosts,[359] chariots, wheels, and with an assembly of peoples; with shield, buckler, and helmet they shall set themselves against you round about; and I will commit judgment to them, and they will judge you with their judgments. (25) And I will set My jealousy against You, and they shall deal with you in wrath; they shall remove your nose and your ears, and the rest of you shall fall with the sword; they shall take your sons and daughters, and the rest of you shall be consumed with fire. (26) And they shall strip off your garments, and lake away your fair jewels. (27) And I will cause your lewdness to cease from you, and your Egyptian harlotry, so that you will not lift up your eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more. (28) For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold I am about to give you into the hand of the one you hate, into the hand of the one from whom your soul is alienated; (29) and they shall deal with you in hatred, and they will take away all your labor, and they will leave you naked and bare; the nakedness of your harlotries shall be uncovered, both your lewdness and your harlotries. (30) These things shall be done to You because you have whored after nations, and because you were defiled by their idols. (31) You walked in the way of your sister; therefore, I will place her cup in your hand. (32) Thus says the Lord GOD: You will drink the cup of your sister which is deep and large; it shall be for scorn and derision; it is full to the uttermost. (33) You shall be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, the cup of your sister Samaria. (34) And you shall drink it, and drain it, and you shall gnaw its sherds, and you shall tear your breasts, for I have spoken (oracle of the Lord GOD). (35) Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have forgotten Me, and cast Me behind your back; therefore, bear also your lewdness and your harlotries.

[359] The word is of uncertain meaning.

COMMENTS

Gross infidelity must be punished. As time went on, Judah became alienated from her lovers and wished to be free of all foreign entanglements. But morally and spiritually the damage already had been done. Ironically, God would use Judah’s lovers as the instrument by which to punish His people (Ezekiel 23:22). The various racial and linguistic groups which made up the empire of Nebuchadnezzar[360] are named in Ezekiel 23:23. What a handsome sight that would be when those troops from far-off Mesopotamia armed to the teeth with the finest military equipment came against Jerusalem! God had commissioned those troops to execute His judgment upon Jerusalem, and they would fulfill that commission according to their judgment, i.e., in their own ruthless fashion (Ezekiel 23:24).

[360] Pekod, Shea, and Koa are now known to be races inhabiting the land east of the Tigris and bordering on Elam or Persia. See Fisch, SBB, p. 154.

Yahweh is a jealous God. He would not tolerate His people engaging in flirtations with other gods. God would set His jealousy against Judah, i.e., He would bring divine retribution upon them. The attacking forces would deal ruthlessly with Jerusalem. The nose and ears of the adulterous Oholibah would be removed. The reference is probably to be taken figuratively of the execution or deportation of the leading citizens of the nation.[361] Other citizens would fall by the sword or be taken as slaves. The houses and property of the city would be put to the torch (Ezekiel 23:25) after being plundered (Ezekiel 23:26). The fall of that nation and subsequent exile would cure the Jews of their lewdness, i.e., lust for idolatry. Pagan practices learned in Egypt would be abandoned and forgotten (Ezekiel 23:27). History records that God’s judgment of Jerusalem did have this purging and purifying effect.

[361] In ancient times disfigurement was inflicted on women caught in adultery.

The prophet further describes Jerusalem’s attackers and their destructive works in Ezekiel 23:28-30. The Jews would be delivered into the hand of their hated enemy, the Babylonians (Ezekiel 23:28). They would deal with the Jews in hatred. They would take away all the labor, i.e., fruit of the labors, of the Jerusalemites. The land would be stripped of all its wealth and left naked and bare. By the drastic extremes of the punishment the magnitude of the harlotries of Jerusalem, i.e., idolatrous sins, would be revealed (Ezekiel 23:29). Again the prophet pounds home his point that the judgment would fall upon Jerusalem because they had entered into alliances with foreign nations instead of trusting in the Lord; and they consequently had been corrupted by the practices of these nations (Ezekiel 23:30).

Oholibah (Jerusalem) had followed the example of her sister Oholah (Samaria). The bitter cup of divine judgment had been drunk by the Northern Kingdom in the days of the great Assyrian kings. Now that cup would pass into the hands of Judah (Ezekiel 23:31). That cup of judgment was deep and large and full to the brim with bitter brew. That cup would bring scorn and derision to Judah (Ezekiel 23:32) because the nation would manifest the characteristics of a drunken man (Ezekiel 23:33). The cup would be drained to the last drop, and the vessel itself chewed up so that the beverage which had soaked into the pottery could be consumed. In drunken madness the inebriated Oholibah would tear at her breasts in anguish. This figure conveys the thought that the complete measure of divine judgment must be endured. God had decreed the judgment (Ezekiel 23:34), because they had forgotten Him and cast Him behind their backs as they would a worthless object. They must suffer the consequences of their spiritual indiscretion (Ezekiel 23:35).

Ezekiel 23:36-49

E. Further Indictment of the Two Sisters 23:36-49

TRANSLATION

(36) And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations. (37) For they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands, and with their idols they have committed adultery; and also their sons whom they bore to Me they offered up to them to be devoured. (38) This also they have done unto Me: they have defiled My sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned My sabbaths. (39) For when they had slain their sons to their idols, then they came unto My sanctuary the same day to profane it; and, behold, thus they did in the midst of My house. (40) And furthermore you have sent for men that come from afar; to whom a messenger was sent, and behold they came; for whom you washed, painted your eyes, and you decked yourself with ornaments; (41) and you sat upon a stately bed, with a table arranged before it, upon which you set My incense and My oil. (42) And the voice of a multitude at ease was in it; and with men of the common sort were brought drunkards from the wilderness, and they put bracelets upon their hands and beautiful crowns upon their heads. (43) Then I said to her worn out by adulteries: Still they commit harlotries with her, even her. (44) For one went in unto her as one goes unto a harlot; so they went in unto Oholah and unto Oholibah, the lewd women. (45) But righteous men, they shall judge them with the judgment of women who commit adultery, and with the judgment of those who shed blood; for they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands. (46) For thus says the Lord GOD: An assembly shall be brought up against them, and they shall be made a horror and a spoil. (47) And the assembly shall stone them with stones, and they shall be cut down by their swords; their sons and their daughters they shall slay, and burn their houses. (48) And I will cause lewdness to cease from the land, that all the women might be taught that they might not do according to your lewdness. (49) And your lewdness shall be placed upon you, and you shall bear the sins of your idols; and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

COMMENTS

Judah actively pursued idolatry. Messengers were sent to far places to invite idolaters to come and teach them pagan rites. Like a harlot attempting to lure men into her house, Judah prepared for her lovers. She washed herself, put make-up about her eyes, bedecked herself with ornaments (Ezekiel 23:40), and then sat on a beautiful bed or couch[362] at a sumptuous table. It was the custom at meals to burn incense and to rub oneself with scented oils after the meal. The adulterous Judah took the luxuries which God had bestowed on her and used those luxuries to advance the cause of idolatry (Ezekiel 23:41). Sounds of careless revelry were heard in Jerusalem. Thus were alliances formed with various nations, even with common men and drunkards from the wilderness, i.e., men of the most degraded type. With bracelets and crowns Oholibah sought to attract these worthless neighbors (Ezekiel 23:42).

[362] The allusion is to the ancient custom of reclining on couches during a meal.

To correctly judge the guilty sisters, Ezekiel must declare to them the abominations which they had committed (Ezekiel 23:36). What a record! Adultery both literal and spiritual, bloodshed, idolatry! Children who had been committed to God in the rite of circumcision were later set apart to be devoured by (i.e., sacrificed to) the god Molech (Ezekiel 23:37). Such gross pagan rites were deliberately scheduled for a sabbath day (Ezekiel 23:38). Human sacrifice at the high place of Molech was followed by a trip to the Temple of the Lord. Was this brazen hypocrisy, or evidence of seared conscience? In either case, their presence in the Temple was an affront to God (Ezekiel 23:39).

The two nations never seemed to tire of this profligacy. They persisted in their imported idolatries (Ezekiel 23:43). The immoral sisters had relations with any idolatrous cult which made any effort to enter the country. Oholah and Oholibah became like a harlot who is indiscriminate in her immoral conduct (Ezekiel 23:44). Compared to Jerusalem and Samaria, the Babylonians and Assyrians were righteous men. These righteous men were God’s appointed judges over the adulterous sisters. Oholah and Oholibah were adulteresses and murderesses and were to be judged accordingly. The blood which stained the hands of the sisters was mainly that of innocent children slain in pagan rites (Ezekiel 23:45).

God was about to bring a great assembly of nations against Jerusalem. The holy city would be treated so mercilessly that it would become an object of horror and spoilation (Ezekiel 23:46). As under the Law of Moses, the adulteress (Jerusalem) would be stoned (cf. Deuteronomy 13:10). The sons and daughters of Jerusalem would be thrust through with swords, and the houses of the city would be burned (Ezekiel 23:47). This drastic action would bring an end to national lewdness (idolatry). Other women (surrounding nations) would take warning from the fate of Oholibah (Ezekiel 23:48) when Jerusalem received the recompense for her idolatrous harlotry (Ezekiel 23:49).