Ezekiel 23:27

Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee, and thy whoredom [brought] from the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more.

Thus will I make thy lewdness {H2154} to cease {H7673} from thee, and thy whoredom {H2184} brought from the land {H776} of Egypt {H4714}: so that thou shalt not lift up {H5375} thine eyes {H5869} unto them, nor remember {H2142} Egypt {H4714} any more.

Thus I will put an end to your lewdness and your fornication brought from the land of Egypt, so that you will no longer raise your eyes toward them or remember Egypt any more.'

So I will put an end to your indecency and prostitution, which began in the land of Egypt, and you will not lift your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore.’

Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee, and thy whoredom brought from the land of Egypt; so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more.

Ezekiel 23:27 delivers a powerful declaration of divine judgment and purification, concluding a lengthy and vivid allegory of spiritual infidelity.

Context

This verse is part of Ezekiel Chapter 23, an extended prophetic lament and condemnation against the kingdoms of Israel (represented by Aholah, Samaria) and Judah (represented by Oholibah, Jerusalem). Through the graphic metaphor of two sisters engaging in "whoredom" and "lewdness," God exposes their idolatry and their treacherous political alliances with foreign nations like Assyria, Babylon, and especially Egypt. These alliances, pursued instead of faithful reliance on God, are depicted as acts of spiritual adultery, breaking the covenant relationship God had established with His people. Verse 27 marks a climactic point where God declares the ultimate consequence of their unfaithfulness: a decisive end to their sinful practices and a forced detachment from their past objects of trust and desire.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Purification: The phrase "Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee" underscores that God Himself is the agent of this cessation. It's not a gentle persuasion but a forceful intervention to purify His people, even if through severe judgment. This highlights God's active role in bringing an end to pervasive sin.
  • Cessation of Idolatry and Unfaithfulness: The "lewdness" (Hebrew: zimmah, referring to depravity or wicked schemes) and "whoredom" (Hebrew: taznut, spiritual prostitution) represent their deep-seated idolatry and reliance on foreign powers. God’s judgment is designed to eradicate these practices, removing the very inclination to stray.
  • Complete Severance from Past Sins: The ultimate outcome is a complete break from their former ways: "so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more." This signifies a forced end to their longing for and trust in worldly alliances, particularly their historical inclination to rely on Egypt for protection, rather than God. This cessation is a painful but necessary step towards true devotion, similar to God's promise to give a new heart and a new spirit.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms used are stark and deliberate. "Lewdness" (זִמָּה, zimmah) denotes premeditated wickedness and depravity, often associated with sexual offenses but here applied metaphorically to spiritual infidelity. "Whoredom" (תַּזְנוּת, taznut) directly translates to prostitution, emphasizing the illicit and unfaithful nature of Israel and Judah's relationship with God when they turned to other gods and nations. The repetition of these terms throughout the chapter drives home the severity of their covenant breaking.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 23:27 serves as a stark reminder of God's intolerance for spiritual infidelity. For believers today, this verse challenges us to examine where our true trust lies. Do we subtly or overtly rely on worldly systems, financial security, political powers, or human strength more than on God? The "Egypt" in our lives can be anything that distracts us from wholehearted devotion to God and leads us to seek solutions apart from Him. God's ultimate desire is for His people to be pure and fully devoted, even if it requires a painful process of stripping away our idols and misplaced trusts. This verse encourages us to come out from among them and be separate, ensuring our eyes are lifted only to Him.

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 16:41

    And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more.

  • Ezekiel 23:3

    And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.

  • Ezekiel 23:19

    Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.

  • Zechariah 13:2

    And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, [that] I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

  • Ezekiel 22:15

    And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.

  • Micah 5:10

    And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:

  • Micah 5:14

    And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.

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