Ezekiel 23:43

Then said I unto [her that was] old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she [with them]?

Then said {H559} I unto her that was old {H1087} in adulteries {H5004}, Will they now commit {H2181} whoredoms {H8457} with her, and she with them?

I thought, 'That woman! She's worn out from all her adulteries, but they still go to fornicate with her!'

Then I said of her who had grown old in adulteries: ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is!’

Then said I of her that was old in adulteries, Now will they play the harlot with her, and she with them.

Context

Ezekiel 23 is a vivid allegory where God uses the imagery of two sisters, Oholah (representing Samaria, the Northern Kingdom of Israel) and Oholibah (representing Jerusalem, the Southern Kingdom of Judah), to expose their spiritual harlotry and idolatry. Both sisters, despite being betrothed to God, engaged in promiscuous relationships with foreign nations and their gods, abandoning their covenant with Yahweh. Oholah was judged and devastated by Assyria for her unfaithfulness. This verse, Ezekiel 23:43, comes at the climax of the chapter, highlighting Oholibah's (Jerusalem's) persistent and brazen sin. Despite witnessing the severe judgment meted out to her sister, Samaria, Oholibah not only continued but intensified her spiritual adultery with various pagan powers, including Assyrians, Babylonians, and Egyptians.

Key Themes

  • Persistent Unfaithfulness: The phrase "old in adulteries" powerfully conveys Jerusalem's long history and deep-seated pattern of forsaking God for foreign alliances and pagan worship. It underscores a chronic, unrepentant rebellion against their divine covenant.
  • Divine Astonishment and Condemnation: The rhetorical question, "Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she [with them]?", expresses God's profound dismay and condemnation. It's a lament over the seemingly limitless depth of Judah's depravity and their determination to continue in sin, even after experiencing or witnessing severe consequences.
  • Rejection of Warning: The verse implicitly highlights Jerusalem's failure to learn from the devastating judgment on Samaria (2 Kings 17:6). Despite clear evidence of God's wrath against idolatry, Judah chose to persist in the very acts that brought ruin upon her sister.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV terms "adulteries" and "whoredoms" translate the Hebrew word zenut (זְנוּת), which literally means "prostitution" or "fornication." In the prophetic books, particularly Ezekiel and Hosea, this term is consistently used metaphorically to describe Israel's spiritual infidelity to God. It emphasizes the breach of their covenant relationship, likened to a marriage, where worshiping other gods or relying on foreign nations is seen as an act of unfaithfulness against their divine husband, Yahweh. The vivid imagery aims to shock the audience into recognizing the severity of their sin.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 23:43 serves as a sobering warning for all generations. It cautions against:

  • Spiritual Complacency: Just as Judah failed to learn from Samaria's downfall, we must not become complacent in our own spiritual lives, ignoring the lessons of history or the warnings from God's Word.
  • Modern Idolatry: While overt idol worship may be less common today, "adulteries" can manifest as anything that takes priority over God in our lives – whether it be wealth, power, pleasure, self-reliance, or even human relationships. This verse challenges us to examine where our ultimate allegiance lies.
  • Consequences of Persistent Sin: God is patient and merciful, but there is a limit to His patience. Persistent, unrepentant sin, especially after clear warnings and examples of judgment, invites severe divine consequences. This verse calls for repentance and a renewed commitment to exclusive devotion to God, reflecting the first commandment.

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.

  • Jeremiah 13:23

    Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? [then] may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

  • Daniel 9:16

    O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people [are become] a reproach to all [that are] about us.

  • 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.

  • Ezra 9:7

    Since the days of our fathers [have] we [been] in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, [and] our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as [it is] this day.

  • Psalms 106:6

    ¶ We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

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