Ezekiel 23:38

Translation
King James Version
Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Moreover this they have done H6213 unto me: they have defiled H2930 my sanctuary H4720 in the same day H3117, and have profaned H2490 my sabbaths H7676.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Moreover, they have done this to me as well: they defiled my sanctuary on the same day, and they profaned my shabbats
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Berean Standard Bible
They have also done this to Me: On that very same day, they defiled My sanctuary and profaned My Sabbaths.
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American Standard Version
Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.
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World English Bible Messianic
Moreover this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my Sabbaths.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Moreouer, thus haue they done vnto me: they haue defiled my Sanctuarie in the same day, and haue prophaned my Sabbaths.
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Young's Literal Translation
Again, this they have done to Me, They defiled My sanctuary in that day, And My sabbaths they have polluted.
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See also
Ezekiel 20:132 Kings 21:7Ezekiel 20:24Ezekiel 7:20Ezekiel 8:5Ezekiel 8:162 Kings 21:4
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Oholah and Oholibah
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In the KJVVerse 21,046 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Ezekiel 23:38 delivers a profound divine indictment against the people of Judah (Oholibah) and, by extension, Israel (Oholah), for their deep spiritual apostasy. The verse specifically accuses them of actively defiling God's sacred sanctuary and profaning His holy Sabbaths, actions that represent a direct and deliberate affront to Yahweh's holiness and covenant demands. This dual accusation underscores their comprehensive rebellion, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the very institutions that symbolized God's presence among them and His unique relationship with His chosen people, ultimately justifying the impending judgment.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is strategically placed within the elaborate and graphic allegory of Ezekiel 23, where the prophet vividly portrays two sisters, Oholah (Samaria, representing the Northern Kingdom of Israel) and Oholibah (Jerusalem, representing the Southern Kingdom of Judah), as personifications of the spiritual harlotry and idolatry of God's people. The chapter meticulously details their insatiable lust for foreign alliances and pagan worship practices, tracing their descent into deeper depravity. Verse 38 functions as a climactic summary of their offenses, particularly focusing on Oholibah's (Judah's) actions, which mirrored and even surpassed Oholah's sins. It immediately precedes the pronouncement of severe judgment and the graphic description of their punishment, emphasizing that their deliberate defilement of sacred things is a primary cause for God's impending wrath. The preceding verses elaborate on Oholibah's promiscuous relationships with Assyrians and Babylonians, setting the stage for this direct accusation of religious transgression.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Ezekiel prophesied during the tumultuous period of the Babylonian exile, addressing a people who had either already been deported or were on the brink of Jerusalem's catastrophic destruction in 586 BC. The historical backdrop is the late monarchical period of Judah, characterized by desperate political maneuvering with foreign powers (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon) and, crucially, a widespread adoption of their idolatrous practices. Despite the attempts at religious reform under kings like Hezekiah and Josiah, syncretism remained rampant. The Temple in Jerusalem, God's designated dwelling place, had become a site of pagan worship, as vividly described in Ezekiel 8, where abominations were openly practiced within its sacred courts. The Sabbath, a foundational covenant sign given at Sinai (Exodus 31:13), was consistently neglected and violated, reflecting a broader societal rejection of God's law and authority. The phrase "in the same day" likely refers to the concurrent practice of pagan rites alongside attempts at Yahweh worship, or even performing pagan rites within the Temple precincts on the Sabbath, a profound act of defiance and spiritual mockery.
  • Key Themes: Ezekiel 23:38 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Ezekiel and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it highlights the theme of God's Holiness and Jealousy, emphasizing that Yahweh is a God who demands exclusive worship and cannot tolerate the defilement of His sacred spaces and times. Their actions are a direct affront "unto me," underscoring the personal offense taken by God at their betrayal. Secondly, it reinforces the theme of Covenant Breach and Unfaithfulness. The defilement of the sanctuary and profanation of the Sabbaths are direct violations of the Mosaic Covenant, particularly the first commandment against idolatry (Exodus 20:3) and the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy (Exodus 20:8). Thirdly, it foreshadows the theme of Divine Judgment and Restoration. These specific transgressions are presented as primary justifications for the severe judgment of exile and the destruction of Jerusalem, which Ezekiel extensively prophesies. Yet, implicitly, the judgment aims for a future restoration where a purified people will truly honor God's sanctuary and Sabbaths, as seen in later promises of a new covenant found in Ezekiel 36:26-27.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • defiled (Hebrew, ṭâmêʼ', H2930): A primitive root meaning "to be foul, especially in a ceremonial or moral sense (contaminated)." In this context, it indicates rendering something ritually or morally impure. The people actively made God's sanctuary unclean, not just by their presence, but by introducing abominable practices and idols, violating its inherent sanctity. This word carries a strong sense of pollution and corruption, highlighting the severe nature of their spiritual contamination.
  • sanctuary (Hebrew, miqdâsh', H4720): Derived from the root qâdash (to be holy), this noun refers to "a consecrated thing or place, especially, a palace, sanctuary (whether of Jehovah or of idols) or asylum." In Ezekiel, it unequivocally refers to the Temple in Jerusalem, the designated dwelling place of Yahweh's presence. Its defilement was a direct assault on God's dwelling and His honor, a violation of the very space set apart for His holy name.
  • profaned (Hebrew, châlal', H2490): A primitive root meaning "to bore, wound," but figuratively, "to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin." In this context, it specifically means to treat something sacred as common or unholy. By profaning the Sabbaths, the people stripped them of their divine purpose and holiness, treating them as ordinary days for their own pursuits, thereby breaking a fundamental covenant sign. This implies a deliberate act of desacralization.
  • sabbaths (Hebrew, shabbâth', H7676): An intensive noun from the root shâbath (to cease), referring to "intermission, i.e. (specifically) the Sabbath." The plural form, as used here, emphasizes repeated and widespread violations of the Sabbath laws, indicating a systemic disregard for this fundamental covenant commandment, not just isolated incidents. It points to a pervasive societal rejection of God's rhythm and authority.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Moreover this they have done unto me": This opening clause establishes the direct nature of the offense. The "they" refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah, specifically Oholibah from the preceding allegory. Their actions are not merely against a law or a place, but personally "unto me"—Yahweh Himself. This highlights God's personal affront and the relational breach caused by their unfaithfulness, emphasizing that their sin was a direct insult to their covenant Lord.
  • "they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day": This is a specific and grave accusation. The "sanctuary" is the Temple in Jerusalem, the holy place where God's presence dwelt among His people. To "defile" it means to render it unclean or profane, likely through the introduction of pagan idols, abominable practices, or syncretistic worship within its sacred precincts. The phrase "in the same day" strongly suggests a blatant disregard for holiness, perhaps practicing idolatry concurrently with attempts to worship Yahweh, or even performing pagan rites on the very days designated for Yahweh's worship, such as the Sabbath. This points to a deliberate mixing of the sacred and the profane, a spiritual adultery.
  • "and have profaned my sabbaths": This second specific charge underscores their comprehensive rebellion against God's covenant. The "sabbaths" (plural) indicates repeated and widespread violations of the Sabbath commandment, which was a foundational sign of the covenant. To "profane" the Sabbath means to treat it as common, to disregard its sacred nature as a day of rest and worship set apart for God. This demonstrates a systemic rejection of God's authority and a failure to honor the covenant sign that distinguished Israel as God's people, revealing a deep-seated spiritual indifference.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 23:38, while a direct accusation, is deeply embedded within a highly symbolic and allegorical chapter, making Allegory a pervasive device. The entire narrative of Oholah and Oholibah is an extended metaphor for the spiritual harlotry of Israel and Judah, with this verse serving as a concrete illustration of their infidelity. Within this verse, the actions described are stark and literal, yet they carry profound symbolic weight regarding their spiritual state. The Repetition of the verbs "defiled" (from ṭâmêʼ) and "profaned" (from châlal) emphasizes the severe, deliberate, and comprehensive nature of their transgressions. While distinct in their nuances (one focusing on impurity, the other on desacralization), both verbs point to the desecration of what is holy, creating a sense of cumulative guilt. The phrase "unto me" employs Personification, attributing personal offense to God, highlighting His emotional response to their betrayal and the relational breach. There is also an implicit Contrast between God's absolute holiness and the people's unholiness, and between the sacred nature of the sanctuary and Sabbaths and the common, defiled way they were treated. This stark contrast underscores the magnitude of their sin and the affront to divine majesty.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 23:38 powerfully articulates the gravity of spiritual infidelity and the direct affront it poses to God's holiness. The defilement of the sanctuary and the profanation of the Sabbaths represent a comprehensive rejection of God's covenant, not merely through outward actions but through a corrupted heart that fails to distinguish between the sacred and the profane. This verse underscores that God's presence and His commands are not to be trifled with; they demand reverence, exclusivity, and obedience. Their actions were a direct assault on God's honor and the very foundations of their relationship with Him, making the impending judgment not arbitrary but a just consequence of their persistent rebellion and spiritual harlotry.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 23:38 serves as a timeless mirror for believers, challenging us to examine our own hearts and practices regarding reverence for God. While we no longer have a physical Temple in Jerusalem or observe the Old Testament Sabbath laws in the same legalistic manner, the underlying principles of holiness, reverence, and exclusive devotion remain profoundly relevant. As New Testament believers, our bodies are now considered temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), and our lives—including our time, resources, and worship—are to be set apart for God. This verse warns against spiritual syncretism, the insidious mixing of genuine faith with worldly values, idols, or practices, which effectively defiles our spiritual sanctuary and profanes our dedicated time and worship. It calls us to a radical commitment to Christ, ensuring that our worship is pure, our lives are holy, and our devotion is undivided, recognizing that God is personally offended by anything that diminishes His glory or compromises His truth. It is a call to live consistently with the holiness to which we have been called.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways might I be "defiling my sanctuary" (my body, my church, my spiritual life) by allowing worldly influences or idols to compromise my devotion to God?
  • How do I "profane my Sabbaths" (my dedicated time for God, rest, and worship) through distraction, neglect, or treating sacred time as common?
  • What practical steps can I take to cultivate a deeper reverence for God's presence and His commands in my daily life?
  • Am I truly distinguishing between the sacred and the profane in my thoughts, words, and actions, or am I allowing spiritual compromise to creep into my walk with God?

FAQ

What does "defiled my sanctuary in the same day" specifically mean?

Answer: This phrase highlights a profound act of spiritual hypocrisy and syncretism. "My sanctuary" refers to the Temple in Jerusalem, the physical dwelling place of God's presence among His people. To "defile" it means to render it ritually or morally unclean. The addition of "in the same day" strongly suggests that the people were engaging in pagan worship practices or idolatry concurrently with, or even within the very precincts of, their worship of Yahweh. It implies a blatant disregard for God's exclusive claim on their worship and the holiness of His dwelling place, treating sacred space and time as common or interchangeable with pagan rituals. It's a vivid picture of attempting to serve two masters, which Jesus later condemned as impossible in Matthew 6:24. This simultaneous practice was an abomination, demonstrating a complete lack of reverence for God's holiness.

Why was the profanation of Sabbaths such a serious offense?

Answer: The Sabbath was more than just a day of rest; it was a fundamental sign of the covenant between God and Israel, symbolizing His creative power, His redemption of them from slavery, and their unique relationship with Him (Exodus 31:13-17). To "profane" the Sabbaths meant to treat them as common, to disregard their sacred purpose, and to engage in forbidden activities. This wasn't merely a minor infraction but a direct rejection of God's authority, His law, and the very sign that marked them as His chosen people. It reflected a deep spiritual indifference and a comprehensive failure to honor the covenant, making it a severe offense in God's eyes that contributed significantly to the reasons for judgment and exile. Their consistent disregard for the Sabbath demonstrated a heart unwilling to submit to God's rule and enjoy His intended rest.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 23:38, with its stark indictment of Israel's defilement of God's sanctuary and profanation of His Sabbaths, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in several profound ways. First, Jesus Himself becomes the true and ultimate "sanctuary." He boldly declared, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," referring to His own body (John 2:19-21). The physical Temple, which was repeatedly defiled by human sin and eventually destroyed, finds its perfect and undefiled reality in Christ. Through His once-for-all sacrifice, He cleanses and purifies, becoming the new and living way to God's presence, a sanctuary that can never be defiled by human hands or sin (Hebrews 9:11-14). Second, Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28), fulfilling its true meaning not through legalistic observance but through bringing rest and liberation from the bondage of sin and the law. He offers true spiritual rest to all who are weary and burdened by their striving (Matthew 11:28-30). The profanation of the Sabbaths by Israel underscored their failure to enter into God's promised rest; in Christ, we are invited into an eternal Sabbath rest, a cessation from our own works and reliance on His finished work on the cross (Hebrews 4:9-10). Thus, the very institutions Israel defiled and profaned are perfectly embodied, purified, and eternally fulfilled in Jesus, who offers a perfect sanctuary and perfect rest 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 36, 37 onwards) And the Lord said to me, saying: Son of man, do you judge Oholah and Oholibah and announce to them their crimes (or iniquities): for they are adulteresses (or have committed adultery), and there is blood on their hands, and they have committed adultery with their idols (or inventions): moreover, they have offered to devour (or have led) their sons whom they have borne to me through fire. But they have also done this to me, they have defiled my sanctuary on that day: and they have profaned my Sabbaths. And they sacrificed their sons to their idols, and entered my sanctuary on that day to defile it, and they did these things in the midst of my house. They sent messengers to men who were coming from afar, to whom they had sent a message. So behold, they have come, and you washed yourself (or, when they came, you immediately washed yourself): and you painted your eyes with antimony, and you adorned yourself with feminine beauty. You sat on a beautiful bed, and a table was set before you. You have placed my incense and my ointment upon her, and the voice of the multitude was rejoicing in her (or with a composed voice was she rejoicing); And indeed in her were brought together crowds of men, and they came from the wilderness (or drunk from the wilderness): they placed bracelets upon their hands, and most beautiful crowns upon their heads. And I said to her who was worn out with adultery: Now she will commit fornication in her own fornication even more. And they entered into it: as they would enter to a prostitute, so they entered to Oolla and Oolibah, wicked women (or to commit iniquity). Therefore, the righteous men (Vulgate inserts 'to them') shall judge them with the judgment of adulteresses, and with the judgment of those who shed blood, for they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands. For thus says the Lord God: Bring upon them a multitude and deliver them to tumult and to plunder, and let them be stoned with the stones of the people, and let them be pierced with their swords; they shall kill their sons and daughters, and burn their houses with fire, and I will remove wickedness (or impiety) from the land, and all women shall learn not to commit according to their wickedness (or impiety). And they shall bring your wickedness (or impiety) upon you, and you shall bear the sins of your idols, and you shall know that I am the Lord God. As I have often mentioned, I have connected the small discrepancies in the Septuagint edition with the Hebrew text, avoiding annoyance to the reader. Therefore, it follows that one who separately described the adulteries of Samaria and Jerusalem should also announce their punishments. However, all things are said as if to adulteresses, and by way of recapitulation, their crimes are briefly presented so that the stoning of the people may justly follow according to the command of the Law towards adulteresses. (alternative reading: adulterers) Therefore, since they are adulterous, bring forth a just sentence. For they are committing adultery with idols, and there is blood on their hands, namely the blood of those they sacrificed to idols, so that they would consecrate the sons they had borne to me to demons. They did not do this outside or in the mountains and woods, as they often used to do; but in the end they defiled my temple, so that they would place a statue of Baal in it. And they profaned my Sabbaths, so that neither the place nor the time of worship would be observed among them. But they were not content with present adulteries alone, nor were they satisfied with sacrificing my sons to their idols or demons; but they also indulged in foreign pleasures, worshipping the images of the Assyrians and Chaldeans. And when they came, Oholibah, you filled the entire attire of an adulteress upon them, to wash your body, to line your eyes with antimony: to assume a feminine appearance, to sit on a bed prepared for lust, to set out feasts to restore the strength of your lovers broken by pleasure; my incense and the ointment which I had specially ordered to be made (Exodus 30), and to exterminate that soul from the people, which had wanted to do this for private use, you offered to idols; to gather a multitude of people, and to sing with every kind of music: so that you would please your lovers not only by sight, but also by hearing and smell, and all the senses, who came to you drunk: not having any urban elegance, but having the appearance of desert and solitude, resembling peasants and brigands. And you, wicked sisters, have fallen into such great madness of pleasures, that you would place your bracelets and necklaces on the hands and heads of your lovers, or even on yourselves, so that you may be defiled in full adornment. Therefore I say to you, either Jerusalem or Samaria, or both: You have burned your forehead, so that you may not be polluted in secret, and you avoid the gaze of your husbands or other men; but you are publicly prostituting yourselves like harlots, eagerly desiring to be polluted by those who enter to you like prostitutes. Therefore, I will deliver you to be punished by those to whom you have willingly submitted yourselves. For they are righteous men, who, at my command, torture adulterers and murderers. For thus says the Lord God: Gather, by the prompting of your voice, O prophet, a multitude of peoples against them, and first let all their possessions be plundered; then let them be stoned and pierced with swords, and let their sons and daughters be killed, and let their houses be burned. And all these things shall be done so that impiety may be eradicated from the earth, and all women and the entire province placed far away may learn to avoid similar punishments: so that after you have received what you deserve and have carried the crimes of your idols, then you may know that I am the Lord. However, all these things were said figuratively and under the guise of adulteresses against Samaria and Jerusalem, because they were handed over to the Assyrians and Chaldeans, led into captivity, and their cities were burned with fire: the people who worshipped the idols of demons instead of God were killed. These things can also be understood after the coming of Christ, because righteous men from the peoples of the nations themselves judge the Samaritans and the Jews by comparison with themselves, and hand them over to be devoured, to whom the Lord said (Matt. XXIII, 38): Your house shall be left to you desolate. And: When you see Jerusalem surrounded by an army, know that its desolation is near (Luke XXI, 22). For even until this day they are adulterated and are oppressed by stones from the whole world. Since they sent messengers to those who were far away, and could not say: I am a approaching God, and not a God from afar, says the Lord (Jeremiah XXIII, 23): and they prepared themselves for their beloved demons: and they turned all the worship and adornment which they had received from God as natural good, into the worship of demons, and they offered their works and adornment, which we understand as bracelets and a crown, to adulterous lovers, whose punishment is a source of fear for the nations, indeed for those among the nations who have believed, lest they suffer similar consequences if they do the same things that Samaria and Jerusalem did. Then, when they have received their crimes, the wickedness will be taken away from those by whom the veil that was placed before the face of Moses (Exod. XXXIV) has been taken away from their eyes, so that they may recognize that Jesus Christ Himself is the Lord, whom they denied to be the Son of God (II Cor. III).
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.'
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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