Ezekiel 23

1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

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

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

3 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.

and they played in Egypt, prostituting themselves from their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin bosoms caressed.

4 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.

The older was named Oholah, and her sister was named Oholibah. They became Mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their identities, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

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

Oholah prostituted herself while she was still Mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians—warriors

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

clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all desirable young men, horsemen mounted on steeds.

7 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.

She offered sexual favors to all the elite of Assyria. She defiled herself with all the idols of those for whom she lusted.

8 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.

She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt, when men slept with her in her youth, caressed her virgin bosom, and poured out their lust upon her.

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

Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, the Assyrians for whom she lusted.

10 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.

They exposed her nakedness, seized her sons and daughters, and put her to the sword. Thus she became a byword among women, and they executed judgment against her.

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

Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister.

12 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.

She too lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors dressed in splendor, horsemen riding on steeds, all desirable young men.

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

And I saw that she too had defiled herself; both of them had taken the same path.

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

But Oholibah carried her prostitution even further. She saw the men portrayed on the wall, images of the Chaldeans, engraved in vermilion,

15 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.

wearing belts on their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like officers of the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth.

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

At the sight of them, she lusted for them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea.

17 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.

Then the Babylonians came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. But after she had been defiled by them, she turned away in disgust.

18 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.

When Oholibah openly prostituted herself and exposed her nakedness, I turned away from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.

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

Yet she multiplied her promiscuity, remembering the days of her youth, when she had prostituted herself in the land of Egypt

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

and lusted after their lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of stallions.

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

So you revisited the indecency of your youth, when the Egyptians caressed your bosom and pressed your young breasts.

22 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:

Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will incite your lovers against you, those from whom you turned away in disgust. And I will bring them against you from every side—

23 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.

the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, the men of Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them—all desirable young men, governors and commanders, officers and men of renown, mounted on horses.

24 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.

They will come against you with a host of peoples, with weapons, chariots, and wagons. They will array themselves against you on every side with buckler and shield and helmet. I will delegate judgment to them, and they will punish you according to their own standards.

25 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.

And I will set My jealous rage against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and ears, and your survivors will fall by the sword. They will seize your sons and daughters, and your remnant will be consumed by fire.

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

They will strip off your clothes and take your fine jewelry.

27 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.'

So I will put an end to your indecency and prostitution, which began in the land of Egypt, and you will not lift your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore.’

28 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.

For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Surely I will deliver you into the hands of those you hate, from whom you turned away in disgust.

29 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.

They will treat you with hatred, take all for which you have worked, and leave you naked and bare, so that the shame of your prostitution will be exposed. Your indecency and promiscuity

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

have brought these things upon you, because you have prostituted yourself with the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.

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

Because you have followed the path of your sister, I will put her cup into your hand.’

32 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.

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘You will drink your sister’s cup, a cup deep and wide. It will bring scorn and derision, for it holds so much.

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

You will be filled with drunkenness and grief, with a cup of devastation and desolation, the cup of your sister Samaria.

34 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.'

You will drink it and drain it; you will dash it to pieces, and tear your breasts. For I have spoken,’

35 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.'”

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have forgotten Me and have cast Me behind your back, you must bear the consequences of your indecency and prostitution.’”

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

Then the LORD said to me: “Son of man, will you pass judgment against Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.

37 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.

For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols. They have even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to Me, in the fire as food for their idols.

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

They have also done this to Me: On that very same day, they defiled My sanctuary and profaned My Sabbaths.

39 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.

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.

40 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.

Furthermore, you sisters sent messengers for men who came from afar; and behold, when they arrived, you bathed for them, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with jewelry.

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

You sat on a couch of luxury with a table spread before it, on which you had set My incense and My oil,

42 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.

accompanied by the sound of a carefree crowd. Drunkards were brought in from the desert along with men from the rabble, who put bracelets on your wrists and beautiful crowns on your head.

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

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!’

44 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.

And they slept with her as with a prostitute; they slept with Oholah and Oholibah, those lewd women.

45 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.

But righteous men will sentence them to the punishment of those who commit adultery and bloodshed, because they are adulteresses with blood on their hands.

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

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Bring a mob against them and consign them to terror and plunder.

47 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.

The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords. They will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses.

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

So I will put an end to indecency in the land, and all the women will be admonished not to imitate your behavior.

49 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.”

They will repay you for your indecency, and you will bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’”