Ezekiel 23:24

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.

And they shall come {H935} against thee with chariots {H2021}, wagons {H7393}, and wheels {H1534}, and with an assembly {H6951} of people {H5971}, which shall set {H7760} against thee buckler {H6793} and shield {H4043} and helmet {H6959} round about {H5439}: and I will set {H5414} judgment {H4941} before {H6440} them, and they shall judge {H8199} thee according to their judgments {H4941}.

They will advance on you armed with chariots, wagons and with an army drawn from many peoples; they will array themselves against you from every side with breastplates, shields and helmets. I will give them the authority to judge, and they will judge you as they see fit.

They will come against you with a host of peoples, with weapons, chariots, and wagons. They will array themselves against you on every side with buckler and shield and helmet. I will delegate judgment to them, and they will punish you according to their own standards.

And they shall come against thee with weapons, chariots, and wagons, and with a company of peoples; they shall set themselves against thee with buckler and shield and helmet round about: and I will commit the judgment unto them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments.

Ezekiel 23:24 is a vivid prophetic declaration within the allegorical narrative of two sisters, Aholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem), who represent the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel, respectively. This verse specifically describes the impending, devastating judgment upon Oholibah (Jerusalem) at the hands of her former "lovers" – the nations she had previously pursued in spiritual harlotry and idolatry. It paints a stark picture of a full-scale military assault, orchestrated by divine will.

Historical and Cultural Context

Chapter 23 of Ezekiel serves as a powerful allegory for the spiritual unfaithfulness of both Samaria and Jerusalem. Samaria (Aholah) had already fallen to Assyria in 722 BC due to her idolatry. Now, the focus shifts to Jerusalem (Oholibah), whose apostasy was even greater, despite having witnessed Samaria's demise. The "they" in this verse refers primarily to the Babylonians, along with their allied forces, whom Jerusalem had once sought alliances with but who now become the instruments of God's wrath. The mention of "chariots, wagons, and wheels" reflects the advanced military technology and siege warfare tactics of ancient empires like Babylon. The imagery of a surrounding army with "buckler and shield and helmet" emphasizes the overwhelming and inescapable nature of the coming attack, which culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in 586 BC.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Judgment and Sovereignty: The most prominent theme is God's active role in bringing judgment upon His unfaithful people. The phrase "I will set judgment before them" powerfully asserts that while human armies execute the attack, it is God Himself who directs and authorizes the judgment. This highlights God's sovereignty over nations and their actions, even when they act out of their own motivations.
  • Consequences of Apostasy and Idolatry: The severe military invasion is the direct consequence of Jerusalem's spiritual harlotry – her pursuit of foreign gods and alliances instead of faithfulness to the Lord. The verse underscores that sin, particularly spiritual unfaithfulness, carries grave and often devastating consequences.
  • Military Might as God's Instrument: The detailed description of military hardware and personnel ("chariots, wagons, and wheels," "buckler and shield and helmet") emphasizes the overwhelming power of the attacking forces. However, the crucial point is that this earthly might is merely a tool in the hands of a righteous God to execute His just decrees.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "judgment" here is mishpat (מִשְׁפָּט), which often carries the sense of a legal verdict or due process. When God declares, "I will set judgment before them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments," it indicates that the Babylonians' actions, though motivated by their own political and military ambitions, would perfectly align with and fulfill God's righteous and just decree against Jerusalem. It's not merely a chaotic invasion but a divinely sanctioned execution of justice.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 23:24 serves as a timeless warning about the dangers of spiritual unfaithfulness and the inevitable consequences of turning away from God. For believers today, it reinforces several important principles:

  • The Seriousness of Sin: God takes sin, especially idolatry and spiritual compromise, very seriously. While the New Covenant offers grace and forgiveness, the principle of consequences for unfaithfulness remains.
  • God's Sovereignty: Even amidst chaos, conflict, and the actions of human powers, God remains sovereign. He can use any nation or circumstance to accomplish His purposes, whether in judgment or blessing.
  • Call to Faithfulness: This verse is a powerful reminder to remain faithful to God alone, avoiding spiritual "harlotry" in any form – whether it's placing trust in worldly systems, pursuing material gain above all else, or allowing anything to take God's rightful place in our hearts. We are called to be friends of God, not of the world.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.
  • Ezekiel 16:38

    And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.
  • Ezekiel 23:45

    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.
  • Nahum 2:3

    The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men [are] in scarlet: the chariots [shall be] with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
  • Nahum 2:4

    The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.
  • 2 Samuel 24:14

    And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies [are] great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.
  • Jeremiah 47:3

    At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong [horses], at the rushing of his chariots, [and at] the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to [their] children for feebleness of hands;
  • Jeremiah 39:5

    But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.

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