37 That they have committed adultery, H5003 and blood H1818 is in their hands, H3027 and with their idols H1544 have they committed adultery, H5003 and have also caused their sons, H1121 whom they bare H3205 unto me, to pass for them through H5674 the fire, to devour H402 them.
Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Because thy filthiness H5178 was poured out, H8210 and thy nakedness H6172 discovered H1540 through thy whoredoms H8457 with thy lovers, H157 and with all the idols H1544 of thy abominations, H8441 and by the blood H1818 of thy children, H1121 which thou didst give H5414 unto them;
Moreover thou hast taken H3947 thy sons H1121 and thy daughters, H1323 whom thou hast borne H3205 unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed H2076 unto them to be devoured. H398 Is this of thy whoredoms H8457 a small matter, H4592 That thou hast slain H7819 my children, H1121 and delivered H5414 them to cause them to pass through H5674 the fire for them?
For when ye offer H5375 your gifts, H4979 when ye make your sons H1121 to pass through H5674 the fire, H784 ye pollute H2930 yourselves with all your idols, H1544 even unto this day: H3117 and shall I be enquired H1875 of by you, O house H1004 of Israel? H3478 As I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 I will not be enquired H1875 of by you.
O Jerusalem, G2419 Jerusalem, G2419 which G3588 killest G615 the prophets, G4396 and G2532 stonest G3036 them that are sent G649 unto G4314 thee; G846 how often G4212 would G2309 I have gathered G1996 thy G4675 children G5043 together, G1996 as G3739 G5158 a hen G3733 doth gather her G1438 brood G3555 under G5259 her wings, G4420 and G2532 ye would G2309 not! G3756
They build up H1129 Zion H6726 with blood, H1818 and Jerusalem H3389 with iniquity. H5766
By swearing, H422 and lying, H3584 and killing, H7523 and stealing, H1589 and committing adultery, H5003 they break out, H6555 and blood H1818 toucheth H5060 blood. H1818
Then said H559 the LORD H3068 unto me, Go H3212 yet, love H157 a woman H802 beloved H157 of her friend, H7453 yet an adulteress, H5003 according to the love H160 of the LORD H3068 toward the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 who look H6437 to other H312 gods, H430 and love H157 flagons H809 of wine. H6025
The beginning H8462 of the word H1696 of the LORD H3068 by Hosea. H1954 And the LORD H3068 said H559 to Hosea, H1954 Go, H3212 take H3947 unto thee a wife H802 of whoredoms H2183 and children H3206 of whoredoms: H2183 for the land H776 hath committed great H2181 whoredom, H2181 departing from H310 the LORD. H3068
Wherefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Woe H188 to the bloody H1818 city, H5892 to the pot H5518 whose scum H2457 is therein, and whose scum H2457 is not gone out H3318 of it! bring it out H3318 piece H5409 by piece; H5409 let no lot H1486 fall H5307 upon it. For her blood H1818 is in the midst H8432 of her; she set H7760 it upon the top H6706 of a rock; H5553 she poured H8210 it not upon the ground, H776 to cover H3680 it with dust; H6083 That it might cause fury H2534 to come up H5927 to take H5358 vengeance; H5359 I have set H5414 her blood H1818 upon the top H6706 of a rock, H5553 that it should not be covered. H3680 Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Woe H188 to the bloody H1818 city! H5892 I will even make the pile H4071 for fire great. H1431
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
And the names H8034 of them were Aholah H170 the elder, H1419 and Aholibah H172 her sister: H269 and they were mine, and they bare H3205 sons H1121 and daughters. H1323 Thus were their names; H8034 Samaria H8111 is Aholah, H170 and Jerusalem H3389 Aholibah. H172 And Aholah H170 played the harlot H2181 when she was mine; H8478 and she doted H5689 on her lovers, H157 on the Assyrians H804 her neighbours, H7138
Now, thou son H1121 of man, H120 wilt thou judge, H8199 wilt thou judge H8199 the bloody H1818 city? H5892 yea, thou shalt shew H3045 her all her abominations. H8441 Then say H559 thou, Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 The city H5892 sheddeth H8210 blood H1818 in the midst H8432 of it, that her time H6256 may come, H935 and maketh H6213 idols H1544 against herself to defile H2930 herself. Thou art become guilty H816 in thy blood H1818 that thou hast shed; H8210 and hast defiled H2930 thyself in thine idols H1544 which thou hast made; H6213 and thou hast caused thy days H3117 to draw near, H7126 and art come H935 even unto thy years: H8141 therefore have I made H5414 thee a reproach H2781 unto the heathen, H1471 and a mocking H7048 to all countries. H776
And thou shalt not H5414 let any of thy seed H2233 pass H5674 through the fire to Molech, H4432 neither shalt thou profane H2490 the name H8034 of thy God: H430 I am the LORD. H3068
Thou art thy mother's H517 daughter, H1323 that lotheth H1602 her husband H376 and her children; H1121 and thou art the sister H269 of thy sisters, H269 which lothed H1602 their husbands H582 and their children: H1121 your mother H517 was an Hittite, H2850 and your father H1 an Amorite. H567
And they built H1129 the high places H1116 of Baal, H1168 which are in the valley H1516 of the son H1121 of Hinnom, H2011 to cause their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 to pass H5674 through the fire unto Molech; H4432 which I commanded H6680 them not, neither came H5927 it into my mind, H3820 that they should do H6213 this abomination, H8441 to cause Judah H3063 to sin. H2398
And they have built H1129 the high places H1116 of Tophet, H8612 which is in the valley H1516 of the son H1121 of Hinnom, H2011 to burn H8313 their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 in the fire; H784 which I commanded H6680 them not, neither came H5927 it into my heart. H3820
If ye oppress H6231 not the stranger, H1616 the fatherless, H3490 and the widow, H490 and shed H8210 not innocent H5355 blood H1818 in this place, H4725 neither walk H3212 after H310 other H312 gods H430 to your hurt: H7451
And when ye spread forth H6566 your hands, H3709 I will hide H5956 mine eyes H5869 from you: yea, when ye make many H7235 prayers, H8605 I will not hear: H8085 your hands H3027 are full H4390 of blood. H1818
Yea, they sacrificed H2076 their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 unto devils, H7700 And shed H8210 innocent H5355 blood, H1818 even the blood H1818 of their sons H1121 and of their daughters, H1323 whom they sacrificed H2076 unto the idols H6091 of Canaan: H3667 and the land H776 was polluted H2610 with blood. H1818
And also for the innocent H5355 blood H1818 that he shed: H8210 for he filled H4390 Jerusalem H3389 with innocent H5355 blood; H1818 which the LORD H3068 would H14 not pardon. H5545
And he made his son H1121 pass H5674 through the fire, H784 and observed times, H6049 and used enchantments, H5172 and dealt H6213 with familiar spirits H178 and wizards: H3049 he wrought H6213 much H7235 wickedness H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 to provoke him to anger. H3707
Thou shalt not do H6213 so unto the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 for every abomination H8441 to the LORD, H3068 which he hateth, H8130 have they done H6213 unto their gods; H430 for even their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 they have burnt H8313 in the fire H784 to their gods. H430
Again, thou shalt say H559 to the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 Whosoever H376 he be of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 or of the strangers H1616 that sojourn H1481 in Israel, H3478 that giveth H5414 any of his seed H2233 unto Molech; H4432 he shall surely H4191 be put to death: H4191 the people H5971 of the land H776 shall stone H7275 him with stones. H68 And I will set H5414 my face H6440 against that man, H376 and will cut him off H3772 from among H7130 his people; H5971 because he hath given H5414 of his seed H2233 unto Molech, H4432 to defile H2930 my sanctuary, H4720 and to profane H2490 my holy H6944 name. H8034 And if the people H5971 of the land H776 do any ways H5956 hide H5956 their eyes H5869 from the man, H376 when he giveth H5414 of his seed H2233 unto Molech, H4432 and kill H4191 him not: H1115 Then I will set H7760 my face H6440 against that man, H376 and against his family, H4940 and will cut him off, H3772 and all that go a whoring H2181 after H310 him, to commit whoredom H2181 with Molech, H4432 from among H7130 their people. H5971
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezekiel 23
Commentary on Ezekiel 23 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 23
This long chapter (as before ch. 16 and 20) is a history of the apostasies of God's people from him and the aggravations of those apostasies under the similitude of corporal whoredom and adultery. Here the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the ten tribes and the two, with their capital cities, Samaria and Jerusalem, are considered distinctly. Here is,
And all that is written for warning against the sins of idolatry, and confidence in an arm of flesh, and sinful leagues and confederacies with wicked people (which are the sins here meant by committing whoredom), is that others may hear and fear, and not sin after the similitude of the transgressions of Israel and Judah.
Eze 23:1-10
God had often spoken to Ezekiel, and by him to the people, to this effect, but now his word comes again; for God speaks the same thing once, yea, twice, yea, many a time, and all little enough, and too little, for man perceives it not. Note, To convince sinners of the evil of sin, and of their misery and danger by reason of it, there is need of line upon line, so loth we are to know the worst of ourselves. The sinners that are here to be exposed are two women, two kingdoms, sister-kingdoms, Israel and Judah, daughters of one mother, having been for a long time but one people. Solomon's kingdom was so large, so populous, that immediately after his death it divided into two. Observe,
Eze 23:11-21
The prophet Hosea, in his time, observed that the two tribes retained their integrity, in a great measure, when the ten tribes had apostatized (Hos. 11:12, Ephraim indeed compasses me about with lies, but Judah yet rules with God and is faithful with the saints; and this was justly expected from them: Hos. 4:15, Though thou Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend); but this lasted not long. By some unhappy matches made between the house of David and the house of Ahab the worship of Baal had been brought into the kingdom of Judah, but had been by the reforming kings worked out again; and at the time of the captivity of the ten tribes, which was in the reign of Hezekiah, things were in a good posture: but it lasted not long. In the reign of Manasseh, soon after the kingdom of Judah had seen the destruction of the kingdom of Israel, they became more corrupt than Israel had been in their inordinate love of idols, v. 11. Instead of being made better by the warning which that destruction gave them, they were made worse by it, as if they were displeased because the Lord had made that breach upon Israel, and for that reason became disaffected to him and to his service. Instead of being made to stand in awe of him as a jealous God, they therefore grew strange to him, and liked those gods better that would admit of partners with them. Note, Those may justly expect God's judgments upon themselves who do not take warning by his judgments upon others, who see in others what is the end of sin and yet continue to make a light matter of it. But it is bad indeed with those who are made worse by that which should make them better, and have their lusts irritated and exasperated by that which was designed to suppress and subdue them. Jerusalem grew worse in her whoredoms than her sister Samaria had been in her whoredoms. This was observed before (ch. 16:51), Neither has Samaria committed half of thy sins.
Eze 23:22-35
Jerusalem stands indicted by the name of Aholibah, for that she, as a false traitor to her sovereign Lord the God of heaven, not having his fear before her eyes, but moved by the instigation of the devil, had revolted from her allegiance to him, had compassed and imagined to shake off his government, had kept up a correspondence had joined in confederacy with his enemies, and the pretenders to a deity, in contempt of his crown and dignity. To this indictment she has pleaded, Not guilty: I am not polluted; I have not gone after Baalim. But it is found against her by the notorious evidence of the fact, and she stands convicted of it, nor has any thing material to offer why judgment should not be given and execution awarded according to law. In these verses, therefore, we have the sentence.
Eze 23:36-49
After the ten tribes were carried into captivity, and that kingdom was made quite desolate, the remains of it by degrees incorporated with the kingdom of Judah, and gained a settlement (many of them) in Jerusalem; so that the two sisters had in effect become one again; and therefore, in these verses, the prophet takes those to task jointly who were thus conjoined: "Wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah together? v. 36. Wilt thou go about to frame an excuse for them? Thou seest the matter is so bad as not to bear an excuse.' Or, rather, "Thou shalt now be employed, in God's name, to judge them, ch. 20:4. The matter is rather worse than better since the union.'