Ezekiel 23:3

Ezekiel 23:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.
• New International Version (NIV)They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They played the whore in Egypt; they played the whore in their youth; there their breasts were pressed and their virgin bosoms handled.
• New King James Version (NKJV)They committed harlotry in Egypt, They committed harlotry in their youth; Their breasts were there embraced, Their virgin bosom was there pressed.

Context of Ezekiel 23:3

1The Lord gave this message to me: 2‘Son of man, there were two sisters who had the same mother. They were prostitutes in Egypt, from the time that they were both young women. Men touched their breasts and made love to them. 4The older sister was called Oholah. The younger one was called Oholibah. In this story, Oholah is Samaria. Oholibah is Jerusalem. They became my wives, and later they gave birth to sons and daughters for me. 5Oholah was my wife but she continued to live as a prostitute. She wanted men from Assyria to be her lovers.

Ezekiel 23:3 word by word

וַתִּזְנֶ֣ינָה בְמִצְרַ֔יִם בִּנְעוּרֵיהֶ֖ן זָנ֑וּ שָׁ֚מָּה מֹעֲכ֣וּ שְׁדֵיהֶ֔ן וְשָׁ֣ם עִשּׂ֔וּ דַּדֵּ֖י בְּתוּלֵיהֶֽן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they committed whoredomsזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
• in Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• in their youthנְעוּרִיםnâ‛ûr nâ‛ûr ne‛ûrâh · youthH5271
• there were their breastsשַׁדshad shôd · breastH7699
• pressedמָעַךְmâ‛ak · to bruiseH4600
• and there they bruisedעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to pressH6213
• the teatsדַּדdad · breastH1717
• of their virginityבְּתוּלִיםbethûlîym · virginityH1331

Cross-references for Ezekiel 23:3

• Ezekiel 20:8But your ancestors did not obey me. They refused to listen to me. None of them destroyed their disgusting idols. They continued to worship the idols of Egypt. So I decided to show them that I was very angry. I said that I would punish them there in Egypt.
• Leviticus 17:7The people give sacrifices in the fields to worship idols that seem like goats. They must never do this again. This rule is for now and for all time.
• Deuteronomy 29:16You remember how we lived when we were in Egypt. You remember how we travelled through other countries as we came here.
• Joshua 24:14Joshua said to the people, ‘Now you must serve the Lord with fear. You must worship him. You must continue to trust him. Throw away the gods that your ancestors worshipped when they lived beyond the Euphrates river and in Egypt. Worship the Lord.
• Ezekiel 23:8She had lived as a prostitute in Egypt when she was young. Men had sex with her. They touched her breasts and they enjoyed her body for themselves. She continued to do that with the Assyrian men.
• Ezekiel 16:22You forgot what you were like when I first found you. At that time you had no clothes to cover your bare body. You lay on the ground in your own blood. You did not remember this. Instead, you chose to do disgusting things and live as a prostitute.
• Hosea 2:15There, I will give her the vineyards that she had before. I will change Trouble Valley into a place where there is hope. She will be happy with me there, as she was when she was young. That was the time when she came out of Egypt.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 23:3

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3They became prostitutes by worshiping false gods.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Even so early in their history as their Egyptian sojourn, they committed idolatries (see on Eze 20:6-8; Joshua 24. 14). in their youth--an aggravation of their sin. It was at the very time of their receiving extraordinary favors from God (Eze 16:6, 22). they bruised--namely, the Egyptians.Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 23:3

• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Adulterer
• Desirable
• Dispatch
• Dote
• Hatefully
• Lewd
• Breast
• Crime; Crimes

Commentaries on Ezekiel 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings