Ezekiel 23

1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

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

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

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

3 And they played the harlot in Egypt; in their youth they played the harlot: there were their breasts pressed, and there they suffered their virgin bosoms to be touched.

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.

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

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.

5 And Aholah played the harlot while she was mine; and she longed for her lovers, for the Assyrians that were near [her],

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

6 Clothed [as they were] in blue, governors, and rulers, attractive youths all of them, horsemen riding upon horses.

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

7 Thus she played the harlot with them, all of them the chosen ones of the sons of Asshur: and with all for whom she longed, —with all their idols did she defile herself.

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.

8 But also her lewdness from Egypt forsook she not; for they had lain with her in her youth, and they had touched her virgin bosom, and had lavished their lewd caresses on her.

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.

9 Therefore did I give her up into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the sons of Asshur, after whom she longed.

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

10 These were they that laid open her nakedness; her sons and her daughters did they take away, and her they slew with the sword: and she became infamous among women, when they inflicted the decreed punishments on her.

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.

11 And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she became more corrupt in her longing than she, and in her lewd acts more than her sister's lewdness.

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.

12 For the sons of Asshur did she long, the governors and rulers that were near, clothed as they were most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, attractive youths all of them.

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

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

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

14 But she added still more to her acts of lewdness; for when she saw men engraved upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with color,

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

15 Bound with girdles on their loins, with hanging down colored turbans on their heads, in appearance like commanders, all of them, in the likeness of the sons of Babylon of the Chaldeans, the land of their birth:

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:

16 Then did she long for them as soon as she saw them with her eyes, and she sent messengers unto them to Chaldea.

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

17 And the sons of Babylon came to her unto the couch of love, and they defiled her with their lewd caresses; and [yet] when she had been defiled with them, she tore her soul away from them.

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.

18 And when she had laid open her lewdness, and had uncovered her nakedness: then my soul tore itself away from her, as my soul had torn itself away from her sister.

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.

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

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.

20 And she longed for her paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose lustfulness is like the lustfulness of horses.

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

21 And thou calledst to mind the incest of thy youth, when thy bosom was touched by the Egyptians for the sake of thy youthful breasts.

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

22 Therefore, O Aholibah, thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Behold, I will wake up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy soul hath torn itself away, and I will bring them against thee from every side;

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;

23 The sons of Babylon, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa and Koa, and all the sons of Asshur with them, attractive youths, governors and rulers all of them, commanders and chiefs, riding upon horses all of them.

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.

24 And they shall come over thee with weapons, chariots, and wheels, and with an assembly of people, buckler and shield and helmet shall they set up against thee round about: and I will give up before them the right to judge, and they shall judge thee according to their ordinances.

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.

25 And I will set my zealousness against thee, and they shall deal with thee in fury; thy nose and thy ears shall they cut off; and what is left of thee shall fall by the sword: thy sons and thy daughters shall they take away; and what is left of thee shall be devoured by the fire.

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.

26 And they shall strip thee of thy clothes, and take away thy ornamental attire.

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

27 Thus will I make thy incest to cease from thee, and thy lewdness brought from the land of Egypt: and thou shalt not lift up thy eyes unto them, and Egypt shalt thou not remember any more.

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.

28 For thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Behold, I will give thee up into the hand of those whom thou hatest, into the hand of those from whom thy soul hath torn itself away;

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:

29 And they shall deal with thee in hate, and shall take away all [things acquired by] thy labor, and they shall leave thee naked and bare: and thus shall be uncovered the nakedness of thy lewdness, and thy incest and thy lewd deeds.

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.

30 I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone with vile lust after the nations, because thou hast defiled thyself with their idols.

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

31 On the way of thy sister hast thou walked; therefore will I place her cup into thy hand.

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

32 Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, The cup of thy sister shalt thou drink, the deep and wide one: thou shalt become to be laughed to scorn and to be held in derision, more than thou canst bear.

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.

33 With drunkenness and sorrow shalt thou be filled, [out of] the cup of astonishment and confusion, the cup of thy sister Samaria.

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

34 Thou shalt even drink it and drain it out, and thou shalt break in pieces its fragments, and tear thy own breasts; for I have spoken it, saith the Lord Eternal.

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.

35 Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back: therefore bear thou also thy incest and thy acts of lewdness.

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.

36 The Lord said moreover unto me, Son of man, wilt thou call Aholah and Aholibah to account? then tell them of their abominations;

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

37 That they have committed adultery, and there is blood on their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and also their sons whom they had born unto me have they caused to pass for them through [the fire], to devour them.

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.

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

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

40 And farthermore yet, because they sent for men who were to come from afar, unto whom messengers were sent; and, lo, they came, for whom thou didst bathe thyself, paint thy eyes, and deck thyself with ornaments;

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,

41 And thou didst sit upon a stately bed, with a table spread before it, and my incense and my oil didst thou set upon it.

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

42 And the shout of a peaceful joyous multitude was [heard] within her; and with the men of the masses of the common people were brought Sabeans from the wilderness; and these women placed bracelets on their hands, and crowns of glory upon their heads.

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.

43 Then thought I of her that was worn out in adulteries, Will they now [still] commit lewdness with her, when she [is thus]?

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

44 But men went in unto her, as they go in unto a faithless wife: thus went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the incestuous women.

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.

45 Righteous men, however—these shall judge them as adulteresses are judged, and as women that shed blood are judged; because adulteresses are they, and blood is on their hands.

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.

46 For thus hath said the Lord Eternal, I will bring up against them an assemblage of men, and I will give them up to ill-usage and plunder.

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

47 And the assemblage shall stone them with stones, and cut them down with their swords: their sons and their daughters shall they slay, and their houses shall they burn with fire.

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.

48 Thus will I cause incest to cease out of the land, that all women may be warned by example, and not do after your incestuous course.

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

49 And they shall lay your incest upon you, and the sins of your idols shall ye bear: and ye shall know that I am the Lord Eternal.

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.