Ezekiel 23

1 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,

The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:

“Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother.

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

They acted as prostitutes in Egypt in the time of their youth. They acted as prostitutes there. Their breasts were squeezed and their virgin nipples were fondled there.

4 And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bore sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.

Their names were Oholah—the older sister—and Oholibah—her younger sister. Then they became mine and bore sons and daughters. Their names mean this: Oholah means Samaria, and Oholibah means Jerusalem.

5 And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbors,

But Oholah acted as a prostitute even when she was mine; she lusted for her lovers, for the Assyrians who were dominant,

6 Which were clothed with blue, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses.

the governor who wore blue, and for his officials, who were strong and handsome, all of them men riding on horses.

7 Thus she committed her prostitutions with them, with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted: with all their idols she defiled herself.

So she gave herself as a prostitute to them, to all the best of Assyria's men, and she made herself unclean with everyone she lusted for—and with all their idols.

8 Neither left she her prostitutions brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their prostitution on her.

For she had not left her prostitute behavior behind in Egypt, when they had slept with her when she had been a young girl, when they first began to fondle her virgin breasts, when they first began to pour out their promiscuous behavior on her.

9 Why I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, on whom she doted.

Therefore I gave her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians for whom she lusted.

10 These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among women; for they had executed judgment on her.

They uncovered her nakedness, took her sons and daughters, killed her with the sword, and she became notorious among other women, so they executed judgment on her.

11 And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her prostitutions more than her sister in her prostitutions.

Her sister Oholibah saw this, but she lusted even more passionately and acted like a prostitute even more than her sister.

12 She doted on the Assyrians her neighbors, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men.

She lusted for the Assyrians, the governors and the dominating officials who dressed impressively, who were men riding horses. All of them were strong, handsome men.

13 Then I saw that she was defiled, that they took both one way,

I saw that she had made herself unclean. It was the same for both sisters.

14 And that she increased her prostitutions: for when she saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion,

Then she increased her prostitution even more. She saw men carved on walls, figures of Chaldeans painted in red,

15 Girded with girdles on their loins, exceeding in dyed attire on their heads, all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity:

wearing belts around their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads. All of them had the appearance of officers of chariot troops, the likeness of sons of Babylonia, whose native land is Chaldea.

16 And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted on them, and sent messengers to them into Chaldea.

As soon as her eyes saw them, she lusted for them, so she sent out messengers to them in Chaldea.

17 And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their prostitution, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them.

Then the Babylonians came to her and to her bed of lust, and they made her unclean with their promiscuousness. By what she had done she was made unclean, so she turned herself away from them in disgust.

18 So she discovered her prostitutions, and discovered her nakedness: then my mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister.

When she displayed her acts of prostitution and uncovered her nakedness, I turned away from her, just as I had turned away in disgust from her sister.

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

Then she increased her prostitution as she remembered the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in the land of Egypt.

20 For she doted on their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.

So she lusted for her lovers, whose private parts were like those of donkeys, and whose reproductive emissions were like those of horses.

21 Thus you called to remembrance the lewdness of your youth, in bruising your teats by the Egyptians for the breasts of your youth.

This is how you committed shameful acts of your youth, when the Egyptians fondled your nipples and squeezed your young breasts.

22 Therefore, O Aholibah, thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom your mind is alienated, and I will bring them against you on every side;

Therefore, Oholibah, the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Behold! I will turn your lovers against you. Those from whom you turned away, I will bring them against you from every side:

23 The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding on horses.

the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, strong, handsome men, governors and commanders, all of them are officers and men of reputation, all of them riding on horses.

24 And they shall come against you with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with an assembly of people, which shall set against you buckler and shield and helmet round about: and I will set judgment before them, and they shall judge you according to their judgments.

They will come against you with weapons, and with chariots and wagons, and with a great crowd of people. They will set large shields, small shields, and helmets against you all around. I will give them the opportunity to punish you, and they will punish you with their actions.

25 And I will set my jealousy against you, and they shall deal furiously with you: they shall take away your nose and your ears; and your remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take your sons and your daughters; and your residue shall be devoured by the fire.

For I will set my jealous anger on you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and your survivors will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and your daughters, and your survivors will be devoured by fire.

26 They shall also strip you out of your clothes, and take away your fair jewels.

They will strip you of your clothes and take away all of your jewelry.

27 Thus will I make your lewdness to cease from you, and your prostitution brought from the land of Egypt: so that you shall not lift up your eyes to them, nor remember Egypt any more.

So I will remove your shameful behavior from you and your acts of prostitution from the land of Egypt. You will not lift up your eyes toward them with longing, and you will think of Egypt no longer.'

28 For thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I will deliver you into the hand of them whom you hate, into the hand of them from whom your mind is alienated:

For the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Behold! I will give you into the hand of the ones you hate, back into the hand of the ones from whom you had turned away.

29 And they shall deal with you hatefully, and shall take away all your labor, and shall leave you naked and bore: and the nakedness of your prostitutions shall be discovered, both your lewdness and your prostitutions.

They will deal with you hatefully; they will take all your possessions and abandon you naked and bare, and your nakedness will be uncovered just as when you engaged in promiscuity and prostitutions.

30 I will do these things to you, because you have gone a whoring after the heathen, and because you are polluted with their idols.

These things will be done to you in your acting like a prostitute, lusting after nations by which you became unclean with their idols.

31 You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore will I give her cup into your hand.

You have walked in the way of your sister, so I will put her cup of punishment into your hand.'

32 Thus says the Lord GOD; You shall drink of your sister’s cup deep and large: you shall be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it contains much.

The Lord Yahweh says this, 'You will drink your sister's cup that is deep and large. You will become a laughingstock and a subject for derision—this cup contains a great amount.

33 You shall be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of your sister Samaria.

You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, the cup of horror and devastation; the cup of your sister Samaria.

34 You shall even drink it and suck it out, and you shall break the shards thereof, and pluck off your own breasts: for I have spoken it, says the Lord GOD.

You will drink it and drain it empty; then you will shatter it and tear your breasts with the pieces. For I have declared it—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'

35 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD; Because you have forgotten me, and cast me behind your back, therefore bear you also your lewdness and your prostitutions.

Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Because you have forgotten me and thrown me away behind your back, so also you will bear the consequences of your shameful behavior and acts of sexual immorality.'”

36 The LORD said moreover to me; Son of man, will you judge Aholah and Aholibah? yes, declare to them their abominations;

Yahweh said to me, “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? So present to them their disgusting actions,

37 That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bore to me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them.

since they have committed adultery, and since there is blood on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and they have even caused their sons to pass through the fire, as food for their idols.

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

Then they continue to do this to me: They make my sanctuary unclean, and on the same day they defile my Sabbaths.

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

For when they had slaughtered their children for their idols, then they came to my sanctuary on the same day to defile it! So behold! This is what they have done in the middle of my house.

40 And furthermore, that you have sent for men to come from far, to whom a messenger was sent; and, see, they came: for whom you did wash yourself, painted your eyes, and decked yourself with ornaments,

You sent out for men who came from far away, to whom messengers had been sent—now behold. They indeed came, those for whom you bathed, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with jewelry.

41 And sat on a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, whereupon you have set my incense and my oil.

There you sat on a beautiful bed and at a table arranged before it where you placed my incense and my oil.

42 And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, which put bracelets on their hands, and beautiful crowns on their heads.

So the sound of a noisy crowd was around her; including all kinds of men, even Sabeans were brought in from the wilderness, and they put bracelets on their hands and beautiful crowns on their heads.

43 Then said I to her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit prostitutions with her, and she with them?

Then I said of her who was worn out by adultery, 'Now they will be sexually immoral with her, and she with them.'

44 Yet they went in to her, as they go in to a woman that plays the harlot: so went they in to Aholah and to Aholibah, the lewd women.

They went in to her and slept with her as men go in to be with a prostitute. In this way they slept with Oholah and Oholibah, who were immoral women.

45 And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.

But righteous men will pass judgment and punish them as adulteresses, and they will punish them with the sentence for those who shed blood, because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands.

46 For thus says the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company on them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled.

So the Lord Yahweh says this: I will raise up a company against them and give them up to be terrorized and plundered.

47 And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.

Then that company will stone them with stones and cut them down with their swords. They will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses.

48 Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to do after your lewdness.

For I will remove shameful behavior from the land and discipline all the women so they will no longer act like prostitutes.

49 And they shall recompense your lewdness on you, and you shall bear the sins of your idols: and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

So they will set your shameful behavior against you. You will bear the guilt of your sins with your idols, and in this way you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.”