Jezekiel 23
1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
The LORD’s word came again to me, saying,
2 Son of man, there were two women, daughters of one mother:
“Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother.
3 and they went a-whoring in Egypt in their youth: there their breasts fell, there they lost their virginity.
They played the prostitute in Egypt. They played the prostitute in their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their youthful nipples were caressed there.
4 And their names were Oola the elder, and Ooliba her sister: and they were mine, and bore sons and daughters: and [as for] their names, Samaria was Oola, and Jerusalem was Ooliba.
Their names were Oholah the elder, and Oholibah her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah.
5 And Oola went a-whoring from me, and doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians that were her neighbors,
“Oholah played the prostitute when she was mine. She doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbors,
6 clothed with purple, princes and captains; [they were] young men and choice, all horseman riding on horses.
who were clothed with blue—governors and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses.
7 And she bestowed her fornication upon them; all were choice sons of the Assyrians: and on whoever she doted herself, with them she defiled herself in all [their] devices.
She gave herself as a prostitute to them, all of them the choicest men of Assyria. She defiled herself with the idols of whomever she lusted after.
8 And she forsook not her fornication with the Egyptians: for in her youth they committed fornication with her, and they deflowered her, and poured out their fornication upon her.
She has not left her prostitution since leaving Egypt; for in her youth they lay with her. They caressed her youthful nipples and they poured out their prostitution on her.
9 Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, into the hands of the children of the Assyrians, on whom she doted.
“Therefore I delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians on whom she doted.
10 They uncovered her shame: they took her sons and daughters, and killed her with the sword: and she became a byword among women: and they wrought vengeance in her for the sake of the daughters.
These uncovered her nakedness. They took her sons and her daughters, and they killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women; for they executed judgments on her.
11 And her sister Ooliba saw [it], and she indulged in her fondness more corruptly than she, and in her fornication more than the fornication of her sister.
“Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet she was more corrupt in her lusting than she, and in her prostitution which was more depraved than the prostitution of her sister.
12 She doted upon the sons of the Assyrian, princes and captains, her neighbors, clothed with fine linen, horsemen riding on horses; [they were] all choice young men.
She lusted after the Assyrians, governors and rulers—her neighbors, clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men.
13 And I saw that they were defiled, [that] the two [had] one way.
I saw that she was defiled. They both went the same way.
14 And she increased her fornication, and she saw men painted on the wall, likenesses of the Chaldeans painted with a pencil,
“She increased her prostitution; for she saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with red,
15 having variegated girdles on their loins, having also richly dyed [attire] upon their heads; all had a princely appearance, the likeness of the children of the Chaldeans, of their native land.
dressed with belts on their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like princes, after the likeness of the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth.
16 And she doted upon them as soon as she saw them, and sent forth messengers to them into the land of the Chaldeans.
As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them into Chaldea.
17 And the sons of Babylon came to her, into the bed of rest, and they defiled her in her fornication, and she was defiled by them, and her soul was alienated from them.
The Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their prostitution. She was polluted with them, and her soul was alienated from them.
18 And she exposed her fornication, and exposed her shame: and my soul was alienated from her, even as my soul was alienated from her sister.
So she uncovered her prostitution and uncovered her nakedness. Then my soul was alienated from her, just like my soul was alienated from her sister.
19 And you did multiply your fornication, so as to call to remembrance the days of your youth, wherein you did commit whoredom in Egypt,
Yet she multiplied her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth, in which she had played the prostitute in the land of Egypt.
20 and you did dote upon the Chaldeans, whose flesh is as the flesh of the asses, and their members [as] the members of horses.
She lusted after their lovers, whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
21 And you did look upon the iniquity of your youth, [the things] which you wrought in Egypt in your lodgings, where were the breasts of your youth.
Thus you called to memory the lewdness of your youth, in the caressing of your nipples by the Egyptians because of your youthful breasts.
22 Therefore, Ooliba, thus says the Lord; Behold, I [will] stir up your lovers against you, from whom your soul is alienated, and I will bring them upon you round about,
“Therefore, Oholibah, the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom your soul is alienated, and I will bring them against you on every side:
23 the children of Babylon, and all the Chaldeans, Phacuc, and Sue, and Hychue, and all the sons of the Assyrians with them; choice young men, governors and captains, all princes and renowned, riding on horses.
the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, Koa, and all the Assyrians with them; all of them desirable young men, governors and rulers, princes and men of renown, all of them riding on horses.
24 And they all shall come upon you from the north, chariots and wheels, with a multitude of nations, shields and targets; and [the enemy] shall set a watch against you round about: and I will set judgment before them, and they shall take vengeance on you with their judgments.
They will come against you with weapons, chariots, and wagons, and with a company of peoples. They will set themselves against you with buckler, shield, and helmet all around. I will commit the judgment to them, and they will judge you according to their judgments.
25 And I will bring upon you my jealousy, and they shall deal with you in great wrath: they shall take away your nose and your ears; and shall cast down your remnant with the sword: they shall take your sons and your daughters; and your remnant fire shall devour.
I will set my jealousy against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will take away your nose and your ears. Your remnant will fall by the sword. They will take your sons and your daughters; and the rest of you will be devoured by the fire.
26 And they shall strip you of your raiment, and take [away] your ornaments.
They will also strip you of your clothes and take away your beautiful jewels.
27 So I will turn back your ungodliness from you, and your fornication from the land of Egypt: and you shall not lift up your eyes upon them, and shall no more remember Egypt.
Thus I will make your lewdness to cease from you, and remove your prostitution from the land of Egypt, so that you will not lift up your eyes to them, nor remember Egypt any more.’
28 Therefore thus says the Lord God; Behold, I [will] deliver you into the hands of those whom you hate, from whom your soul is alienated.
“For the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will deliver you into the hand of them whom you hate, into the hand of them from whom your soul is alienated.
29 And they shall deal with you in hatred, and shall take all [the fruits] of your labors and your toils, and you shall be naked and bare: and the shame of your fornication shall be exposed: and your ungodliness and your fornication
They will deal with you in hatred, and will take away all your labor, and will leave you naked and bare. The nakedness of your prostitution will be uncovered, both your lewdness and your prostitution.
30 brought this upon you, in that you went a-whoring after the nations, and did defile yourself with their devices.
These things will be done to you because you have played the prostitute after the nations, and because you are polluted with their idols.
31 You did walk in the way of your sister; and I will put her cup into your hands.
You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will give her cup into your hand.’
32 Thus says the Lord; Drink your sister's cup, deep and large, and full, to cause complete drunkenness.
“The Lord GOD says: ‘You will drink of your sister’s cup, which is deep and large. You will be ridiculed and held in derision. It contains much.
33 And you shall be thoroughly weakened; and the cup of destruction, the cup of your sister Samaria,
You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of your sister Samaria.
34 drink you it, and I will take away her feasts and her new moons: for I have spoken [it], says the Lord.
You will even drink it and drain it out. You will gnaw the broken pieces of it, and will tear your breasts; for I have spoken it,’ says the Lord GOD.
35 Therefore thus says the Lord; Because you has forgotten me, and cast me behind your back, therefore receive you [the reward] of your ungodliness and your fornication.
“Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, therefore you also bear your lewdness and your prostitution.’”
36 And the Lord said to me, Son of man, will you not judge Oola and Ooliba? and declare to them their iniquities?
The LORD said moreover to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.
37 For they have committed adultery, and blood was in their hands, they committed adultery with their devices, and they passed through the fire to them their children which they bore to me.
For they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols. They have also caused their sons, whom they bore to me, to pass through the fire to them to be devoured.
38 So long too as they did these things to me, they defiled my sanctuary, and profaned my sabbaths.
Moreover this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my Sabbaths.
39 And when they sacrificed their children to their idols, they also went into my sanctuary to profane it: and whereas they did thus in the midst of 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 behold, they have done this in the middle of my house.
40 and whereas they did thus to the men that came from afar, to whom they sent messengers, and as soon as they came, immediately you did wash yourself, and did paint your eyes and adorn yourself with ornaments,
“Furthermore you sisters have sent for men who come from far away, to whom a messenger was sent, and behold, they came; for whom you washed yourself, painted your eyes, decorated yourself with ornaments,
41 and sat on a prepared bed, and before it [there was] a table set out, and [as for] mine incense and mine oil, they rejoiced in them,
and sat on a stately bed, with a table prepared before it, whereupon you set my incense and my oil.
42 and they raised a sound of music, and [that] with men coming from the wilderness out of a multitude of men, and they put bracelets on their hands, and a crown of glory on their heads;
“The voice of a multitude being at ease was with her. With men of the common sort were brought drunkards from the wilderness; and they put bracelets on their hands, and beautiful crowns on their heads.
43 Therefore I said, Do they not commit adultery with these? and has she also gone a-whoring [after] the manner of a harlot?
Then I said of her who was old in adulteries, ‘Now they will play the prostitute with her, and she with them.’
44 And they went in to her, as [men] go in to a harlot; so they went in to Oola and to Ooliba to work iniquity.
They went in to her, as they go in to a prostitute. So they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women.
45 And they are just men, and shall take vengeance on them with the judgment of an adulteress and the judgment of blood: for they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.
Righteous men will judge them with the judgment of adulteresses and with the judgment of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.
46 Thus says the Lord God, Bring up a multitude upon them, and send trouble and plunder into the midst of them.
“For the Lord GOD says: ‘I will bring up a mob against them, and will give them to be tossed back and forth and robbed.
47 And stone them with the stones of a multitude, and pierce them with their swords: they shall kill their sons and their daughters, and shall burn up their houses.
The company will stone them with stones and dispatch them with their swords. They will kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
48 And I will remove ungodliness out of the land, and all the women shall be instructed, and shall not do according to their ungodliness.
“‘Thus I will cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to be lewd like you.
49 And your ungodliness shall be recompensed upon you, and you shall bear the guilt of your devices: and you shall know that I am the Lord.
They will recompense your lewdness on you, and you will bear the sins of your idols. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’”
