Ezekiel 23:39

For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house.

For when they had slain {H7819} their children {H1121} to their idols {H1544}, then they came {H935} the same day {H3117} into my sanctuary {H4720} to profane {H2490} it; and, lo, thus have they done {H6213} in the midst {H8432} of mine house {H1004}.

For after killing their children for their idols, they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; this they did in my house.

On the very day they slaughtered their children for their idols, they entered My sanctuary to profane it. Yes, they did this inside My house.

For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of my house.

Commentary

Ezekiel 23:39 (KJV) delivers a powerful and disturbing indictment against Jerusalem (Oholibah) and Samaria (Oholah), detailing the depths of their spiritual depravity and brazen disrespect for God. This verse encapsulates the shocking hypocrisy of a people who, after committing the most heinous acts of pagan worship, dared to enter God's holy sanctuary.

Context

Chapter 23 of Ezekiel uses the vivid allegory of two sisters, Oholah (representing Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel) and Oholibah (representing Jerusalem, the capital of Judah), to illustrate the spiritual harlotry and unfaithfulness of God's people. Both sisters engaged in rampant idolatry, chasing after foreign nations and their detestable practices. Verse 39 highlights the climax of their sin: committing child sacrifice to idols, a practice vehemently forbidden by God, and then immediately entering the temple, God's dwelling place, as if nothing had happened. This act demonstrates a profound lack of reverence and a complete disregard for God's holiness, a significant factor leading to the Babylonian exile.

Key Themes

  • Extreme Idolatry and Abomination: The verse explicitly mentions "slain their children to their idols," pointing to the horrific practice of child sacrifice, often associated with the worship of Molech or Baal. This was considered one of the gravest sins, a direct affront to the Creator of life. For more on the prohibition, see Leviticus 18:21 and Jeremiah 32:35.
  • Profanation of the Sanctuary: The immediate entry into "my sanctuary to profane it" after such atrocities reveals an astonishing level of spiritual blindness and contempt. The Hebrew word for "profane" (chalal) means to defile, pollute, or make common that which is holy. They treated God's sacred space as ordinary, devoid of His presence or holiness, demonstrating their utter disregard for Him.
  • Brazen Hypocrisy and Disrespect: The actions described reveal a people attempting to maintain outward religious observance while engaging in the most detestable sins in secret (or even openly). This spiritual schizophrenia was an insult to God, who demands genuine worship and a pure heart.
  • God's Indignation and Justification for Judgment: The phrase "thus have they done in the midst of mine house" underscores God's direct witness to their actions and His righteous indignation. It serves as a powerful justification for the severe judgments (like the exile) that would befall them, as detailed throughout Ezekiel.

Linguistic Insights

The word "profane" (Hebrew: חָלַל - chalal) is crucial here. It signifies the act of violating holiness, making something sacred common or impure. This contrasts sharply with God's repeated commands for His people to be holy, just as He is holy (Leviticus 19:2). Their actions were not merely sinful; they were a deliberate act of desecration against God's very being and dwelling place.

Related Scriptures

  • For other instances of child sacrifice being condemned, consider 2 Kings 17:17 and Psalms 106:37-38.
  • The concept of spiritual adultery as a metaphor for idolatry is a recurring theme in the prophets, such as in Jeremiah 3:8 and Hosea 1:2.
  • God's demand for holiness and pure worship is foundational, as seen in Isaiah 1:13-15, where God rejects superficial religious observance.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 23:39 serves as a stark warning for believers today:

  • Beware of Syncretism: We must guard against mixing genuine faith with worldly values or practices that contradict God's commands. Modern "idols" might not be statues, but anything we prioritize over God—money, career, pleasure, or even self-worship.
  • Reverence for God's Holiness: This verse reminds us of the profound holiness of God and the seriousness of approaching Him with impure motives or unconfessed sin. True worship requires a clean heart and genuine repentance.
  • Integrity in Faith: There should be no disconnect between our private lives and our public worship. God sees all, and true devotion is reflected in consistent obedience and reverence, not just outward religious acts.
  • The Seriousness of Sin: The horrific nature of child sacrifice followed by temple profanation highlights how deeply sin offends God and the severe consequences it can bring.
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Cross-References

  • 2 Kings 21:4 (4 votes)

    And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.

  • Jeremiah 23:11 (3 votes)

    For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.

  • Ezekiel 44:7 (3 votes)

    In that ye have brought [into my sanctuary] strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, [even] my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.

  • Jeremiah 11:15 (2 votes)

    What hath my beloved to do in mine house, [seeing] she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.

  • Micah 3:11 (2 votes)

    The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, [Is] not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

  • Ezekiel 23:38 (2 votes)

    Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.

  • Isaiah 3:9 (2 votes)

    ¶ The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide [it] not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.