Ezekiel 23:24

Translation
King James Version
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.
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KJV (with Strong's)
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.
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Complete Jewish Bible
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.
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Berean Standard Bible
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.
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American Standard Version
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.
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World English Bible Messianic
They shall come against you with weapons, chariots, and wagons, and with a company of peoples; they shall set themselves against you with buckler and shield and helmet all around; and I will commit the judgment to them, and they shall judge you according to their judgments.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Euen these shall come against thee with charets, waggons, and wheeles, and with a multitude of people, which shall set against thee, buckler and shield, and helmet round about: and I will leaue the punishment vnto them, and they shall iudge thee according to their iudgements.
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Young's Literal Translation
And they have come in against thee, With arms, rider, and wheel, And with an assembly of peoples; Target, and shield, and helmet, They do set against thee round about, And I have set before them judgment, They have judged thee in their Judgments.
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See also
Ezekiel 16:38Ezekiel 23:45Nahum 2:3Nahum 2:42 Samuel 24:14Jeremiah 47:3Jeremiah 39:5
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In the KJVVerse 21,032 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 23:24 powerfully depicts the impending, divinely orchestrated judgment upon Oholibah, representing unfaithful Jerusalem, at the hands of her former allies. The verse describes an overwhelming military assault, featuring advanced weaponry and a vast assembly of people, who will besiege the city with formidable defenses. This devastating invasion is presented not merely as a political or military act but as the direct execution of God's righteous judgment, where the actions of the attacking nations perfectly align with His sovereign decree against Jerusalem's spiritual harlotry and apostasy.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 23 is an extended and vivid allegory, portraying the spiritual harlotry of two sisters: Aholah (Samaria, representing the Northern Kingdom of Israel) and Oholibah (Jerusalem, representing the Southern Kingdom of Judah). Following a detailed exposition of their escalating unfaithfulness and idolatry, the chapter transitions to the pronouncement of divine judgment. Verse 24 specifically falls within the segment detailing Oholibah's severe punishment, which is presented as even greater than Aholah's, despite Jerusalem having witnessed Samaria's earlier downfall. The preceding verses Ezekiel 23:22-23 identify the specific nations God will raise against Oholibah—primarily the Babylonians and their allies—who were ironically the very powers Jerusalem had previously sought illicit alliances with. This verse, therefore, serves as a concrete description of the military execution of the judgment previously announced, emphasizing its overwhelming and inescapable nature as the narrative builds towards the climactic fall of Jerusalem.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical backdrop for Ezekiel 23:24 is the tumultuous period leading up to and including the Babylonian exile. Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom, had already fallen to Assyria in 722 BC, a direct consequence of its persistent idolatry and political alliances that violated its covenant with Yahweh. Jerusalem, however, continued in similar patterns of apostasy, despite the clear warning of Samaria's fate. The "chariots, wagons, and wheels" mentioned in the verse reflect the advanced military technology and sophisticated siege warfare tactics characteristic of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which was the dominant power of the time. Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar, had already exerted control over Judah, leading to the first deportation in 597 BC. This verse anticipates the final, devastating siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC, when the city and its temple were utterly destroyed, culminating in the complete fulfillment of God's judgment as described in 2 Kings 25:8-10. The imagery of the surrounding army with "buckler and shield and helmet" paints a vivid picture of a disciplined, well-equipped force designed to overwhelm and conquer, leaving no escape for the besieged city.
  • Key Themes: Ezekiel 23:24 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Ezekiel and broader biblical theology. Foremost is the theme of Divine Judgment and Sovereignty. The emphatic declaration "I will set judgment before them" underscores that while human armies act, it is God who orchestrates and authorizes their actions as instruments of His righteous wrath. This highlights God's absolute control over nations and their destinies, even using pagan empires to accomplish His purposes, as seen in Isaiah 10:5-7. Another crucial theme is the Consequences of Apostasy and Idolatry. The severe military invasion is presented as the direct and inevitable outcome of Jerusalem's spiritual harlotry—her repeated betrayal of the covenant through idolatry and reliance on foreign powers rather than on the Lord. This reinforces the principle that sin, particularly spiritual unfaithfulness, carries grave and often devastating consequences, a truth echoed throughout the prophetic literature (e.g., Jeremiah 2:13). Finally, the detailed description of Military Might as God's Instrument emphasizes that the overwhelming power of the attacking forces is not accidental but a divinely appointed tool. This earthly might, though formidable, is ultimately subservient to God's will, serving to execute His just decrees against a rebellious people.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Judgment (Hebrew, mishpâṭ', H4941): This word, appearing twice in the verse, signifies more than just a chaotic event; it denotes a legal verdict, a sentence, or a formal decree. It encompasses the act of judging, the place of judgment, the crime, and the penalty. In this context, it emphasizes that the impending invasion is not arbitrary but a divinely sanctioned execution of justice, a righteous and deserved consequence for Jerusalem's unfaithfulness. The Babylonians, though acting from their own motivations, become the instruments through which God's just decree is carried out.
  • Set (Hebrew, nâthan', H5414): This primitive root means "to give" or "to put," used with broad application. In the phrase "I will set judgment before them," it highlights God's active agency and intentionality. He is not merely allowing events to unfold; He is purposefully placing, appointing, or ordaining this judgment. This underscores His sovereignty and direct involvement in the unfolding historical events, ensuring that the judgment is precisely what He has determined.
  • Judge (Hebrew, shâphaṭ', H8199): This root means "to judge," "to pronounce sentence (for or against)," "to vindicate," or "to punish." Here, it refers to the actions of the attacking nations. While they act according to "their judgments" (their military and political objectives), their actions are simultaneously fulfilling God's overarching "judgment" (mishpâṭ). This demonstrates the profound theological truth that even the seemingly independent actions of human agents can be perfectly aligned with and serve the ultimate purposes of God.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels,": This clause immediately establishes the nature of the impending attack: a full-scale, technologically advanced military assault. "They" refers to the nations God has raised up (Babylon and its allies). The specific mention of "chariots, wagons, and wheels" emphasizes the overwhelming force and mobility of the invading army, suggesting a rapid and devastating advance, characteristic of ancient imperial warfare designed to crush all resistance.
  • "and with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield and helmet round about:": This part elaborates on the composition and tactics of the invading force. "An assembly of people" highlights the sheer multitude of soldiers involved, indicating an inescapable encirclement. The mention of "buckler and shield and helmet" describes the defensive and offensive armaments of a disciplined army, signifying a prepared, professional, and formidable siege. "Round about" stresses the complete encirclement of Jerusalem, leaving no avenue for escape or relief, sealing its fate.
  • "and I will set judgment before them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments.": This final clause is the theological lynchpin of the verse. The first part, "I will set judgment before them," unequivocally declares God's active role and sovereignty. He is the ultimate orchestrator, placing the divine verdict and its execution squarely before the invading armies. The second part, "and they shall judge thee according to their judgments," reveals the dual nature of the judgment: the human instruments (the Babylonians) act according to their own military and political motivations ("their judgments"), yet their actions perfectly align with and fulfill God's righteous and just decree against Jerusalem's unfaithfulness. This highlights the profound mystery of divine sovereignty working through human agency.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 23:24 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of impending doom and divine justice. The overarching Allegory of the two sisters, Aholah and Oholibah, is central to the entire chapter, with this verse serving as a concrete manifestation of the allegorical consequences. The detailed description of military equipment—"chariots, wagons, and wheels," "buckler and shield and helmet"—constitutes vivid Imagery, allowing the audience to visualize the overwhelming and inescapable nature of the attack. This imagery creates a sense of dread and inevitability. There is also a strong element of Irony at play: the very nations with whom Jerusalem (Oholibah) had committed spiritual harlotry and sought illicit alliances are now turned by God into the instruments of her destruction. This serves as a stark reminder that trusting in worldly powers ultimately leads to ruin. Finally, the repetition and juxtaposition of "judgment" (God's) and "judgments" (the invaders') create a powerful Parallelism and Wordplay, emphasizing the dual agency and the perfect alignment of divine will with human action in the execution of justice.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 23:24 profoundly illustrates the biblical truth of God's unwavering justice and sovereignty over human affairs. It reveals that even the most devastating historical events, seemingly driven by political ambition or military might, are ultimately under the control of a righteous God who uses them to execute His will. The judgment upon Jerusalem serves as a stark reminder that spiritual unfaithfulness and idolatry carry severe consequences, demonstrating that God's covenant relationship demands exclusive devotion. While God is merciful and long-suffering, His justice will ultimately prevail against persistent rebellion, ensuring that His holiness is vindicated. This verse also highlights the principle that God can use unlikely instruments, even pagan nations, to accomplish His purposes, underscoring His transcendent authority over all creation.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 23:24, though depicting a harsh historical judgment, offers timeless principles for contemporary believers. It compels us to seriously consider the gravity of spiritual unfaithfulness in our own lives, urging us to examine where our allegiances truly lie. Are we, like Oholibah, seeking security or satisfaction in worldly systems, material possessions, or human approval, rather than in God alone? The verse reminds us that God remains sovereign even amidst chaos and conflict, and that His justice will ultimately prevail. This should instill both a healthy fear of God's holiness and a profound trust in His ultimate control, knowing that His purposes will always be fulfilled. We are called to cultivate a radical faithfulness, recognizing that genuine peace and security are found only in an undivided devotion to the Lord. This passage challenges us to live lives marked by integrity and obedience, understanding that our choices have consequences, and that God's character demands righteousness and true worship.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of my life might I be prone to "spiritual harlotry," seeking fulfillment or security outside of God?
  • How does the sovereignty of God in judgment, as depicted in this verse, shape my understanding of current global events or personal challenges?
  • What practical steps can I take to cultivate a deeper, more undivided faithfulness to God in my daily life?

FAQ

Does God still use nations to execute judgment today?

Answer: While the specific covenant relationship with ancient Israel and Judah was unique, the Bible consistently teaches that God remains sovereign over all nations and history. He continues to work through human governments and events, sometimes in ways that bring about consequences for sin or to advance His redemptive purposes. Just as He used Babylon against Judah, He can use any nation or circumstance to achieve His will, though the nature and manifestation of His judgment may differ in the New Covenant era, which emphasizes Christ's atoning work and the spiritual nature of the Kingdom of God. However, the principle of divine justice and sovereignty over nations, as seen in Daniel 2:21, remains constant.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 23:24, with its stark portrayal of divine judgment against unfaithful Jerusalem, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The judgment described here—a just consequence for spiritual harlotry and covenant unfaithfulness—foreshadows the greater reality of God's righteous wrath against all sin. Yet, in Christ, this wrath is fully absorbed and satisfied. Jesus, the true and faithful Israelite, perfectly fulfilled the covenant where Israel failed. He became the ultimate object of God's judgment, bearing the full weight of humanity's spiritual harlotry and rebellion on the cross, as prophesied in Isaiah 53:5-6. Through His atoning sacrifice, Christ offers a way for humanity to escape the judgment that unfaithful Israel experienced. Those who are "in Christ" are no longer under condemnation, for He has taken the "judgment" upon Himself, as declared in Romans 8:1. The overwhelming military might used by God to judge Jerusalem ultimately points to the infinitely greater power of God's love and justice displayed in the crucifixion and resurrection, where the just requirements of God's law were met, and a new, unbreakable covenant of grace was established through the blood of Christ. Thus, the judgment on Oholibah serves as a dark backdrop, illuminating the glorious light of Christ's redemptive work, which offers forgiveness and true faithfulness to all who believe.

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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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