Ezekiel 23:31

Translation
King James Version
Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Thou hast walked H1980 in the way H1870 of thy sister H269; therefore will I give H5414 her cup H3563 into thine hand H3027.
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Complete Jewish Bible
You walked down your sister's path, so I will put her cup in your hand.'
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Berean Standard Bible
Because you have followed the path of your sister, I will put her cup into your hand.’
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American Standard Version
Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thy hand.
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World English Bible Messianic
You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore will I give her cup into your hand.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister: therefore wil I giue her cup into thine hand.
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Young's Literal Translation
In the way of thy sister thou hast walked, And I have given her cup into thy hand.
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See also
2 Kings 21:13Jeremiah 7:14Jeremiah 7:15Jeremiah 25:15Ezekiel 16:47Ezekiel 16:51Ezekiel 23:13
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In the KJVVerse 21,039 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 23:31 delivers a profound divine pronouncement against Jerusalem (Aholibah), condemning her for not only replicating but also intensifying the spiritual apostasy and idolatry of her sister, Samaria (Aholah). This verse declares that because Judah has persistently pursued a path of unfaithfulness and illicit alliances, she will inevitably be forced to drink from the same bitter "cup" of divine judgment and suffering that had already been consumed by the Northern Kingdom of Israel, signifying a similar, if not greater, measure of retribution.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel chapter 23 employs an extended and vivid allegory of two sisters, Aholah (representing the Northern Kingdom of Israel, with its capital Samaria) and Aholibah (representing the Southern Kingdom of Judah, with its capital Jerusalem), to graphically depict the spiritual harlotry and idolatry of God's covenant people. The preceding verses meticulously detail Aholibah's escalating promiscuity with foreign nations, illustrating how her wickedness surpassed even that of Aholah. Ezekiel 23:31 functions as a pivotal declaration of divine consequence, directly linking Aholibah's sinful "walk" to the impending judgment. It follows a detailed indictment of her alliances with Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt, which are portrayed as illicit lovers, and sets the stage for the specific, severe punishments outlined in the subsequent verses, including desolation and shame. This verse powerfully underscores the principle that Judah, despite having witnessed the catastrophic downfall of Israel, refused to learn from history and instead intensified her rebellion against Yahweh.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical backdrop for Ezekiel's prophecy is the tumultuous period leading up to and during the Babylonian exile, specifically the late 7th to early 6th century BCE. Both Israel and Judah, as God's covenant people, were called to be distinct and holy, set apart from the surrounding pagan nations. However, they repeatedly engaged in idolatry, adopting the detestable worship practices of their neighbors, and formed political alliances with powerful empires like Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon, rather than placing their trust solely in Yahweh. This pervasive spiritual and political syncretism is metaphorically depicted as prostitution. Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom, fell to the Assyrians in 722 BCE, leading to the exile of Israel. Judah, though having a clear historical precedent of divine judgment, continued its idolatrous ways, often aligning with various regional powers in a desperate and ultimately futile attempt to maintain independence from the rising Babylonian empire, which culminated in Jerusalem's destruction and the Babylonian exile in 586 BCE. The "cup" imagery was a common ancient Near Eastern metaphor for one's destiny or allotted portion, frequently associated with divine judgment or, less commonly, blessing.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes found throughout the book of Ezekiel and the broader prophetic literature. It highlights the severe consequences of spiritual apostasy and idolatry, demonstrating that turning away from God's covenant through illicit spiritual and political alliances inevitably leads to devastating divine judgment. The imagery of the "cup" is a potent symbol of divine wrath and impartial justice, emphasizing that God's justice is unwavering and applies equally to all who violate His covenant, regardless of their privileged status as His chosen people. Judah's tragic failure to learn from Israel's fate underscores the profound theme of accountability and the danger of unheeded warnings, a concept echoed throughout the prophets (e.g., Jeremiah's lament over Judah's unfaithfulness compared to Israel's). The narrative of the two sisters also reinforces the theme of God's long-suffering patience contrasted with persistent human stubbornness, ultimately leading to the painful but just execution of His judgment.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • walked (Hebrew, hâlak', H1980): From the primitive root H1980, meaning "to walk," this term is used with great latitude, encompassing both literal movement and, more significantly here, a figurative course of life or mode of action. In Ezekiel 23:31, it signifies Judah's deliberate, persistent adoption of the sinful practices and behaviors of her sister, Israel. It implies a chosen and sustained way of living, not merely an accidental deviation, highlighting the intentional nature of Judah's rebellion and spiritual drift.
  • way (Hebrew, derek', H1870): This word literally refers to a road or path, but figuratively, it denotes a course of life, a manner of conduct, or a moral direction. When combined with "walked," it profoundly emphasizes the chosen path of Judah's spiritual and moral conduct, which precisely mirrored the idolatrous and unfaithful "way" of Samaria. It underscores the deliberate trajectory of Judah's unfaithfulness.
  • cup (Hebrew, kôwç', H3563): Literally a container, "cup" is frequently used figuratively in biblical literature to represent one's portion or destiny. In prophetic contexts, especially when associated with divine judgment, it powerfully symbolizes the full measure of suffering, wrath, and affliction that God pours out upon the wicked. Here, it specifically refers to the bitter experience of divine judgment, desolation, and exile that Israel had already endured, now destined for Judah.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister;": This initial clause serves as a direct, pointed accusation leveled against Jerusalem (Aholibah). It explicitly states that Judah has adopted and followed the sinful course of action previously taken by Samaria (Aholah). This highlights Judah's conscious imitation of Israel's pervasive idolatry, her reliance on illicit political alliances with pagan nations, and her general, profound unfaithfulness to God, despite having been a direct witness to the devastating consequences that befell the Northern Kingdom. The phrase emphasizes the deliberate and persistent nature of Judah's rebellion and spiritual compromise.
  • "therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.": This is the solemn divine pronouncement of judgment, establishing a direct and unavoidable link between Judah's actions and its inevitable punishment. The "cup" here is a potent symbol of the full measure of God's wrath and the profound suffering of exile and desolation that Israel had already experienced. By declaring, "I will give her cup into thine hand," God signifies that Judah will be compelled to drink from the very same bitter portion of divine retribution, indicating that her continued rebellion will lead to a similar, if not more severe, fate of national destruction and captivity.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 23:31 is rich in literary devices that powerfully amplify its message of impending judgment and divine justice. The most prominent device throughout the chapter, and implicitly in this verse, is Allegory, where the entire narrative uses the extended metaphor of two sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, to personify and represent the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, respectively. This personification allows for a vivid, emotionally charged, and highly condemnatory depiction of their spiritual harlotry against God. The phrase "walked in the way of thy sister" employs Metonymy, where "way" stands for the entire course of life, encompassing all the sinful practices, idolatry, and unfaithful alliances. Furthermore, the "cup" serves as a powerful and recurring Metaphor for divine judgment and suffering. This metaphor is not unique to Ezekiel but is a deeply embedded motif in prophetic literature, signifying a predetermined portion of affliction or destiny. The direct address "Thou hast walked" and the divine declaration "I will give" also employ Direct Address, making the accusation and pronouncement intensely personal, immediate, and unavoidable for the accused Judah.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 23:31 profoundly underscores the theological principle of divine justice and the dire consequences of covenant infidelity. God's covenant with Israel and Judah demanded exclusive loyalty and devotion, yet both kingdoms repeatedly engaged in spiritual adultery through idolatry and reliance on foreign powers rather than on Yahweh. This verse reveals that God's justice is not arbitrary or capricious but is a righteous and inevitable response to persistent rebellion and unfaithfulness. Judah's tragic failure to learn from Israel's judgment meant that she would inevitably share in a similar, if not more severe, fate, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to uphold His holiness and the integrity of His covenant. The "cup" imagery connects this specific judgment to a broader biblical theme of divine wrath against sin, emphasizing that all unrighteousness will ultimately face God's just retribution.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 23:31 serves as a timeless and sobering reminder that spiritual complacency, the adoption of worldly ways, and the failure to learn from past mistakes have profound and often painful consequences. For believers today, this verse challenges us to diligently examine our own lives for any subtle or overt forms of idolatry—anything that takes precedence over our singular devotion to God. This could manifest as placing ultimate trust in wealth, seeking validation from human approval, allowing cultural norms to dictate our moral compass rather than biblical truth, or forming "illicit alliances" with secular ideologies that compromise our faith. Just as Judah was held accountable for mimicking Israel's unfaithfulness, we are called to be distinct, to live lives of holiness, and to learn from the clear warnings of Scripture and the lessons of history. God's justice remains unwavering, and His call to exclusive faithfulness is constant. We are encouraged to heed His warnings, repent of any compromise, and walk diligently in His ways, lest we, too, experience the painful consequences of spiritual drift and unheeded warnings.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways might I be "walking in the way of my sister" (or the prevailing culture) in my own life, adopting values or practices that subtly or overtly compromise my faith and devotion to God?
  • What are the potential "cups" of consequence or disciplinary measures that God might allow in my life if I persist in spiritual unfaithfulness or ignore His warnings?
  • How can I cultivate a deeper awareness of God's warnings in Scripture and a greater willingness to learn from the past failures of others, both biblical figures and contemporary examples, to avoid similar pitfalls?

FAQ

What does the "cup" symbolize in this verse and other biblical passages?

Answer: In Ezekiel 23:31 and numerous other biblical passages, the "cup" is a powerful and versatile metaphor that primarily symbolizes a portion or destiny. While it can occasionally represent blessing and salvation (e.g., the overflowing cup in Psalm 23:5 or the cup of salvation in Psalm 116:13), in prophetic and judgment contexts like this one, it overwhelmingly signifies the full measure of divine wrath, suffering, and affliction that God pours out upon those who have rebelled against Him. It represents the bitter experience of judgment, desolation, and exile, as vividly seen in passages like Isaiah 51:17, which speaks of the cup of trembling, and Jeremiah 25:15, where Jeremiah is commanded to take the cup of fury and make the nations drink it.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 23:31, with its stark imagery of a "cup" of judgment, finds its ultimate and most profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Testament. While Judah was justly condemned to drink the cup of God's wrath due to her own persistent sin and spiritual adultery, Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, willingly and sacrificially drank the full cup of divine fury on behalf of a sinful humanity. In the agonizing moments in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39). This "cup" was not merely physical suffering, but the full, concentrated, and righteous wrath of God against all human sin, a judgment that we, like Judah, deserved. By drinking this cup to its dregs on the cross, Jesus absorbed the penalty for our spiritual adultery and rebellion, offering a way for us to escape the eternal judgment described in Ezekiel. Through His perfect sacrifice, those who trust in Him are no longer destined to drink the cup of wrath but are offered a cup of salvation and a share in His eternal life, empowered to walk in His new and living way, rather than the way of sin and death (Hebrews 10:20, which speaks of the new and living way that Christ opened for us).

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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
(Verse 28 and following) For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will deliver you into the hands of those whom you hate, into the hands of those from whom your soul is sated. And they will deal with you in hatred, and they will take away all your labors, and they will leave you naked and full of shame, and the shame of your fornications will be revealed. Your wickedness and your fornications have done this to you, because you have prostituted yourself to the nations, among whom you have defiled yourself with their idols. You have walked in the way of your sister, and I will give her cup into your hand. Thus says the Lord God: You shall drink the deep and wide cup of your sister. You shall be a laughingstock and a mockery, a very large mock. You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of mourning and sadness, the cup of your sister Samaria. And you will drink it and gulp it down to the dregs, and you will devour its fragments, and you will tear your breasts (or as the Septuagint translated: I will take away her feasts and new moons); for I have spoken, says the Lord God (Vulgate adds God). Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself also bear your wickedness and your adulteries. It is profitable for Jerusalem to have enmity against the Assyrians and the Chaldeans, and to not remember Egypt; but rather, to be delivered into their hands for punishment, those who hated her: to whom it is not given before, unless their souls are satisfied with them, so that after repenting of their old sins, then they may be cleansed with punishments, and may destroy all the works which she acquired by her harlotry: and may see her nakedness and shame; and may know that the Lord did not do all these things for her, but rather her adulteries, by which she committed adultery among the nations whom she enumerated above, so that she would worship their idols. In the streets, she says, you have walked with your sister Samaria: therefore you must drink the cup of her sins, which you have followed. However, there are many examples of the cup, which is often received for punishments and torments, among which is this: The cup in the hand of the Lord is full of mixed wine, and He poured from this into that: but its dregs were not emptied, all the sinners of the earth will drink from it (Psalm 75:8, 9). And in Isaiah it is called the cup of ruin and the goblet of fury (Isaiah 51:17). And God spoke to Jeremiah, saying: Take the cup of wine from my hand, and you shall drink to all the nations, to whom I will send you. And they shall drink, and vomit, and become mad (Jerem. XXV, 15). Just as certain purgatives are given, so that the harmful humor that is in the body may be expelled: so the Lord also gives the most bitter cup of torments, so that he may take away from sinners whatever is of gall and bitterness, and restore them to their former health. And the cup itself will be deep and wide. Deep, in the magnitude of punishment; wide, in the length of captivity. But when, he says, you have become drunk and been seized by pain, and you drink the cup even to the dregs, and you have drunk so much that you devour even the fragments of the cup itself: then you will be disgusted by your former fornication, and you will tear the breasts that were broken in Egypt, and those that were subdued and bruised by your lovers: whether I take away all your feasts and new moons, so that instead of celebration and joy, you will have eternal lamentation and sorrow. Since you have done these things, and have forgotten about me, and have cast me behind your body, or backwards, because of the sins of the body, or behind the genitals, which indicate the filthiness of shame: Therefore, you are the gate of your own wickedness and impiety, namely the punishments that you have deserved because of your impiety and wickedness. This can be understood significantly in regard to Jerusalem, which drinks the cup of her sister Samaria to the last drop, and has drunk the dregs of her torments to the very bottom.
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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