Ezekiel 23:19

Translation
King James Version
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.
Ask
KJV (with Strong's)
Yet she multiplied H7235 her whoredoms H8457, in calling to remembrance H2142 the days H3117 of her youth H5271, wherein she had played the harlot H2181 in the land H776 of Egypt H4714.
Ask
Complete Jewish Bible
Still she kept increasing her whoring, remembering the days when she was young, fornicating in the land of Egypt
Ask
Berean Standard Bible
Yet she multiplied her promiscuity, remembering the days of her youth, when she had prostituted herself in the land of Egypt
Ask
American Standard Version
Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, remembering the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
Ask
World English Bible Messianic
Yet she multiplied her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth, in which she had played the prostitute in the land of Egypt.
Ask
Geneva Bible (1599)
Yet she encreased her whoredome more, and called to remembrance ye dayes of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
Ask
Young's Literal Translation
And she multiplieth her whoredoms, To remember the days of her youth, When she went a-whoring in the land of Egypt.
Ask
See also
Ezekiel 23:3Ezekiel 23:21Ezekiel 20:7Amos 4:4Ezekiel 16:29Ezekiel 23:14Ezekiel 23:8
See on the biblical-era map
Oholah and Oholibah
Oholah and Oholibah View full PDF

Map © Biblica Open Bible Maps · CC BY-SA 4.0

In the KJVVerse 21,027 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 23:19 graphically depicts Judah's (Aholibah's) profound and escalating spiritual unfaithfulness, portraying her as a harlot who not only continued but intensified her illicit relationships. This verse highlights a dangerous regression, as Judah deliberately recalled and re-engaged with the sinful idolatry and political alliances she had formed with Egypt in her formative years. It underscores the depth of her rebellion against Yahweh's covenant, setting the stage for the severe divine judgment that would befall her.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 23 is a continuation of the prophet's extended and disturbing allegory of Israel's (Aholah, representing Samaria/Northern Kingdom) and Judah's (Aholibah, representing Jerusalem/Southern Kingdom) spiritual harlotry, building upon the foundational imagery established in Ezekiel 16. This chapter specifically details Aholibah's escalating promiscuity, moving from alliances with Assyria to Babylon, and then, as highlighted in verse 19, a particularly egregious return to her initial infatuation with Egypt. This verse marks a critical point where Judah's unfaithfulness is not merely a new transgression but a conscious and intensified regression to past sins, demonstrating a deep-seated spiritual depravity and a profound rejection of God's covenant. The graphic and shocking imagery serves to expose the severity of their betrayal and to justify the impending divine judgment.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: At the time of Ezekiel's prophecy in the early 6th century BCE, Judah was precariously positioned between the dominant geopolitical powers of Babylon to the east and Egypt to the southwest. Historically, Israel and Judah had a long, complex, and often unfaithful relationship with Egypt. Despite being miraculously delivered from Egyptian bondage during the Exodus, they frequently looked to Egypt for military and political alliances rather than trusting in Yahweh for their security and provision (e.g., Isaiah 30:1-7). This reliance often led to the adoption of Egyptian idolatrous practices, directly violating the first commandment. The "days of her youth" refer to the nation's formative period, including the wilderness wanderings and early settlement, where idolatry was a recurring issue, frequently influenced by surrounding cultures, including Egypt. Culturally, the covenant between Yahweh and Israel was understood as a marriage bond, making spiritual unfaithfulness akin to adultery, a grave and deeply personal betrayal.
  • Key Themes: Ezekiel 23:19 powerfully contributes to several key themes within Ezekiel's prophecy and the broader prophetic literature. Persistent Unfaithfulness is central, illustrating Judah's unyielding inclination to turn away from God despite repeated warnings, judgments, and demonstrations of divine faithfulness. The phrase "multiplied her whoredoms" emphasizes the increasing depth and breadth of her idolatry and political reliance on pagan powers, highlighting a destructive cycle of sin. Another crucial theme is The Allure of Past Sins, as "calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt" points to a dangerous nostalgia for former sinful ways, suggesting a deliberate choice to re-engage with practices God had explicitly condemned. This reflects a failure to truly repent and a preference for worldly security over divine trust, as seen in the warnings against relying on Egypt in Jeremiah 2:18-19. Ultimately, the graphic depiction of Spiritual Adultery underscores the heinous nature of Judah's betrayal of her covenant with Yahweh, thereby justifying the impending Divine Judgment through the Babylonian exile.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • multiplied (Hebrew, râbâh', H7235): From a primitive root meaning "to increase (in whatever respect)." In this context, it signifies the exponential growth and intensification of Judah's spiritual harlotry. It's not merely a continuation of past sins, but a deliberate and abundant escalation, indicating a deep-seated and pervasive unfaithfulness that has grown beyond measure and become deeply ingrained.
  • whoredoms (Hebrew, taznûwth', H8457): Derived from the root zânâh, this noun specifically denotes "harlotry" or "fornication." In prophetic contexts, as here, it is a potent figurative term for idolatry and spiritual infidelity, representing the breaking of the covenant relationship with Yahweh by pursuing other gods or illicit political alliances. Its use emphasizes the heinous nature of Judah's betrayal, akin to a spouse's ultimate and repeated unfaithfulness.
  • played the harlot (Hebrew, zânâh', H2181): This primitive root means "to commit adultery," often of the female, and figuratively, "to commit idolatry." It highlights the active, intentional, and repeated nature of Judah's spiritual unfaithfulness. The repetition of this root (also in taznûwth) underscores the central accusation against Judah: her consistent and deliberate abandonment of Yahweh for illicit spiritual and political liaisons, particularly with Egypt, demonstrating a willful rejection of her covenant vows.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Yet she multiplied her whoredoms,": This opening clause immediately establishes the escalating and pervasive nature of Judah's sin. The term "whoredoms" (Hebrew: taznûwth) is a potent metaphor for spiritual idolatry and unfaithfulness to God's covenant. "Multiplied" (Hebrew: râbâh) indicates that her unfaithfulness was not a singular event or a minor deviation, but a pervasive and intensifying pattern of breaking her exclusive relationship with Yahweh through the worship of other gods and reliance on foreign, pagan powers. This highlights a deliberate and increasing rebellion.
  • "in calling to remembrance the days of her youth,": This phrase suggests a conscious, deliberate act of recollection and a dangerous nostalgia for past sinful ways. "Calling to remembrance" (Hebrew: zâkar) implies an active mental engagement, not merely a passive memory. "The days of her youth" (Hebrew: nâʻûwr) refers to the early history of the nation of Israel, particularly the period after the Exodus when they were forming their identity and covenant with God. This recollection is not for repentance or learning from mistakes, but for a return to and intensification of former sinful patterns.
  • "wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.": This final clause specifies the particular historical sin Judah is recalling and re-engaging with. "Played the harlot" (Hebrew: zânâh) reiterates the theme of spiritual infidelity, emphasizing the active nature of her betrayal. The "land of Egypt" (Hebrew: Mitsrayim) points to the nation's earliest and most persistent temptation to rely on foreign powers and adopt their idolatrous practices, rather than trusting in God alone. This highlights a cyclical pattern of rebellion, where past sins are not overcome but embraced anew and even intensified.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 23:19 is rich in literary devices that amplify its message of spiritual betrayal and the severity of Judah's sin. The overarching device is Allegory, where the prophet uses the narrative of two harlot sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, to represent the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Within this allegory, Metaphor is powerfully employed, as "whoredoms" and "playing the harlot" serve as a vivid and shocking metaphor for idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. This Personification of Judah as a wanton woman underscores the intimate and betrayed relationship between God and His people, making the sin deeply personal and offensive. The phrase "calling to remembrance" suggests a form of Anthropomorphism, attributing human memory, choice, and even a perverse longing to the nation. The graphic nature of the language also contributes to Hyperbole, emphasizing the extreme extent of Judah's spiritual depravity and making the divine judgment seem justified in light of such profound and persistent betrayal.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 23:19 profoundly illustrates the biblical theme of covenant infidelity and its dire consequences. It reveals God's perspective on His people's spiritual unfaithfulness, likening it to the most grievous betrayal in human relationships—adultery. This verse emphasizes that Judah's sin was not merely a lapse but a deliberate, multiplied, and nostalgic return to the very idolatry and worldly alliances from which God had delivered them in their "youth" in Egypt. Theologically, it underscores God's demand for exclusive devotion and His righteous judgment against those who continually profane His covenant. It also highlights the dangerous allure of past sins and the human tendency to seek security and gratification in worldly alliances and false gods rather than in the one true God, demonstrating a profound spiritual amnesia regarding God's past mercies and power.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 23:19 serves as a stark warning to all who claim to be in covenant with God. It challenges us to examine the nature of our own devotion and to confront any tendencies to "multiply our whoredoms" by seeking fulfillment, security, or identity outside of God. This can manifest today not only as overt idolatry but also as an unhealthy reliance on wealth, power, worldly approval, or even past sinful habits that we romanticize or return to. The "calling to remembrance the days of her youth" should prompt us to reflect on any "Egypts" in our own past—patterns of sin, worldly dependencies, or false comforts—that we might be tempted to revisit instead of pressing forward in holiness. Our call is to exclusive devotion to Christ, trusting Him alone for our provision, protection, and purpose, and actively resisting the allure of spiritual backsliding, which often stems from a failure to remember God's faithfulness and our deliverance.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of my life might I be "multiplying my whoredoms" by prioritizing worldly things or self-reliance over my exclusive relationship with God?
  • Are there "days of my youth" or past sinful patterns that I am tempted to "call to remembrance" or return to, rather than fully embracing the new life and freedom in Christ?
  • How can I cultivate a deeper, more exclusive trust in God, so that I do not look to "Egypt" (worldly systems, false securities, or past comforts) for my needs, but solely to Him?

FAQ

Why is Judah's unfaithfulness described as "whoredom" or "harlotry" in Ezekiel?

Answer: The description of Judah's unfaithfulness as "whoredom" or "harlotry" is a powerful and deliberate metaphor used by Ezekiel and other prophets (e.g., Hosea 1) to convey the severity of their sin. In the Old Testament, the covenant relationship between Yahweh and Israel/Judah is often depicted as a marriage. God is the faithful husband, and His people are His bride. Just as physical adultery breaks the sacred bond of marriage, spiritual "whoredom"—which encompasses idolatry (worshipping other gods) and illicit political alliances (trusting foreign nations instead of God)—breaks the exclusive covenant relationship with Yahweh. This metaphor highlights the intimate nature of the betrayal, the deep offense to God's holiness, and the profound consequences of their spiritual infidelity. It underscores that their sin was not merely a mistake but a deliberate act of unfaithfulness against their divine spouse, a profound spiritual adultery.

What does "calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt" signify?

Answer: This phrase signifies Judah's dangerous and deliberate regression to past sinful patterns, specifically those associated with their earliest national history and their relationship with Egypt. "The days of her youth" refers to the formative period of Israel as a nation, including their time in Egypt and the wilderness. Even after being delivered from Egyptian bondage, Israel often looked back to Egypt for security or adopted Egyptian idolatrous practices, rather than trusting in God alone (e.g., Numbers 14:4). "Calling to remembrance" implies a conscious, active choice to revisit and even intensify these old ways. It's not accidental backsliding but a deliberate re-engagement with the very "whoredoms" that marked their early history. This highlights a profound spiritual malaise: instead of learning from past mistakes and growing in faithfulness, Judah actively sought to repeat and multiply her ancient betrayals, demonstrating a deep-seated and persistent rebellion against God's covenant.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 23:19, with its graphic portrayal of Judah's spiritual harlotry and persistent unfaithfulness, powerfully sets the stage for the necessity of Christ. The "whoredoms" of Judah, her relentless pursuit of idols and worldly alliances, reveal the pervasive sinfulness of humanity and our inherent inability to maintain a faithful covenant relationship with God. This verse, therefore, points to the profound need for a new covenant, one not dependent on human faithfulness but on divine grace and a perfect mediator. Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of this need. He is the perfectly faithful Son, who never "played the harlot" or turned away from God, remaining obedient even unto death on the cross (Hebrews 4:15). Through His atoning sacrifice, Christ takes upon Himself the "whoredoms" of our sin, paying the penalty for our spiritual adultery and making a way for reconciliation with God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Furthermore, in Christ, believers are united to Him as His pure and spotless bride (Ephesians 5:25-27), establishing a new covenant relationship that is eternal and secured by His perfect faithfulness, not our fleeting obedience (Hebrews 8:6-13). Thus, Ezekiel's stark warning of judgment for unfaithfulness ultimately magnifies the grace and redemptive power found in Jesus, who offers true cleansing, steadfast love, and an unbreakable covenant for all who believe.

Copy as

Commentary on Ezekiel 23 verses 11–21

The prophet Hosea, in his time, observed that the two tribes retained their integrity, in a great measure, when the ten tribes had apostatized (Hos 11:12, Ephraim indeed compasses me about with lies, but Judah yet rules with God and is faithful with the saints; and this was justly expected from them: Hos 4:15, Though thou Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend); but this lasted not long. By some unhappy matches made between the house of David and the house of Ahab the worship of Baal had been brought into the kingdom of Judah, but had been by the reforming kings worked out again; and at the time of the captivity of the ten tribes, which was in the reign of Hezekiah, things were in a good posture: but it lasted not long. In the reign of Manasseh, soon after the kingdom of Judah had seen the destruction of the kingdom of Israel, they became more corrupt than Israel had been in their inordinate love of idols, Eze 23:11. Instead of being made better by the warning which that destruction gave them, they were made worse by it, as if they were displeased because the Lord had made that breach upon Israel, and for that reason became disaffected to him and to his service. Instead of being made to stand in awe of him as a jealous God, they therefore grew strange to him, and liked those gods better that would admit of partners with them. Note, Those may justly expect God's judgments upon themselves who do not take warning by his judgments upon others, who see in others what is the end of sin and yet continue to make a light matter of it. But it is bad indeed with those who are made worse by that which should make them better, and have their lusts irritated and exasperated by that which was designed to suppress and subdue them. Jerusalem grew worse in her whoredoms than her sister Samaria had been in her whoredoms. This was observed before (Eze 16:51), Neither has Samaria committed half of thy sins.

I. Jerusalem, that had been a faithful city, became a harlot, Isa 1:21. She also doted upon the Assyrians (Eze 23:12), joined in league with them, joined in worship with them, grew to be in love with their captains and rulers, and cried them up as finer and more accomplished gentlemen than any that ever the land of Israel produced. "See how richly, how neatly, they are dressed, clothed most gorgeously; how well they sit a horse; they are horsemen riding on horses; how charmingly they look, all of them desirable young men." And thus they grew to affect every thing that was foreign and to despise their own nation; and even the religion of it was mean and homely, and not to be compared with the curiosity and gaiety of the heathen temples. Thus she increased her whoredoms; she fell in love, fell in league, with the Chaldeans. Hezekiah himself was faulty this way when he was proud of the court which the king of Babylon made to him and complimented his ambassadors with the sight of all his treasures, Isa 39:2. And the humour increased (Eze 23:14); she doted upon the pictures of the Babylonian captains (Eze 23:15, Eze 23:16), joined in alliance with that kingdom, invited them to come and settle in Jerusalem, that they might refine the genius of the Jewish nation and make it more polite; nay, they sent for patterns of their images, altars, and temples, and made use of them in their worship. Thus was she polluted with her whoredoms (Eze 23:17), and thereby she discovered her own whoredom (Eze 23:18), her own strong inclination to idolatry. And when she had had enough of the Chaldeans, and grew tired of them and disposed to break her league with them, as Jehoiakim and Zedekiah did, her mind being alienated from them, she courted the Egyptians, doted upon their paramours (Eze 23:20), would come into an alliance with them, and, to strengthen the alliance, would join with them in their idolatries and then depend upon them to be their protectors from all other nations; for so wise, so rich, so strong, was the Egyptian nation, and came to such perfection in idolatry, that there was no nation now which they could take such satisfaction in as in Egypt. Thus they called to remembrance the days of their youth (Eze 23:19), the lewdness of their youth, Eze 23:21. 1. They pleased themselves with the remembrance of it. When they began to set their affections upon Egypt, they encouraged themselves to put a confidence in that kingdom, because of the old acquaintance they had with it, as if they still retained the gust and relish of the leeks and onions they ate there, or rather of the idolatrous worship they learned there, and brought up with them thence. When they began an acquaintance with Egypt they remembered how merrily their fathers worshipped the golden calf, what music and dancing they had at that sport, which they learned in Egypt; and they hoped they should now have a fair pretence to come to that again. Thus she multiplied her whoredoms, repeated her former whoredoms, and encouraged herself to close with present temptations, by calling to remembrance the days of her youth. Note, Those who, instead of reflecting upon their former sins with sorrow and shame, reflect upon them with pleasure and pride, contract new guilt thereby, strengthen their own corruptions, and in effect bid defiance to repentance. This is returning with the dog to his vomit. 2. They called it God's remembrance, and provoked him to remember it against them. God had said indeed that he would reckon with them for the golden calf, that idol of Egypt (Exo 32:34); but such was his patience that he seemed to have forgotten it till they, by their league now with the Egyptians against the Chaldeans, did, as it were, put him in mind of it; and in the day when he visits he will now, as he has said, visit for that. It is very observable how this adulteress changes her lovers: she dotes first on the Assyrians; then she thought the Chaldeans finer and courted them; after a while her mind was alienated from them, and she thought the Egyptians more powerful (Eze 23:20) and she must contract an intimacy with them. This shows the folly, (1.) Of fleshly lusts; when they are indulged they grow humoursome and fickle, are soon surfeited but never satisfied; they must have variety, and what is loved one day is loathed the next. Unius adulterium matrimonium vocant - One adultery is called marriage, as Seneca observes. (2.) Of idolatry. Those who think one God too little will not think a hundred sufficient, but will still be for trying more, as finding all insufficient. (3.) Of seeking to creatures for help; we go from one to another, but are disappointed in them all, and can never rest till we have made the God of Israel our help.

II. The faithful God justly gives a bill of divorce to this now faithless city, that has become a harlot. His jealousy soon discovered her lewdness (Eze 23:13): I saw that she was defiled, that she was debauched, and saw which way her inclination was, that the two sisters both took one way, and that Jerusalem grew worse than Samaria. For, if we stretch out our hand to a strange god, will not God search this out? No doubt he will; and when he has found it can he be pleased with it? No (Eze 23:18): Then my mind was alienated from her, as it was from her sister. How could the pure and holy God any longer take delight in such a lewd generation? Note, Sin alienates God's mind from the sinner, and justly, for it is the alienation of the sinner's mind from God; but woe, and a thousand woes, to those from whom God's mind is alienated; for whom he turns from he will turn against.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 11–21. Public domain.
Copy as
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Ver. 23, 24 onwards) Again, I raised my hand against them in the wilderness, to scatter them among the nations and disperse them in the lands, because they had not performed my judgments, and had rejected my commandments, and had violated my Sabbaths, and their eyes had been after the idols (or thoughts) of their fathers. Therefore, I also gave them statutes that were not good, and judgments in which they would not live, and I defiled them in their offerings (or transgressions), as they offered (or led astray) everything that opens the womb because of their sins (for which the Septuagint translated, to destroy them and what they had overlooked): and they will know that I am the Lord. Where in the Old Testament, against their children, who fell in the wilderness, the Lord lifted up His hand to scatter them among the nations, Scripture does not say; but it is to be believed that this was done in accordance with what is reported here. Or he signifies by this, that after they entered the promised land, they were given over at various times, for many sins, to different nations and kings, and at that time the commandments of the Lord, which were good according to their nature, and the judgments by which believers could live, were made not good for them, since they were in no way able to keep the precepts of the law in captivity, and to do what the divine word commanded. He did not say, 'I gave them evil commandments,' but, 'not good commandments.' For it does not immediately follow that what is not good is evil, as the Apostle teaches, it is good for a man not to touch a woman; but because of incontinence, let each possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor (I Cor. VII). And if he does not do this, it is neither good nor evil. Therefore, God gave them, dispersed among the nations, not good commandments, that is, he allowed them to follow their own thoughts and desires, to do what is not appropriate. And he defiled them in his gifts: just as a Priest separates lepers from the people, and shows that they are defiled; while they offer to idols what they should offer to God. And they pass everything that opens the womb through the fire of Baal, that is, the firstborn; so that after they have deserted God and been handed over to the worship of idols, then they may understand that He is the Lord whom they have provoked to anger by their own fault. Symmachus interpreted this passage more explicitly, treating the future as past. Therefore, I will also give them bad precepts and judgments for which they will not live, and I will defile them because of their gifts, as they consecrate and offer everything that opens the womb, so that I may destroy them, and they will know that I am the Lord. And the meaning is this: because I have seen the sons of the fathers equaling the wickedness of their ancestors and doing the same things for which they offended God, I wanted to divide them into nations and disperse them throughout the whole world, and give them bad precepts and judgments in which they would not live, so that I may defile them with their gifts, for they consecrated everything that opens the womb to idols, and I may destroy them forever, and they will know that I am the Lord. Through which he showed that he had not given them good commandments who dwelt in the wilderness, but to those whom he wanted to scatter among the nations, and to make foreigners in the whole world, he gave them a desire for things that he did not give: so that there they would do good commandments of God, not good because of their own fault, while they exhibited to idols what God had commanded to be exhibited. This can also be said, that before the offense, they received only the Ten Commandments; but after idolatry and blasphemy, they received multiple ceremonies of the law, so that they would offer victims to God rather than to demons, and by comparison with sacrilege, what was not good in itself became lighter, and by no means evil, because it was offered to God, and yet not good, because they offended the author of good.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Vers. 11 seqq.) When her sister Oholibah saw this, she became more wicked than her, and her desire for sexual immorality surpassed that of her sister. Shamelessly, she displayed her prostitution to the sons of Assyria, to their captains and leaders who came to her. She was dressed in various (or costly) garments, riding on horses with riders, all of them handsome young men. And I saw that both of them had defiled the same path, and they multiplied their sexual immorality. And when she saw the painted figures on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with colors, having their loins girded with belts, and their heads covered with painted turbans, in the likeness of the rulers (or of the most miserable) of the Babylonians and the land of the Chaldeans, where they were born, she was inflamed with lustful desire for them. And she sent messengers to them in Chaldea. And when the sons of Babylon came to her, to the bed of her prostitution, they defiled her with their harlotry, and she was defiled by them, and her soul turned away from them. And she uncovered her fornication and revealed her disgrace, and my soul withdrew from her as my soul withdrew from her sister. For she multiplied her fornication, remembering the days of her youth when she played the harlot in the land of Egypt. And she went crazy with desire for their lovers, whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys and whose genitals are like the genitals of horses. And you visited the wickedness of your youth: when your breasts were conquered in Egypt, and the breasts of your puberty were broken. According to the letter, the interpretation is easy, that when Oholibah, that is, Jerusalem, in which was the tabernacle of God, saw the stripes of her sister, she was not warned by example to turn away her foot from error; but she increased her sister's prostitution. For she once made idols outside in Dan and Bethel: but she frequently worshiped the statue of Baal in the high places and in the temple of God, and fornicated with the Assyrians. But the idol of Baal, or Bel, and (to speak plainly) Belis, is the religion of the Assyrians, consecrated by Nino the son of Belis in honor of his father. And he shamelessly offered his prostitution to the Assyrians, to leaders and magistrates, who were clothed in various and multicolored garments, and to horsemen and young men who were distinguished in appearance by all. So that the prostitution of both sisters became one. And in this way Jerusalem increased its own prostitution, for seeing the images of the Chaldeans on the walls, she became crazed with desire and, deceived by their appearance and clothing, sent messengers to them, seeking help: who came and defiled her. And because pleasure is not perpetual, but quickly brings satiety: she, defiled and saturated with them, departed from their company. Therefore, even I, seeing her turpitudes and fornications made public to all, withdrew from her, so that I, who had surpassed the crimes of my sister, would also surpass her in the magnitude of punishments. Her audacity was of such great extent that she committed all the errors of her youth in a more serious age: and she indulged in Egyptian vices, even following the lusts of the Chaldeans. For he once went mad in the company of Egyptians, whose flesh resembles that of donkeys, and with such a copious flow of semen, and genitals so large, that they surpass even the deformity of horses. Nor did his wickedness cease in his youth: on the contrary, after she became mine, she returned to surpass her former lust in the desert and in the land of promise, where she was deflowered, and her breasts were broken, and all the adornment of her virginity was destroyed. Furthermore, according to tropology, it is difficult to understand how the Church conquers heretical desire unless perhaps we can say this: the servant who knows his master's will and does not do it will be beaten with many stripes (Luke 12:47); and that heretics commit unspeakable acts outside the ark, and perish in shipwreck: but those who follow true faith, if they imitate the vices of Assyria and Chaldea and follow the discolored images of sins, are worthy of greater torments. Shall we not send messengers to the Chaldeans, who interpret as if they were demons, when we open to them and offer them our breasts to be broken in the inner chamber of the mind, and having been satiated with pleasures, we pass from one to another; and not so much do we desire fornication as we desire the number of prostitutes, and we have come to such madness that after much time in the service of the Lord's day, we return to Egypt and do the things that we did in the world before we received the name of faith?
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 27, 29 onwards) Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them: Thus says the Lord God: Moreover, your fathers have blasphemed against me and have treated me with contempt, even as they spurned me. And I brought them into the land that I had lifted my hand to give them ((Vulgate adds: that land)): they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices and presented there the irritation of their offerings, and they placed there the fragrance of their sweetness, and they poured out their ((Vulgate is silent on this)) libations there. And I said to them, 'What is the high place to which you are going?' And its name was called the High Place until this day. Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: As for your fathers, they have provoked Me to anger by their iniquities, by the fact that they have fallen away from Me. So I brought them into the land that I had lifted My hand in an oath to give them.' They saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices. They also presented there the provocation of their gifts, and they set there their pleasing aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings. And I said to them: What is abbana, because you enter there? And they called its name abbana until this day. I wanted, he said, to scatter them in the wilderness, and to give them not good precepts, so that they would sacrifice to idols what they should have offered to me, and consecrate all their first-fruits to them by fire, so that I might kill them and destroy them. But when he says, I wanted, he shows that he did not do what he wanted. And that which follows: 'And they shall know that I am the Lord,' is not found in the Septuagint. For it did not seem fitting to them to know after their destruction that he himself is the Lord. But you, son of man, speak again to them, that is, to the elders of the house of Israel, who have come to inquire of you: Your fathers, from whom you have descended, have also blasphemed against me and held me in contempt; after I brought them into the land which I had given them to possess, they turned against me to provoke me. For when they saw every high hill and leafy tree, they would sacrifice on the mountains and in the groves and thickets, and offer victims to the idols, and pour out libations. And when I saw this, I said to them: What is this, Bama? for it is called high: or why do you enter into such a place which you have chosen for yourselves in all the hills, so that even today these places are called Bamoth, and the ancient error retains its original name? Regarding Bama, which we translate as excelsum, there is an error in the Septuagint edition, where it is written as ἀββανὰ, which does not resonate in the Hebrew language. Bama can mean 'in which' if the two syllables are divided into two words, but in the present context, that sense does not fit. However, wherever it is written in the Books of Kings and Chronicles: 'The people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places,' Bama in the singular and Bamoth in the plural mean 'high places.'
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as

Continue studying Ezekiel 23:19 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.

Read & Compare

Commentaries

Original Language & Research

Sermons, Hymns & Audio

TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.