Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezekiel 23

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Introduction

1  The whoredoms of Aholah and Aholibah.
23  Aholibah is to be plagued by her lovers.
36  The prophet reproves the adulteries of them both;
45  and shews their judgments.
Verse 2

Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:
two
16:44,46, Jeremiah 3:7-10
Verse 3

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.
in Egypt
20:8, Leviticus 17:7, Deuteronomy 29:16, Joshua 24:14
in their
8,19,21, 16:22, Hosea 2:15
Verse 4

And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.
the names
The kingdom of Israel, of which Samaria was the capital, containing ten tribes, and occupying a larger extent of country than that of Judah, is therefore called "her elder sister;" and Aholah, the name given to her, implies that the whole religious establishment in Israel was a human invention, a temple and service of their own, and not of God's appointment. Aholibah, the name given to Judah, implies that the worship established there was from God, and that His temple was truly at Jerusalem.
the elder
16:40, 1 Kings 12:20
they were
16:8,20, Exodus 19:5,6, Psalms 45:11-16, Jeremiah 2:2,3, Romans 7:4
Aholah
that is, His tent, or tabernacle.
1 Kings 12:26-33, John 4:22
Aholibah
that is, My tabernacle in her.
1 Kings 8:29, Psalms 76:2, 132:13,14
Verse 5

And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,
Aholah
The Israelites, in addition to their former gross idolatries, received the impure idolatrous worship of the Assyrians, who became their neighbours by the conquest of Syria.
1 Kings 14:9,16, 15:26,30, 16:31,32, 21:26, 2 Kings 17:7-18
doted
7,9,12,16,20, 16:37, Jeremiah 50:38
on the
16:28, 2 Kings 15:19, 16:7, 17:3, Hosea 5:13, 8:9,10, 10:6, 12:1
Verse 6

Which were clothed with blue, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses.
all of
Verse 7

Thus she committed her whoredoms with them, with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted: with all their idols she defiled herself.
committed her whoredoms with them
Heb. bestowed her whoredoms upon them.
16:15
the chosen men of Assyria
Heb. the choice of the children of Asshur.
Genesis 10:22
with all their
30, 20:7, 22:3,4, Psalms 106:39, Hosea 5:3, 6:10
Verse 8

Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her.
whoredoms
3,19,21, Exodus 32:4, 1 Kings 12:28, 2 Kings 10:29, 17:16
Verse 9

Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted.
2 Kings 15:29, 17:3-6,23, 18:9-12, 1 Chronicles 5:26, Hosea 11:5, Revelation 17:12,13,16
Verse 10

These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among women; for they had executed judgment upon her.
discovered
29, 16:37-41, Hosea 2:3,10
they took
famous
Heb. a name.
48, Jeremiah 22:8,9
Verse 11

And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms.
her sister
4, Jeremiah 3:8
was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she
Heb. she corrupted her inordinate love more than she. her sister in her whoredoms. Heb. the whoredoms of her sister.
16:47-51, Jeremiah 3:8-11
Verse 12

She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men.
upon
5, 16:28, 2 Kings 16:7-15, 2 Chronicles 28:16-23
captains
6,23
Verse 13

Then I saw that she was defiled, that they took both one way,
that they
31, 2 Kings 17:18,19, Hosea 12:1,2
Verse 14

And that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion,
pourtrayed
8:10, Isaiah 46:1, Jeremiah 50:2
vermilion
Jeremiah 22:14
Verse 15

Girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity:
with girdles
1 Samuel 18:4, Isaiah 22:21
all of
Judges 8:18, 2 Samuel 14:25
look to
That is, "princes in appearance;" which seem to have been the deified men worshipped by the Chaldeans. The inhabitants of Judah, like the Israelites, connected themselves with the Assyrians, and were enamoured with their idols; and then with the Chaldeans, and followed their idols; still retaining their attachment to the Egyptians and their idolatrous rites.
Verse 16

And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea.
as soon as she saw them with her eyes
Heb. at the sight of her eyes.
16:29, Genesis 3:6, 6:2, 39:7, 2 Samuel 11:2, 2 Kings 24:1, Job 31:1, Psalms 119:37, Proverbs 6:25, 23:33, Matthew 5:28
and sent
40,41, 16:17,29, 2 Peter 2:14
Verse 17

And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them.
Babylonians
Heb. children of Babel.
Genesis 10:10, 11:9
and her
22,28, 16:37, 2 Samuel 13:15
alienated
Heb. loosed, or disjointed.
Verse 18

So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness: then my mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister.
discovered
16:36, 21:24, Isaiah 3:9, Jeremiah 8:12, Hosea 7:1
then
Deuteronomy 32:19, Psalms 78:59, 106:40, Jeremiah 6:8, 12:8, 15:1, Lamentations 2:7, Hosea 2:2, Amos 6:8, Zechariah 11:8
Verse 19

Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
multiplied
14, 16:25,29,51, Amos 4:4
in calling
3,8,21, 16:22, 20:7
Verse 20

For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
16:20,26, 17:15, Jeremiah 5:8
Verse 22

Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side;
I will raise
9,28, 16:37, Isaiah 10:5,6, 39:3,4, Habakkuk 1:6-10, Revelation 17:16
from
and I
Jeremiah 6:22,23, 12:9-12
Verse 23

The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses.
Babylonians
21:19-27, 2 Kings 20:14-17, 25:1-3
the Chaldeans
2 Kings 24:2, Job 1:17, Isaiah 23:13, Acts 7:4
Pekod
Jeremiah 50:21
the Assyrians
Genesis 2:14, 25:18, Ezra 6:22
desirable
6,12
Verse 24

And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield and helmet round about: and I will set judgment before them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments.
with chariots
26:10, Jeremiah 47:3, Nahum 2:3,4, 3:2,3
I will set
45, 16:38, 21:23, 2 Samuel 24:14, Jeremiah 39:5,6
Verse 25

And I will set my jealousy against thee, and they shall deal furiously with thee: they shall take away thy nose and thine ears; and thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire.
I will set
5:13, 8:1-18, 16:38-42, Exodus 34:14, Deuteronomy 29:20, 32:21,22, Proverbs 6:34, Song of Solomon 8:6, Zephaniah 1:18
they shall take away
This refers to the severe vengeance which enraged husbands took on their faithless wives: and implies that God would employ the Chaldeans to destroy the princes and priests of Judah, for violating their covenants and treaties. Such punishments were anciently common; and such is the present practice in one of the South Sea Islands.
they shall take thy
47, Hosea 2:4,5
thy residue
15:6,7, 20:47,48, 22:18-22, Revelation 18:8
Verse 26

They shall also strip thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy fair jewels.
strip
29, 16:16,37,39, Jeremiah 13:22, Hosea 2:3,9,10, Revelation 17:16, 18:14-17
fair jewels
Heb. instruments of thy decking.
Isaiah 3:17-24, 1 Peter 3:3,4
Verse 27

Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee, and thy whoredom brought from the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more.
will I
16:41, 22:15, Isaiah 27:9, Micah 5:10-14, Zechariah 13:2
and thy
3,19
so that
These severe judgments shall effectually deter you from idolatry, and make you abhor the least approaches to it. This often repeated prediction has received a most wonderful accomplishment. For neither the authority, frowns, examples, or favour of their conquerors or powerful neighbours, nor their own fears, hopes, interests, or predilection for the sensual worship of idols, could prevail with them to run into gross idolatry, either during the captivity, or ever afterwards, to the present day, a period of 2,414 years.
Verse 28

For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy mind is alienated:
whom thou
17,22, 16:37, Jeremiah 21:7-10, 24:8, 34:20
Verse 29

And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.
deal
25,26,45-47, 16:39, Deuteronomy 28:47-51, 2 Samuel 13:15
the nakedness
18, 16:36,37
Verse 30

I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols.
thou hast
12-21, 6:9, Psalms 106:35-38, Jeremiah 2:18-20, 16:11,12, 22:8,9
because thou art
7,17
Verse 31

Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.
walked
13, 16:47-51, Jeremiah 3:8-11
her
2 Kings 21:13, Jeremiah 7:14,15, Daniel 9:12
Verse 32

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.
drink
Psalms 60:3, Isaiah 51:17, Jeremiah 25:15-28, 48:26, Matthew 20:22,23, Revelation 16:19, Revelation 18:6
thou shalt be
22:4,5, 25:6, 26:2, 35:15, 36:3, Deuteronomy 28:37, 1 Kings 9:7, Psalms 79:3, Jeremiah 25:9, Lamentations 2:15,16, Micah 7:8
Verse 33

Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria.
filled
Jeremiah 25:27, Habakkuk 2:16
with the cup of astonishment
Isaiah 51:17,22
Verse 34

Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
drink
Psalms 75:8, Isaiah 51:17
and pluck
3,8, Revelation 18:7
Verse 35

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.
Because
22:12, Isaiah 17:10, Jeremiah 2:32, 3:21, 13:25, 23:27, 32:33, Hosea 8:14, 13:6, Romans 1:28
and cast
1 Kings 14:9, Nehemiah 9:26
therefore
45-49, 7:4, 44:10, Leviticus 24:15, Numbers 14:34, 18:22
Verse 36

The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;
wilt
20:4, 22:2, Jeremiah 1:10, 1 Corinthians 6:2,3
judge
or, plead for.
Jeremiah 11:14, 14:11
Aholah
declare
16:2, Isaiah 58:1, Hosea 2:2, Micah 3:8-11, Matthew 23:13-35, Luke 11:39-52, Acts 7:51-53
Verse 37

That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them.
they have
5, 16:32, Hosea 1:2, 3:1
and blood
39,45, 16:36,38, 22:2-4, 24:6-9, 2 Kings 24:4, Psalms 106:37,38, Isaiah 1:15, Jeremiah 7:6,9, Hosea 4:2, Micah 3:10, Luke 13:34
have also
4, 16:20,21,36,45, 20:26,31, Leviticus 18:21, 20:2-5, Deuteronomy 12:31, 2 Kings 17:17, 21:6, Jeremiah 7:31, 32:35
Verse 38

Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.
they have
7:20, 8:5-16, 2 Kings 21:4,7, 23:11,12
and have
20:13,24, 22:8, Nehemiah 13:17,18, Jeremiah 17:27
Verse 39

For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house.
they came
Isaiah 3:9, Jeremiah 7:8-11, 11:15, Micah 3:11, John 18:28
thus
38, 44:7, 2 Kings 21:4, 2 Chronicles 33:4-7, Jeremiah 23:11
Verse 40

And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments,
ye have
13, Isaiah 57:9
to come
Heb. coming.
2 Kings 20:13-15
thou didst
Ruth 3:3, Esther 2:12
paintedst
Kachalt aineych, rendered by the LXX. [estibizou tous ophthalmous sou;] "thou didst paint thine eyes with stibium," and Vulgate circumlinisti stibio oculos tuos, "thou didst paint round thine eyes with stibium," or lead ore; whence it is called in Arabic kochl, and in Syriac kecholo, and koochlo.
2 Kings 9:30, Jeremiah 4:30
and deckedst
16:13-16, Proverbs 7:10, Isaiah 3:18-23
Verse 41

And satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.
stately
Heb. honourable.
Esther 1:6, Proverbs 7:16,17, Isaiah 57:7, Amos 2:8, 6:4
a table
44:16, Isaiah 65:11, Malachi 1:7
whereupon
16:18,19, Proverbs 7:17, Jeremiah 44:17, Hosea 2:8,9
Verse 42

And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.
a voice
This seems to be an account of an idolatrous festival, perhaps that of Bacchus; in which a riotous and drunken multitude assembled, adorned with bracelets and chaplets, accompanied with music, songs, and dances.
Exodus 32:6,18,19, Hosea 13:6, Amos 6:1-6
common sort
Heb. multitude of men. were brought.
Job 1:15, Joel 3:8
Sabeans
or, drunkards. bracelets.
16:11,12, Revelation 12:3
Verse 43

Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them?
old
Ezra 9:7, Psalms 106:6, Jeremiah 13:23, Daniel 9:16
whoredoms with her
Heb. her whoredoms.
Verse 44

Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women.
so went
3,9-13
Verse 45

And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.
the righteous
The Chaldeans, so called, because appointed by God to execute his judgment on these criminals.
36, Jeremiah 5:14, Hosea 6:5, Zechariah 1:6, John 8:3-7
after the manner of adulteresses
37-39, 16:38-43, Leviticus 20:10, 21:9, Deuteronomy 22:21-24, John 8:7
because
Verse 46

For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled.
I will
22-26, 16:40, Jeremiah 25:9
to be removed and spoiled
Heb. for a removing and spoil.
Jeremiah 15:4, 24:9, 34:17
Verse 47

And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
the company
25,29, 9:6, 16:41, Jeremiah 33:4,5
dispatch them
or, single them out.
24:6
shall slay
24:21, 2 Chronicles 36:17-19
and burn
Deuteronomy 13:16, Jeremiah 39:8, 52:13
Verse 48

Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to do after your lewdness.
I cause
27, 6:6, 22:15, 36:25, Micah 5:11-14, Zephaniah 1:3
that
5:15, 16:41, Deuteronomy 13:11, Isaiah 26:9, 1 Corinthians 10:6-11, 2 Peter 2:6
Verse 49

And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the sins of your idols: and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
they shall
7:4,9, 9:10, 11:21, 16:43, 22:31, Isaiah 59:18
ye shall bear
and ye shall know
6:7, 20:38,42,44, 25:5, Psalms 9:16

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