Ezekiel 23:22

Translation
King James Version
¶ 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;
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KJV (with Strong's)
Therefore, O Aholibah H172, thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD H3069; Behold, I will raise up H5782 thy lovers H157 against thee, from whom thy mind H5315 is alienated H5361, and I will bring H935 them against thee on every side H5439;
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Complete Jewish Bible
"Therefore, Oholivah, here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will raise up your lovers against you, the ones who fill you with revulsion, and bring them against you from every side -
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Berean Standard Bible
Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will incite your lovers against you, those from whom you turned away in disgust. And I will bring them against you from every side—
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American Standard Version
Therefore, O Oholibah, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy soul is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side:
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World English Bible Messianic
Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom your soul is alienated, and I will bring them against you on every side:
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Therefore, O Aholibah, thus sayeth the Lord God, Beholde, I will raise vp thy louers against thee, from whome thine heart is departed, and I will bring them against thee on euery side,
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Young's Literal Translation
Therefore, O Aholibah, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am stirring up thy lovers against thee, From whom thy soul hath been alienated, And have brought them in against thee from round about.
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See also
Ezekiel 16:37Revelation 17:16Isaiah 39:3Isaiah 39:4Habakkuk 1:6Habakkuk 1:10Ezekiel 23:28
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In the KJVVerse 21,030 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 23:22 delivers a severe divine pronouncement of judgment against Aholibah, the symbolic representation of Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah. This verse reveals God's sovereign intent to turn Judah's former "lovers"—the very pagan nations with whom she had forged unholy alliances and adopted idolatrous practices—into instruments of her punishment. Despite a perceived alienation from these alliances, God declares He will raise them up and bring them against her from every side, underscoring the inescapable consequences of spiritual infidelity and misplaced trust.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 23:22 is situated within a lengthy prophetic allegory (Ezekiel 23:1-49) that graphically portrays the spiritual harlotry of God's covenant people. The chapter introduces two sisters, Aholah (Samaria, representing the Northern Kingdom of Israel) and Aholibah (Jerusalem, representing the Southern Kingdom of Judah). Both are depicted as prostitutes who have abandoned their covenant fidelity to Yahweh, engaging in idolatry and forming illicit political and religious alliances with foreign powers. This particular verse marks a turning point for Aholibah, shifting from a description of her escalating unfaithfulness to the declaration of the imminent, divinely orchestrated judgment. It follows a detailed account of her promiscuous pursuit of Assyrians and Babylonians, setting the stage for the ironic reversal where these very "lovers" become her executioners. The preceding verses (Ezekiel 23:1-21) meticulously detail Aholibah's spiritual adultery, making the judgment in verse 22 a direct consequence of her actions and highlighting the escalating nature of her sin.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical backdrop for Ezekiel's prophecy is the tumultuous period leading up to and during the Babylonian exile. Judah, symbolized by Aholibah, had a long history of vacillating between faithfulness to Yahweh and syncretistic worship, often entangling herself in political alliances with powerful empires like Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon. These alliances were not merely political but often involved adopting the gods and religious practices of their partners, a direct violation of the Mosaic covenant. Culturally, the metaphor of prostitution vividly conveyed the deep betrayal inherent in Judah's spiritual idolatry, as the covenant relationship between God and Israel was often likened to a marriage, a theme powerfully explored in Hosea 1-3. The "lovers" in this context refer to the military and political powers Judah had courted for security, such as the Assyrians and the Babylonians, rather than trusting in God's protection. The geographical setting of Jerusalem, with its temple, made its unfaithfulness particularly egregious, as it was the designated dwelling place of God's presence among His people.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Ezekiel and the prophetic literature. Firstly, it highlights Divine Judgment for Spiritual Adultery, emphasizing that God's righteous character demands a response to persistent unfaithfulness and idolatry. Judah's spiritual promiscuity, depicted as an abomination, inevitably leads to severe consequences, as seen throughout the book, particularly in the graphic depictions of idolatry in Ezekiel 8. Secondly, the verse underscores the Consequences of Misplaced Trust and Worldly Alliances. Judah's reliance on foreign nations for security, rather than on Yahweh, proved to be a fatal flaw. The very powers she courted become the instruments of her downfall, illustrating the futility of trusting in human strength over divine protection, a theme powerfully echoed in Jeremiah 2:36-37. Lastly, the declaration "I will raise up thy lovers against thee" powerfully asserts God's Sovereignty in Retribution. Even the actions of pagan nations, seemingly independent, are ultimately under God's control and are employed to fulfill His just purposes of judgment, as exemplified by God's use of Assyria as the "rod of My anger" in Isaiah 10:5.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Aholibah (Hebrew, ʼOhŏlîybâh', H172): This symbolic name, meaning "My Tent (or Tabernacle) is in Her," is profoundly ironic and significant. It signifies that God's very presence, His dwelling place (the Temple in Jerusalem), was established within Judah. Despite this intimate privilege and the covenant relationship it represented, Jerusalem engaged in profound spiritual unfaithfulness. The name itself highlights the depth of her betrayal, as she defiled the very space consecrated to God, turning a place of divine indwelling into a den of idolatry.
  • Lovers (Hebrew, ʼâhab', H157): Derived from a primitive root meaning "to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)," this term is used here to denote those with whom Aholibah (Judah) had illicit, passionate relationships. In the context of the allegory, these "lovers" are the foreign nations and their gods that Judah pursued for political alliances and worshipped, thereby committing spiritual adultery against Yahweh. The word choice underscores the passionate, intentional nature of her unfaithfulness, implying a willful turning away from her divine Husband.
  • Alienated (Hebrew, nâqaʻ', H5361): This word, meaning "to feel aversion" or "to be alienated," describes a shift in Aholibah's affections. While she initially pursued these "lovers," there was a point where her "mind" (Hebrew nephesh, often translated as soul, self, or desire, signifying her inner being and will) grew weary or disillusioned with them. Yet, despite this internal aversion, the alliances and idolatrous practices persisted, demonstrating a deep-seated spiritual rebellion that continued even when the initial allure faded, highlighting the compulsive and destructive nature of sin.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD;": This opening clause establishes the divine authority and certainty of the ensuing judgment. The "Therefore" links the judgment directly to Aholibah's previously detailed spiritual harlotry, emphasizing that this is a just and deserved consequence. The title "Lord GOD" (ʼĂdônây Yᵉhôvih) emphasizes God's sovereign rule and covenant faithfulness, highlighting that this is a righteous and authoritative decree from the one she betrayed, the ultimate authority over all nations.
  • "Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated,": This is the core of the prophetic judgment, marked by the attention-grabbing "Behold." God declares His active and direct role ("I will raise up") in orchestrating the punishment. The irony is profound: the very nations (the "lovers") Judah had courted for security and power, and from whom her affections had supposedly waned, would now be divinely empowered to turn against her. This highlights the self-destructive nature of sin and the principle that what one sows, one often reaps, as God uses the very objects of her misplaced trust as instruments of His justice.
  • "and I will bring them against thee on every side;": This final clause emphasizes the comprehensive and inescapable nature of the impending judgment. The phrase "on every side" (Hebrew çâbîyb) indicates a complete encirclement and overwhelming attack, leaving no avenue for escape. It signifies a total and inescapable divine retribution, ensuring that Judah would be utterly overwhelmed by the instruments of God's wrath, demonstrating the thoroughness of God's righteous judgment.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 23:22 is rich in Allegory and Symbolism, with "Aholibah" serving as an allegorical representation of Jerusalem/Judah and her "lovers" symbolizing the foreign nations and their idolatrous practices. The central Irony of the verse is striking: the very entities Judah sought for security and pleasure become the instruments of her destruction, a classic example of poetic justice. The phrase "from whom thy mind is alienated" introduces a subtle Paradox, suggesting a disillusionment with these alliances even as the spiritual harlotry continued, highlighting the compulsive and self-destructive nature of sin that persists even when its fruits are bitter. The repeated divine declaration "I will raise up" and "I will bring" employs Anthropomorphism to emphasize God's active and sovereign involvement in orchestrating the judgment, rather than it being merely a natural consequence of geopolitical shifts. The vivid imagery of "lovers" turning "against thee on every side" creates a powerful and unsettling Metaphor of betrayal and inescapable encirclement, painting a grim picture of divine retribution.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 23:22 profoundly illustrates God's unwavering commitment to His covenant, even when His people are unfaithful. It reveals that spiritual adultery, manifested through idolatry and reliance on worldly powers, carries severe consequences orchestrated by God Himself. This verse underscores the divine principle that those who abandon the Lord for false securities will find those very securities turning against them, serving as instruments of divine discipline. It speaks to God's justice, His sovereignty over nations, and His ultimate demand for exclusive devotion from His people. The judgment is not arbitrary but a direct, just response to a prolonged pattern of spiritual infidelity, demonstrating that God will not be mocked and His covenant demands are serious.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 23:22 serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of spiritual compromise and misplaced trust. For believers today, it challenges us to examine the "lovers" in our own lives—anything or anyone we rely on more than God for security, identity, or satisfaction. This could be wealth, career, relationships, political ideologies, or even self-reliance. The verse reminds us that what we turn to apart from God can ultimately become the source of our distress or even our undoing. It calls us to an exclusive and undivided devotion to Christ, recognizing that true security and fulfillment are found only in Him. God's justice is a sobering reality, but it is always rooted in His desire for His people to return to Him in repentance and faithfulness. We are called to learn from Judah's tragic example and cultivate a heart that is fully alienated from worldly affections and fully devoted to the Lord, understanding that our ultimate allegiance must be to the One who truly loves us and provides all we need.

Questions for Reflection

  • What "lovers" or false securities might I be tempted to rely on more than God in my life today?
  • In what areas of my life might my "mind" (desires, affections) be subtly alienated from God, even if I maintain outward religious practice?
  • How does this verse challenge my understanding of God's sovereignty, particularly in difficult or painful circumstances?
  • What practical steps can I take to cultivate a more exclusive and undivided devotion to Christ?

FAQ

What does "Aholibah" mean and why is it significant?

Answer: "Aholibah" (Hebrew: ʼOhŏlîybâh) is a symbolic name for Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah. It means "My Tent (or Tabernacle) is in Her." This name is highly significant because it highlights Jerusalem's unique privilege and intimate relationship with God: the Temple, God's dwelling place, was located within her. Despite this sacred presence and covenant, Aholibah engaged in profound spiritual unfaithfulness, making her betrayal all the more egregious. The name underscores the irony of her defilement of the very place consecrated to God, turning a symbol of divine presence into a testament of her spiritual harlotry.

Who are the "lovers" mentioned in this verse?

Answer: In the allegorical context of Ezekiel 23, the "lovers" represent the foreign nations and their pagan gods with whom Jerusalem (Aholibah) formed illicit political and religious alliances. Historically, these included powerful empires like Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon. Judah sought their military protection and adopted their idolatrous practices, rather than trusting in Yahweh. The verse reveals God's judgment that these very "lovers" would become the instruments of her punishment, fulfilling the warnings against relying on human strength over divine protection, as seen in passages like Isaiah 30:1-3. This demonstrates God's sovereign control even over pagan nations to bring about His just purposes.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 23:22, with its grim depiction of judgment against spiritual harlotry, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in a similar judgment against believers, but in the radical grace of the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ. While Judah's unfaithfulness led to her "lovers" turning against her, Christ's perfect faithfulness ensures that those who are in Him will never face such a reversal. He is the true "tent" or tabernacle of God among humanity, as John 1:14 proclaims, and in Him, God's presence dwells fully. The judgment foreshadowed in Ezekiel points to the ultimate judgment for sin that Christ bore on the cross, becoming alienated from God on our behalf so that we might never be alienated from Him, as 2 Corinthians 5:21 powerfully states. Furthermore, this verse underscores the futility of seeking security in worldly "lovers" or alliances, a lesson powerfully fulfilled in Christ, who alone is our secure foundation and the one to whom we owe our exclusive devotion, for in Him "all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17). He is the faithful bridegroom who gave His life for His bride, the Church, to present her without stain or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:25-27), ensuring that our "lovers" will never turn against us because our only true "Lover" is the one who conquered sin and death, securing our eternal faithfulness and communion with God.

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Commentary on Ezekiel 23 verses 22–49

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

Jerusalem stands indicted by the name of Aholibah, for that she, as a false traitor to her sovereign Lord the God of heaven, not having his fear before her eyes, but moved by the instigation of the devil, had revolted from her allegiance to him, had compassed and imagined to shake off his government, had kept up a correspondence had joined in confederacy with his enemies, and the pretenders to a deity, in contempt of his crown and dignity. To this indictment she has pleaded, Not guilty: I am not polluted; I have not gone after Baalim. But it is found against her by the notorious evidence of the fact, and she stands convicted of it, nor has any thing material to offer why judgment should not be given and execution awarded according to law. In these verses, therefore, we have the sentence.

I. Her old confederates must be her executioners; and those whom she had courted to be her leaders in sin are now to be employed as instruments of her punishment (Eze 23:22): "I will raise up thy lovers against thee, the Chaldeans, whom formerly thou didst so much admire and covet an acquaintance with, but from whom thy mind is since alienated and with whom thou hast perfidiously broken covenant." They are called thy lovers (Eze 23:22) and yet (Eze 23:28) those whom thou hatest. Note, It is common for sinful love soon to turn into hatred; as Amnon's to Tamar. Those of headstrong and unreasonable passions are often very hot against those persons and things that a little before they were as hot for. Fools run into extremes; nay, and wise men may see cause to change their sentiments. And therefore, as we should rejoice and weep as if we rejoiced not and wept not, so we should love and hate as if we loved not and hated not. Ita ama tanquam osurus - Love as one who may have cause to feel aversion.

II. The execution to be done upon her is very terrible.

1.Her enemies shall come against her on every side (Eze 23:22), those of the several nations that constituted the Chaldean army (Eze 23:23), all of them great lords and renowned, whose pomp, and grandeur, and splendid appearance made them look the more amiable when they came as friends to protect and patronise Jerusalem, but the more formidable when they came to chastise its treachery and aimed at no less than its ruin. (1.) They shall come with a great deal of military force (Eze 23:24), with chariots and wagons furnished with all necessary provisions for a camp, with arms and ammunition, bag and baggage, with a vast army, and well armed. (2.) They shall have justice on their side: "I will set judgment before them" (they shall have right with them as well as might; for the king of Babylon had just cause to make war upon the king of Judah, because he had broken his league with him), "and therefore they shall judge thee, not only according to God's judgments, as the instruments of his justice, to punish thee for the indignities done to him, but according to their judgments, according to the law of nations, to punish thee for thy perfidious dealings with them." (3.) They shall prosecute the war with a great deal of fury and resentment. It being a war of revenge, they shall deal with thee hatefully, Eze 23:29. This will make the execution the more severe that their swords will be dipped in poison. Thou hatest them, and they shall deal hatefully with thee; those that hate will be hated and will be hatefully dealt with. (4.) God himself will lead them on, and his anger shall be mingled with theirs (Eze 23:25): I will set my jealousy against thee; that shall kindle this fire, and then they shall deal furiously with thee. If men deal ever so hatefully, ever so furiously, with us, yet, if we have God on our side, we need not fear them; they can do us no real hurt. But if men deal furiously with us, and God set his jealousy against us too, what will become of us?

2.The particulars of the sentence here passed upon this notorious adulteress are, (1.) That all she has shall be seized on. The clothes and the fair jewels, with which she had endeavoured to recommend herself to her lovers, these she shall be stripped of, Eze 23:26. All those things that were the ornaments of their state shall be taken away: "They shall take away all thy labour, all that thou hast gotten by thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare," Eze 23:29. Both city and country shall be impoverished and all the wealth of both swept away. (2.) That her children shall go into captivity. "They shall take thy sons and thy daughters, and make slaves of them (Eze 23:25); for they are children of whoredoms, unworthy the dignities and privileges of Israelites," Hos 2:4. (3.) That she shall be stigmatized and deformed: "They shall take away thy nose and thy ears, shall mark thee for a harlot, and render thee for ever odious," Eze 23:25. This intimates the many cruelties of the Chaldean soldiers towards the Jews that fell into their hands, whom, it is probable, they used barbarously. Some will have this to be understood figuratively; and by the nose they think is meant the kingly dignity, and by the ears that of the priesthood. (4.) That she shall be exposed to shame: Thy lewdness and thy whoredoms shall be discovered (Eze 23:29), as, when a malefactor is punished, all his crimes are ripped up, and repeated to his disgrace; what was secret then comes to light, and what was done long since is then called to mind. (5.) That she shall be quite cut off and ruined: "The remnant of thy people that have escaped the famine and pestilence shall fall by the sword; and the residue of thy houses that have not been battered down about thy ears shall be devoured by the fire," Eze 23:25. And this shall be the end of Jerusalem.

III. Because she has trod in the steps of Samaria's sins, she must expect no other than Samaria's fate. It is common, in giving judgment, to have an eye to precedents; so has God in passing this sentence on Jerusalem (Eze 23:31, etc.): "Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister, notwithstanding the warning thou hast had given thee, by the fatal consequences of her wickedness; and therefore I will give her cup, her portion of miseries, into thy hand, the cup of the Lord's fury, which will be to thee a cup of trembling." Now, 1. This cup is said to be deep and large, and to contain much (Eze 23:32), abundance of God's wrath and abundance of miseries, the fruits of that wrath. It is such a cup as that which we read of, Jer 25:15, Jer 25:16. The cup of divine vengeance holds a great deal, and so those will find into whose hand it shall be put. 2. They shall be made to drink the very dregs of this cup, as the wicked are said to do (Psa 75:8): "Thou shalt drink it and suck it out, not because it is pleasant, but because it is forced upon thee (Eze 23:34); thou shalt break the shreds thereof, and pluck off thy own breasts, for indignation at the extreme bitterness of this cup, being full of the fury of the Lord (Isa 51:20), as men in great anguish tear their hair, and throw every thing from them. Finding there is no remedy, but it must be drank (for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God), thou shalt have no manner of patience in the drinking of it." 3. They shall be intoxicated by it, made sick, and be at their wits' end, as men in drink are, staggering, and stumbling, and ready to fall (Eze 23:33): Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow. Note, Drunkenness has sorrow attending it, to such a degree that the utmost confusion and astonishment are here represented by it. Who would think that that which is such a force upon nature, such a scandal to it, which deprives men of their reason, disorders them to the last degree, and is therefore expressive of the greatest misery, should yet be with many a beloved sin, that they should damn their own souls to distemper their own bodies? Who has woe and sorrow like them? Pro 23:29. 4. Being so intoxicated, they shall become, as drunkards deserve to be, a laughing-stock to all about them (Eze 23:32): Thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision, as acting ridiculously in every thing thou goest about. When God is about to ruin a people he makes their judges fools and pours contempt on their princes, Job 12:17, Job 12:21.

IV. In all this God will be justified, and by all this they will be reformed; and so the issue even of this will be God's glory and their good. 1. They have been bad, very bad, and that justifies God in all that is brought upon them (Eze 23:30): I will do these things unto thee because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and (Eze 23:35) because thou hast forgotten me and cast me behind thy back. Note, Forgetfulness of God, and a contempt of him, of his eye upon us and authority over us, are at the bottom of all our treacherous adulterous departures from him. Therefore men wander after idols, because they forget God, and their obligations to him; nor could they look with so much desire and delight upon the baits of sin if they did not first cast God behind their back, as not worthy to be regarded. And those who put such an affront upon God, how can they think but that it should turn upon themselves at last? Therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms; that is, thou shalt suffer the punishment of them, and thou alone must bear the blame. Men need no more to sink them than the weight of their own sins; and those who will not part with their lewdness and their whoredoms must bear them. 2. They shall be better, much better, and this fire, though consuming to many, shall be refining to a remnant (Eze 23:27): Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee. The judgments which were brought upon them by their sins parted between them and their sins, and taught them at length to say, What have we to do any more with idols? Observe, (1.) How inveterate the disease was: Thy whoredoms were brought from the land of Egypt. Their disposition to idolatry was early and innate, their practice of it was ancient, and had gained a sort of prescription by long usage. (2.) How complete the cure was notwithstanding: "Though it has taken root, yet it shall be made to cease, so that thou shalt not so much as lift up thy eyes to the idols again, nor remember Egypt with pleasure any more." They shall avoid the occasions of this sin, for they shall not so much as look upon an idol, lest their hearts should unawares walk after their eyes. And they shall abandon all inclinations to it: "They shall not remember Egypt; they shall not retain any of that affection for idols which they had from the very infancy of their nation." They got it, through the corruption of nature, in their bondage in Egypt, and lost it, through the grace of God, in their captivity in Babylon, which this was the blessed fruit of, even the taking away of sin, of that sin; so that whereas, before the captivity, no nation (all things considered) was more impetuously bent upon idols and idolatry than they were, after that captivity no nation was more vehemently set against idols and idolatry than they were, insomuch that at this day the image-worship which is practised in the church of Rome confirms the Jews as much as any thing in their prejudices against the Christian religion.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 22–49. Public domain.
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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
(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.'
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(v. 22ff.) Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will stir up against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side: the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, desirable young men, governors and commanders all of them, officers and men of renown, all of them riding on horses. And they shall come against you from the north with chariots and wagons and with a host of peoples. They shall set themselves against you on every side with buckler, shield, and helmet; and I will commit the judgment to them, and they shall judge you according to their judgments. And I will give them judgment, and they shall judge you with their judgments, and I will put my zeal in you, which they shall exercise against you in fury. They shall cut off your nose and your ears, and what remains, they shall cut off with the sword. They shall take your sons and your daughters, and your last will be devoured by fire, and they shall strip you of your garments, and they shall take away the vessels of your glory. And they shall make your wickedness cease from you, and your prostitution from the land of Egypt. You shall not lift up your eyes to them, nor shall you remember Egypt anymore. LXX: Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will stir up your lovers against you, from whom your soul has turned away, and I will bring them against you from every side, the sons of Babylon and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, desirable young men, governors and commanders all of them, officers and men of renown, mounted on horses. And they shall come against you from the north with chariots and wagons and a host of peoples. They shall set themselves against you on every side with buckler, shield, and helmet; and I will commit the judgement to them, and they shall judge you according to their judgements. And I will execute judgment in fury and anger upon them; then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I lay My vengeance upon them. Because you remembered the flesh of the Egyptians and imitated the filthiness of the unclean nation, which venerates the images of all beasts, therefore I will bring against you your lovers, with whom you were satisfied, and you departed from their covenant, so that as great as your love once was, you will be turned into such hatred. Sons, I say, of Babylon, and all the Chaldeans, nobles, tyrants, and princes; for whom in Hebrew it is written, Phacud () and Sue () and Cue (), which the diverse Orientals understand, since we do not find such names either in the Book of Kings, or in the Chronicles, nor indeed in Jeremiah, who describes the captivity of Jerusalem, or in any place of the Holy Scripture. It is not surprising that the Septuagint itself used Hebrew names, since Symmachus and Theodotion also agree on the same words. They all say that the Assyrians, the horsemen, and the young men, in their distinguished form, are the leaders and magistrates, or the tristates, whom we have interpreted as the princes of princes. We read about them also in Exodus (Exod. XV, 4). The chosen ones are translated as ascensores tristatas (τριστάτας), for which Latin simplicity translates as ternos statores. But the name is sad among the Greeks, the second rank after royal dignity. About whom it is written: However, it did not reach the first three, who were the leaders of the cavalry and infantry and the tribunes ((or tributes)) (I Chronicles XII, II Kings XXIII): whom we call the magistrates of both military forces, and the prefects of the title of the annual tax. They all, he says, armed with breastplates, helmets, and shields, besieged you all around in their chariots and on their horses, and I will give them judgment, so that you will be judged by those whom you have left behind, and whose covenant you have made void: and they will judge you with their judgments as an adulteress. And I will set my zeal against you, which they will exercise with you in fury. For my zeal is among the enemies, even faith not being preserved. 'I will cut off your nose and your ears,' he says, 'like an adulteress caught in adultery, so that you may cease to please when disfigured. For just as all the beauty of the face consists in the beauty of the nose, and in the ears, from which depend the unions and the pearls in women, so the dignity of the king and the judges, which is marked in the mouth and the ears, will be cut off by their sword.' They will take your sons and daughters. 'Your sons,' he says, 'and your daughters, not mine, because they were conceived in adultery, and they will devour the rest with fire. And they will strip you of the garments with which I adorned you, and the vessels of your glory, which I granted to you, gold and silver, for use in the ceremonies of the temple, of which it is written: 'I gave them gold and silver, and they made them into Baal' (Hosea II, 8). But I will do all these things, so that your lost beauty and bewitched face may finally be at peace, and your wickedness and fornication, which you learned and practiced in Egypt, may cease. After you have lost your nose and ears, you will no longer dare to raise your eyes to the Chaldeans, nor show your ugliness to your former lovers. And you will no longer remember the lust of the Egyptians, whose indulgence in flesh you delighted in. All the things that are said about the punishment of the adulteress, and how she is disgraced because of adultery: so that she may no longer boast in her beauty, but be ashamed in her disgrace, which she has earned through the greatness of her pleasures. Whatever is said metaphorically about Jerusalem, and can be understood in reference to the soul, which, having been joined to the virtues and united to God, later adulterated them with vices and turned away from Him, and with all her crimes exposed, was uncovered, dishonored, and shown to all, so that she may desist from her wickedness to some extent: let her not boast in the dignity of her name, but rather be afraid because of her guilty conscience and remember Egypt, and dare not lift her eyes to heaven. And so his nose is cut off, and his ears are amputated, because he had turned the fragrance of good odor into a foul smell, and he had heard the judgment of blood, which we understand not only from smell and hearing, but also from sight, whereby, because they had made evil use of it, Samson and Zedekiah are deprived. Moreover, God made them deaf and dumb (Exod. IV, 11): lest their speech spread throughout the land, and every touch will be taken away from those who have completely lost their life. And let these things be done, so that everything may be purged by fire, and let the fornication of Egypt perish: nor can it any longer raise its eyes to evil.
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.
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