1The wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 came again unto me, sayingH559, 2SonH1121 of manH120, there were twoH8147 womenH802, the daughtersH1323 of oneH259 motherH517: 3And they committed whoredomsH2181 in EgyptH4714; they committed whoredomsH2181 in their youthH5271: there were their breastsH7699 pressedH4600, and there they bruisedH6213 the teatsH1717 of their virginityH1331. 4And the namesH8034 of them were AholahH170 the elderH1419, and AholibahH172 her sisterH269: and they were mine, and they bareH3205 sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323. Thus were their namesH8034; SamariaH8111 is AholahH170, and JerusalemH3389 AholibahH172. 5And AholahH170 played the harlotH2181 when she was mineH8478; and she dotedH5689 on her loversH157, on the AssyriansH804 her neighboursH7138, 6Which were clothedH3847 with blueH8504, captainsH6346 and rulersH5461, all of them desirableH2531 young menH970, horsemenH6571 ridingH7392 upon horsesH5483. 7Thus she committedH5414 her whoredomsH8457 with them, with all them that were the chosenH4005 menH1121 of AssyriaH804, and with all on whom she dotedH5689 : with all their idolsH1544 she defiledH2930 herself. 8Neither leftH5800 she her whoredomsH8457 brought from EgyptH4714: for in her youthH5271 they layH7901 with her, and they bruisedH6213 the breastsH1717 of her virginityH1331, and pouredH8210 their whoredomH8457 upon her. 9Wherefore I have deliveredH5414 her into the handH3027 of her loversH157, into the handH3027 of the AssyriansH1121 H804, upon whom she dotedH5689 . 10These discoveredH1540 her nakednessH6172: they tookH3947 her sonsH1121 and her daughtersH1323, and slewH2026 her with the swordH2719: and she became famousH8034 among womenH802; for they had executedH6213 judgmentH8196 upon her. 11And when her sisterH269 AholibahH172 sawH7200 this, she was more corruptH7843 in her inordinate loveH5691 than she, and in her whoredomsH8457 more than her sisterH269 in her whoredomsH2183. 12She dotedH5689 upon the AssyriansH1121 H804 her neighboursH7138, captainsH6346 and rulersH5461 clothedH3847 most gorgeouslyH4358, horsemenH6571 ridingH7392 upon horsesH5483, all of them desirableH2531 young menH970. 13Then I sawH7200 that she was defiledH2930, that they took bothH8147 oneH259 wayH1870, 14And that she increasedH3254 her whoredomsH8457: for when she sawH7200 menH582 pourtrayedH2707 upon the wallH7023, the imagesH6754 of the ChaldeansH3778 pourtrayedH2710 with vermilionH8350, 15GirdedH2289 with girdlesH232 upon their loinsH4975, exceedingH5628 in dyed attireH2871 upon their headsH7218, all of them princesH7991 to look toH4758, after the mannerH1823 of the BabyloniansH1121 H894 of ChaldeaH3778, the landH776 of their nativityH4138: 16And as soon as she sawH4758 them with her eyesH5869, she dotedH5689 upon them, and sentH7971 messengersH4397 unto them into ChaldeaH3778. 17And the BabyloniansH1121 H894 cameH935 to her into the bedH4904 of loveH1730, and they defiledH2930 her with their whoredomH8457, and she was pollutedH2930 with them, and her mindH5315 was alienatedH3363 from them. 18So she discoveredH1540 her whoredomsH8457, and discoveredH1540 her nakednessH6172: then my mindH5315 was alienatedH3363 from her, like as my mindH5315 was alienatedH5361 from her sisterH269. 19Yet she multipliedH7235 her whoredomsH8457, in calling to remembranceH2142 the daysH3117 of her youthH5271, wherein she had played the harlotH2181 in the landH776 of EgyptH4714. 20For she dotedH5689 upon their paramoursH6370, whose fleshH1320 is as the fleshH1320 of assesH2543, and whose issueH2231 is like the issueH2231 of horsesH5483. 21Thus thou calledst to remembranceH6485 the lewdnessH2154 of thy youthH5271, in bruisingH6213 thy teatsH1717 by the EgyptiansH4714 for the papsH7699 of thy youthH5271. 22Therefore, O AholibahH172, thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; Behold, I will raise upH5782 thy loversH157 against thee, from whom thy mindH5315 is alienatedH5361, and I will bringH935 them against thee on every sideH5439; 23The BabyloniansH1121 H894, and all the ChaldeansH3778, PekodH6489, and ShoaH7772, and KoaH6970, and all the AssyriansH1121 H804 with them: all of them desirableH2531 young menH970, captainsH6346 and rulersH5461, great lordsH7991 and renownedH7121, all of them ridingH7392 upon horsesH5483. 24And they shall comeH935 against thee with chariotsH2021, wagonsH7393, and wheelsH1534, and with an assemblyH6951 of peopleH5971, which shall setH7760 against thee bucklerH6793 and shieldH4043 and helmetH6959 round aboutH5439: and I will setH5414 judgmentH4941 beforeH6440 them, and they shall judgeH8199 thee according to their judgmentsH4941. 25And I will setH5414 my jealousyH7068 against thee, and they shall dealH6213 furiouslyH2534 with thee: they shall take awayH5493 thy noseH639 and thine earsH241; and thy remnantH319 shall fallH5307 by the swordH2719: they shall takeH3947 thy sonsH1121 and thy daughtersH1323; and thy residueH319 shall be devouredH398 by the fireH784. 26They shall also stripH6584 thee out of thy clothesH899, and take awayH3947 thy fairH8597 jewelsH3627. 27Thus will I make thy lewdnessH2154 to ceaseH7673 from thee, and thy whoredomH2184 brought from the landH776 of EgyptH4714: so that thou shalt not lift upH5375 thine eyesH5869 unto them, nor rememberH2142 EgyptH4714 any more. 28For thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; Behold, I will deliverH5414 thee into the handH3027 of them whom thou hatestH8130, into the handH3027 of them from whom thy mindH5315 is alienatedH5361 : 29And they shall dealH6213 with thee hatefullyH8135, and shall take awayH3947 all thy labourH3018, and shall leaveH5800 thee nakedH5903 and bareH6181: and the nakednessH6172 of thy whoredomsH2183 shall be discoveredH1540, both thy lewdnessH2154 and thy whoredomsH8457. 30I will doH6213 these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoringH2181 afterH310 the heathenH1471, and because thou art pollutedH2930 with their idolsH1544. 31Thou hast walkedH1980 in the wayH1870 of thy sisterH269; therefore will I giveH5414 her cupH3563 into thine handH3027. 32Thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; Thou shalt drinkH8354 of thy sister'sH269 cupH3563 deepH6013 and largeH7342: thou shalt be laughed to scornH6712 and had in derisionH3933; it containethH3557 muchH4767. 33Thou shalt be filledH4390 with drunkennessH7943 and sorrowH3015, with the cupH3563 of astonishmentH8047 and desolationH8077, with the cupH3563 of thy sisterH269 SamariaH8111. 34Thou shalt even drinkH8354 it and suck it outH4680, and thou shalt breakH1633 the sherdsH2789 thereof, and pluck offH5423 thine own breastsH7699: for I have spokenH1696 it, saithH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069. 35Therefore thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; Because thou hast forgottenH7911 me, and castH7993 me behindH310 thy backH1458, therefore bearH5375 thou also thy lewdnessH2154 and thy whoredomsH8457. 36The LORDH3068 saidH559 moreover unto me; SonH1121 of manH120, wilt thou judgeH8199 AholahH170 and AholibahH172? yea, declareH5046 unto them their abominationsH8441; 37That they have committed adulteryH5003, and bloodH1818 is in their handsH3027, and with their idolsH1544 have they committed adulteryH5003, and have also caused their sonsH1121, whom they bareH3205 unto me, to pass for them throughH5674 the fire, to devourH402 them. 38Moreover this they have doneH6213 unto me: they have defiledH2930 my sanctuaryH4720 in the same dayH3117, and have profanedH2490 my sabbathsH7676. 39For when they had slainH7819 their childrenH1121 to their idolsH1544, then they cameH935 the same dayH3117 into my sanctuaryH4720 to profaneH2490 it; and, lo, thus have they doneH6213 in the midstH8432 of mine houseH1004. 40And furthermoreH637, that ye have sentH7971 for menH582 to comeH935 from farH4801, unto whom a messengerH4397 was sentH7971 ; and, lo, they cameH935 : for whom thou didst washH7364 thyself, paintedstH3583 thy eyesH5869, and deckedstH5710 thyself with ornamentsH5716, 41And satestH3427 upon a statelyH3520 bedH4296, and a tableH7979 preparedH6186 beforeH6440 it, whereupon thou hast setH7760 mine incenseH7004 and mine oilH8081. 42And a voiceH6963 of a multitudeH1995 being at easeH7961 was with her: and with the menH582 of the common sortH7230 H120 were broughtH935 SabeansH5436 H5433 from the wildernessH4057, which putH5414 braceletsH6781 upon their handsH3027, and beautifulH8597 crownsH5850 upon their headsH7218. 43Then saidH559 I unto her that was oldH1087 in adulteriesH5004, Will they now commitH2181 whoredomsH8457 with her, and she with them? 44Yet they went inH935 unto her, as they go inH935 unto a womanH802 that playeth the harlotH2181 : so went they inH935 unto AholahH170 and unto AholibahH172, the lewdH2154 womenH802. 45And the righteousH6662 menH582, they shall judgeH8199 them after the mannerH4941 of adulteressesH5003, and after the mannerH4941 of women that shedH8210 bloodH1818; because they are adulteressesH5003, and bloodH1818 is in their handsH3027. 46For thus saithH559 the LordH136 GODH3069; I will bring upH5927 a companyH6951 upon them, and will giveH5414 them to be removedH2189 and spoiledH957. 47And the companyH6951 shall stoneH7275 them with stonesH68, and dispatchH1254 them with their swordsH2719; they shall slayH2026 their sonsH1121 and their daughtersH1323, and burn upH8313 their housesH1004 with fireH784. 48Thus will I cause lewdnessH2154 to ceaseH7673 out of the landH776, that all womenH802 may be taughtH3256 not to doH6213 after your lewdnessH2154. 49And they shall recompenseH5414 your lewdnessH2154 upon you, and ye shall bearH5375 the sinsH2399 of your idolsH1544: and ye shall knowH3045 that I am the LordH136 GODH3069.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 ISRAEL'S AND JUDAH'S SIN AND PUNISHMENT ARE PARABOLICALLY PORTRAYED UNDER THE NAMES AHOLAH AND AHOLIBAH. (Eze. 23:1-49)
two . . . of one mother--Israel and Judah, one nation by birth from the same ancestress, Sarah.
3 Even so early in their history as their Egyptian sojourn, they committed idolatries (see on
Ezek 20:6-
Ezek 20:8;
Josh 24:14).
in their youth--an aggravation of their sin. It was at the very time of their receiving extraordinary favors from God (
Ezek 16:6,
Ezek 16:22).
they bruised--namely, the Egyptians.
4 Aholah--that is, "Her tent" (put for worship, as the first worship of God in Israel was in a tent or tabernacle), as contrasted with Aholibah, that is, "My tent in her." The Beth-el worship of Samaria was of her own devising, not of God's appointment; the temple-worship of Jerusalem was expressly appointed by Jehovah, who "dwelt" there, "setting up His tabernacle among the people as His" (
Exod 25:8;
Lev 26:11-
Lev 26:12;
Josh 22:19;
Ps 76:2).
the elder--Samaria is called "the elder" because she preceded Judah in her apostasy and its punishment.
they were mine--Previous to apostasy under Jeroboam, Samaria (Israel, or the ten tribes), equally with Judah, worshipped the true God. God therefore never renounced the right over Israel, but sent prophets, as Elijah and Elisha, to declare His will to them.
5 when . . . mine--literally, "under Me," that is, subject to Me as her lawful husband.
neighbours--On the northeast the kingdom of Israel bordered on that of Assyria; for the latter had occupied much of Syria. Their neighborhood in locality was emblematical of their being near in corruption of morals and worship. The alliances of Israel with Assyria, which are the chief subject of reprobation here, tended to this (
2Kgs 15:19;
2Kgs 16:7,
2Kgs 16:9;
2Kgs 17:3;
Hos 8:9).
6 blue--rather, "purple" [FAIRBAIRN]. As a lustful woman's passions are fired by showy dress and youthful appearance in men, so Israel was seduced by the pomp and power of Assyria (compare
Isa 10:8).
horsemen--cavaliers.
7 all their idols--There was nothing that she refused to her lovers.
8 whoredoms brought from Egypt--the calves set up in Dan and Beth-el by Jeroboam, answering to the Egyptian bull-formed idol Apis. Her alliances with Egypt politically are also meant (
Isa 30:2-
Isa 30:3;
Isa 31:1). The ten tribes probably resumed the Egyptian rites, in order to enlist the Egyptians against Judah (
2Chr 12:2-4).
9 God, in righteous retribution, turned their objects of trust into the instruments of their punishment: Pul, Tiglath-pileser, Esar-haddon, and Shalmaneser (
2Kgs 15:19,
2Kgs 15:29;
2Kgs 17:3,
2Kgs 17:6,
2Kgs 17:24;
Ezra 4:2,
Ezra 4:10). "It was their sin to have sought after such lovers, and it was to be their punishment that these lovers should become their destroyers" [FAIRBAIRN].
10 became famous--literally, "she became a name," that is, as notorious by her punishment as she had been by her sins, so as to be quoted as a warning to others.
women--that is, neighboring peoples.
11 Judah, the southern kingdom, though having the "warning" (see on
Ezek 23:10) of the northern kingdom before her eyes, instead of profiting by it, went to even greater lengths in corruption than Israel. Her greater spiritual privileges made her guilt the greater (
Ezek 16:47,
Ezek 16:51;
Jer 3:11).
12 (
Ezek 23:6,
Ezek 23:23).
most gorgeously--literally, "to perfection." GROTIUS translates, "wearing a crown," or "chaplet," such as lovers wore in visiting their mistresses.
13 one way--both alike forsaking God for heathen confidences.
14 vermilion--the peculiar color of the Chaldeans, as purple was of the Assyrians. In striking agreement with this verse is the fact that the Assyrian sculptures lately discovered have painted and colored bas-reliefs in red, blue, and black. The Jews (for instance Jehoiakim,
Jer 22:14) copied these (compare
Ezek 8:10).
15 exceeding in dyed attire--rather, "in ample dyed turbans"; literally, "redundant with dyed turbans." The Assyrians delighted in ample, flowing, and richly colored tunics, scarfs, girdles, and head-dresses or turbans, varying in ornaments according to the rank.
Chaldea, . . . land of their nativity--between the Black and Caspian Seas (see on
Isa 23:13).
princes--literally, a first-rate military class that fought by threes in the chariots, one guiding the horses, the other two fighting.
16 sent messengers . . . into Chaldea-- (
Ezek 16:29). It was she that solicited the Chaldeans, not they her. Probably the occasion was when Judah sought to strengthen herself by a Chaldean alliance against a menaced attack by Egypt (compare
2Kgs 23:29-35;
2Kgs 24:1-7). God made the object of their sinful desire the instrument of their punishment. Jehoiakim, probably by a stipulation of tribute, enlisted Nebuchadnezzar against Pharaoh, whose tributary he previously had been; failing to keep his stipulation, he brought on himself Nebuchadnezzar's vengeance.
17 alienated from them--namely, from the Chaldeans: turning again to the Egyptians (
Ezek 23:19), trying by their help to throw off her solemn engagements to Babylon (compare
Jer 37:5,
Jer 37:7;
2Kgs 24:7).
18 my mind was alienated from her--literally, "was broken off from her." Just retribution for "her mind being alienated (broken off) from the Chaldeans" (
Ezek 23:17), to whom she had sworn fealty (
Ezek 17:12-
Ezek 17:19). "Discovered" implies the open shamelessness of her apostasy.
19 Israel first "called" her lusts, practised when in Egypt, "to her (fond) remembrance," and then actually returned to them. Mark the danger of suffering the memory to dwell on the pleasure felt in past sins.
20 their paramours--that is, her paramours among them (the Egyptians); she doted upon their persons as her paramours (
Ezek 23:5,
Ezek 23:12,
Ezek 23:16).
flesh--the membrum virile (very large in the ass). Compare
Lev 15:2, Margin;
Ezek 16:26.
issue of horses--the seminal issue. The horse was made by the Egyptians the hieroglyphic for a lustful person.
21 calledst to remembrance--"didst repeat" [MAURER].
in bruising--in suffering . . . to be bruised.
22 lovers . . . alienated-- (
Ezek 23:17). Illicit love, soon or late, ends in open hatred (
2Sam 13:15). The Babylonians, the objects formerly of their God-forgetting love, but now, with characteristic fickleness, objects of their hatred, shall be made by God the instruments of their punishment.
23 Pekod, &c.-- (
Jer 50:21). Not a geographical name, but descriptive of Babylon. "Visitation," peculiarly the land of "judgment"; in a double sense: actively, the inflicter of judgment on Judah; passively, as about to be afterwards herself the object of judgment.
Shoa . . . Koa--"rich . . . noble"; descriptive of Babylon in her prosperity, having all the world's wealth and dignity at her disposal. MAURER suggests that, as descriptive appellatives are subjoined to the proper name, "all the Assyrians" in the second hemistich of the verse (as the verse ought to be divided at "Koa"), so Pekod, Shoa, and Koa must be appellatives descriptive of "The Babylonians and . . . Chaldeans" in the first hemistich; "Pekod" meaning "prefects"; Shoa . . . Koa, "rich . . . princely."
desirable young men--strong irony. Alluding to
Ezek 23:12, these "desirable young men" whom thou didst so "dote upon" for their manly vigor of appearance, shall by that very vigor be the better able to chastise thee.
24 with chariots--or, "with armaments"; so the Septuagint; "axes" [MAURER]; or, joining it with "wagons," translate, "with scythe-armed wagons," or "chariots" [GROTIUS].
weels--The unusual height of these increased their formidable appearance (
Ezek 1:16-
Ezek 1:20).
their judgments--which awarded barbarously severe punishments (
Jer 52:9;
Jer 29:22).
25 take away thy nose . . . ears--Adulteresses were punished so among the Egyptians and Chaldeans. Oriental beauties wore ornaments in the ear and nose. How just the retribution, that the features most bejewelled should be mutilated! So, allegorically as to Judah, the spiritual adulteress.
26 strip . . . of . . . clothes--whereby she attracted her paramours (
Ezek 16:39).
27 Thus . . . make . . . lewdness to cease--The captivity has made the Jews ever since abhor idolatry, not only on their return from Babylon, but for the last nineteen centuries of their dispersion, as foretold (
Hos 3:4).
28 (
Ezek 23:17-
Ezek 23:18;
Ezek 16:37).
29 take away . . . thy labour--that is, the fruits of thy labor.
leave thee naked--as captive females are treated.
31 her cup--of punishment (
Ps 11:6;
Ps 75:8;
Jer 25:15, &c.). Thy guilt and that of Israel being alike, your punishment shall be alike.
34 break . . . sherds--So greedily shalt thou suck out every drop like one drinking to madness (the effect invariably ascribed to drinking God's cup of wrath,
Jer 51:7;
Hab 2:16) that thou shalt crunch the very shreds of it; that is, there shall be no evil left which thou shalt not taste.
pluck off thine own breasts--enraged against them as the ministers to thine adultery.
35 forgotten me-- (
Jer 2:32;
Jer 13:25).
cast me behind thy back-- (
1Kgs 14:9;
Neh 9:26).
bear . . . thy lewdness--that is, its penal consequences (
Pro 1:31).
36 A summing up of the sins of the two sisters, especially those of Judah.
wilt thou judge--Wilt thou (not) judge (see on
Ezek 20:4)?
38 the same day--On the very day that they had burned their children to Molech in the valley of Gehenna, they shamelessly and hypocritically presented themselves as worshippers in Jehovah's temple (
Jer 7:9-
Jer 7:10).
40 messenger was sent--namely, by Judah (
Ezek 23:16;
Isa 57:9).
paintedst . . . eyes-- (
2Kgs 9:30, Margin;
Jer 4:30). Black paint was spread on the eyelids of beauties to make the white of the eye more attractive by the contrast, so Judah left no seductive art untried.
41 bed--divan. While men reclined at table, women sat, as it seemed indelicate for them to lie down (
Amos 6:4) [GROTIUS].
table--that is, the idolatrous altar.
mine incense--which I had given thee, and which thou oughtest to have offered to Me (
Ezek 16:18-
Ezek 16:19;
Hos 2:8; compare
Pro 7:17).
42 Sabeans--Not content with the princely, handsome Assyrians, the sisters brought to themselves the rude robber hordes of Sabeans (
Job 1:15). The Keri, or Margin, reads "drunkards."
upon their hands--upon the hands of the sisters, that is, they allured Samaria and Judah to worship their gods.
43 Will they, &c.--Is it possible that paramours will desire any longer to commit whoredoms with so worn-out an old adulteress?
45 the righteous men--the Chaldeans; the executioners of God's righteous vengeance (
Ezek 16:38), not that they were "righteous" in themselves (
Hab 1:3,
Hab 1:12-
Hab 1:13).
46 a company--properly, "a council of judges" passing sentence on a criminal [GROTIUS]. The "removal" and "spoiling" by the Chaldean army is the execution of the judicial sentence of God.
47 stones--the legal penalty of the adulteress (
Ezek 16:40-
Ezek 16:41;
John 8:5). Answering to the stones hurled by the Babylonians from engines in besieging Jerusalem.
houses . . . fire--fulfilled (
2Chr 36:17,
2Chr 36:19).
48 (
Ezek 23:27).
that all . . . may be taught not to do, &c.-- (
Deut 13:11).
49 bear the sins of your idols--that is, the punishment of your idolatry.
know that I am the Lord God--that is, know it to your cost . . . by bitter suffering.