Ezekiel 23

The Two Adulterous Sisters

1Again the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 to meH413, sayingH559, 2“SonH1121 of manH120, there wereH1961 twoH8147 womenH802, daughtersH1323 of the sameH259 motherH517, 3and they playedH2181 in EgyptH4714, prostituting themselvesH2181 from their youthH5271. Their breastsH7699H8033 were fondledH4600 thereH8033, and their virginH1331 bosomsH1717 caressedH6213. 4The olderH1419 was namedH8034 OholahH170,1 and her sisterH269 was named OholibahH172.2 They becameH1961 Mine and gave birth toH3205 sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323. As for their identitiesH8034, OholahH170 is SamariaH8111, and OholibahH172 is JerusalemH3389.

5OholahH170 prostituted herselfH2181 while she was still MineH8478. She lustedH5689 afterH5921 her loversH157H413, the AssyriansH804—warriorsH7138 6clothedH3847 in blueH8504, governorsH6346 and commandersH5461, allH3605 desirableH2531 young menH970, horsemenH6571 mounted onH7392 steedsH5483. 7She offeredH5414 sexual favorsH8457 to allH5921H3605 the eliteH4005H1121 of AssyriaH804. She defiled herselfH2930 with allH3605 the idolsH1544 of those for whomH834 she lustedH5689.

8

She did notH3808 give upH5800 the prostitutionH8457 she began in EgyptH4714, whenH3588 men sleptH7901 with herH853 in her youthH5271H1992, caressedH6213 her virginH1331 bosomH1717, and poured outH8210 their lustH8457 upon herH5921. 9ThereforeH3651 I delivered herH5414 into the handsH3027 of her loversH157H3027, the AssyriansH1121H804 for whomH834 she lustedH5689. 10TheyH1992 exposedH1540 her nakednessH6172, seizedH3947 her sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323, and put herH2026 to the swordH2719. Thus she becameH1961 a bywordH8034 among womenH802, and they executedH6213 judgmentH8196 against her.

11Her sisterH269 OholibahH172 sawH7200 this, yet in her lustH5691 andH853 prostitutionH8457H2183 she was more depravedH7843 than her sisterH269. 12She too lustedH5689 afterH413 the AssyriansH1121H804—governorsH6346 and commandersH5461, warriorsH7138 dressedH3847 in splendorH4358, horsemenH6571 riding onH7392 steedsH5483, allH3605 desirableH2531 young menH970. 13And I sawH7200 thatH3588 she too had defiled herselfH2930; both of themH8147 had taken the sameH259 pathH1870.

14But Oholibah carriedH3254H413 her prostitution even furtherH8457. She sawH7200 the menH582 portrayedH2707 onH5921 the wallH7023, imagesH6754 of the ChaldeansH3778,3 engravedH2710 in vermilionH8350, 15wearingH2289 beltsH232 on their waistsH4975 and flowingH5628 turbansH2871 on their headsH7218; allH3605 of them lookedH4758 like officersH7991 of the BabyloniansH1121H894 in ChaldeaH3778,4 the landH776 of their birthH4138. 16At the sight of themH4758H5869, she lustedH5689 for themH5921 and sentH7971 messengersH4397 to themH413 in ChaldeaH3778. 17Then the BabyloniansH1121H894 cameH935 to herH413, to the bedH4904 of loveH1730, and in their lustH8457 they defiledH2930 herH853. But after she had been defiledH2930 by them, sheH5315 turned away in disgustH3363.

18When Oholibah openlyH1540 prostituted herselfH8457 and exposedH1540 her nakednessH6172, IH5315 turned away from herH5921 in disgustH3363, just asH834 IH5315 had turned awayH5361 fromH5921 her sisterH269. 19Yet she multipliedH7235 her promiscuityH8457, rememberingH2142 the daysH3117 of her youthH5271, whenH834 she had prostituted herselfH2181 in the landH776 of EgyptH4714 20and lustedH5689 afterH5921 their loversH6370, whoseH834 genitalsH1320 were like thoseH1320 of donkeysH2543 and whose emissionH2231 was like thatH2231 of stallionsH5483. 21So you revisitedH6485 the indecencyH2154 of your youthH5271, when the EgyptiansH4714 caressedH6213 your bosomH1717 and pressedH4616 your youngH5271 breastsH7699.

Oholibah to Be Plagued

22ThereforeH3651, OholibahH172, this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069H2005 saysH559: ‘I will inciteH5782 your loversH157 against youH5921, thoseH834 from whomH5315 you turned away in disgustH5361. And I will bring themH935 against youH5921 from every sideH5439— 23the BabyloniansH1121H894 and allH3605 the ChaldeansH3778, the men of PekodH6489, ShoaH7772, and KoaH6970, and allH3605 the AssyriansH1121H804 with themH854—all desirableH2531 young menH970, governorsH6346 and commandersH5461, officersH7991 and men of renownH7121, mounted onH7392 horsesH5483.

24They will comeH935 against youH5921 with a hostH6951 of peoplesH5971,5 with weaponsH2021, chariotsH7393, and wagonsH1534. They will array themselvesH7760 against youH5921 on every sideH5439 with bucklerH6793 and shieldH4043 and helmetH6959. I will delegateH5414 judgmentH4941 to themH6440, and they will punish youH8199 according to their own standardsH4941. 25And I will setH5414 My jealous rageH7068 against you, and they will dealH6213 with youH854 in furyH2534. They will cut offH5493 your nosesH639 and earsH241, and your survivorsH319 will fallH5307 by the swordH2719. TheyH1992 will seizeH3947 your sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323, and your remnantH319 will be consumedH398 by fireH784. 26They will strip offH6584 your clothesH899 and takeH3947 your fineH8597 jewelryH3627. 27So I will put an endH7673 toH4480 your indecencyH2154 and prostitutionH2184, which began in the landH776 of EgyptH4714, and you will notH3808 liftH5375 your eyesH5869 to themH413 or rememberH2142 EgyptH4714H3808 anymoreH5750.’

28ForH3588 this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559: ‘SurelyH2005 I will deliver youH5414 into the handsH3027 of those you hateH8130H3027, from whomH834 you turned awayH5315 in disgustH5361. 29They will treatH6213H854 you with hatredH8135, takeH3947 all for whichH3605 you have workedH3018, and leave youH5800 nakedH5903 and bareH6181, so that the shameH6172 of your prostitutionH2183 will be exposedH1540. Your indecencyH2154 and promiscuityH8457 30have broughtH6213 these thingsH428 upon you, because you have prostituted yourselfH2181 withH310 the nationsH1471H5921 and defiled yourselfH2930 with their idolsH1544. 31Because you have followedH1980 the pathH1870 of your sisterH269, I will putH5414 her cupH3563 into your handH3027.’

32This is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559:

35ThereforeH3651 this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559: ‘BecauseH3282 you have forgottenH7911 MeH853 and have castH7993 MeH853 behindH310 your backH1458H1571, youH859 must bear the consequencesH5375 of your indecencyH2154 andH853 prostitutionH8457.’”

Judgment on Both Sisters

36Then the LORDH3068 saidH559 to meH413: “SonH1121 of manH120, will you pass judgmentH8199 against OholahH170 and OholibahH172? Then declareH5046 to them their abominationsH8441. 37ForH3588 they have committed adulteryH5003, and bloodH1818 is on their handsH3027H854. They have committed adulteryH5003 with their idolsH1544. They have evenH1571 sacrificed their childrenH1121, whomH834 they boreH3205 to Me, in the fireH56746 as foodH402 for their idols.

38They have alsoH5750 doneH6213 thisH2063 to Me: On that very sameH1931 dayH3117, they defiledH2930 My sanctuaryH4720 and profanedH2490 My SabbathsH7676. 39On the veryH1931 dayH3117 they slaughteredH7819 their childrenH1121 for their idolsH1544, they enteredH935H413 My sanctuaryH4720 to profane itH2490. YesH2009, they didH6213 thisH3541 insideH8432 My houseH1004.

40FurthermoreH637H3588, you sisters sentH79717 messengersH4397 for menH582 who cameH935 from afarH4801; and beholdH2009, when they arrivedH935, you bathedH7364 for themH834, paintedH3583 your eyesH5869, and adorned yourselfH5710 with jewelryH5716. 41You satH3427 onH5921 a couchH4296 of luxuryH3520 with a tableH7979 spreadH6186 before itH6440, onH5921 which you had setH7760 My incenseH7004 and My oilH8081, 42accompanied by the soundH6963 of a carefreeH7961 crowdH1995. DrunkardsH54338 were brought inH935 from the desertH4057 along withH413 menH582 from the rabbleH7230H120, who putH5414 braceletsH6781 onH413 your wristsH3027 and beautifulH8597 crownsH5850 onH5921 your headH7218.

43Then I saidH559 of her who had grown oldH1087 in adulteriesH5004: ‘NowH6256 let them use her as a prostituteH2181H8457, for that is all she isH1931!’

44And they sleptH935 with herH413 as withH935 a prostituteH802H2181; they slept withH935H413 OholahH170H413 and OholibahH172, those lewdH2154 womenH802. 45But righteousH6662H1992 menH582 will sentenceH8199 themH853 to the punishment ofH4941 those who commit adulteryH5003 and bloodshedH8210H1818H4941, becauseH3588 theyH2007 are adulteressesH5003 with bloodH1818 on their handsH3027.

46

This is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069H5927 saysH559: ‘Bring a mobH6951 against themH5921 and consignH5414 themH853 to terrorH2189 and plunderH957. 47The mobH6951 will stoneH7275 themH5921 and cut themH68 downH1254 with their swordsH2719. They will killH2026 their sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323 and burn downH8313 their housesH1004. 48So I will put an endH7673 to indecencyH2154 inH4480 the landH776, and allH3605 the womenH802 will be admonishedH3256 notH3808 to imitateH6213 your behaviorH2154. 49They will repayH5414 you for your indecencyH2154H5921, and you will bear the consequencesH5375 of your sinsH2399 of idolatryH1544. Then you will knowH3045 thatH3588 IH589 am the LordH136 GODH3069.’”