Ezekiel 23:14

Verse

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And she increased her whoredoms; for she saw men portrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion,

Bible in Basic English

And her loose behaviour became worse; for she saw men pictured on a wall, pictures of the Chaldaeans painted in bright red,

Douay-Rheims 1899

And she increased her fornications: and when she had seen men painted on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans set forth in colours,

Free Bible Version

However, Oholibah's prostitution was even worse. She saw pictures of Babylonian soldiers wearing bright red uniforms painted on the wall.

King James (Authorized) Version

And that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion,

Translation for Translators

But she did even worse things. She saw drawings of men from Babylonia on the walls, painted in red.

Unlocked Literal Bible

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

Noah Webster Bible

And that she increased her prostitutions: for when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion.

World English Bible

“She increased her prostitution; for she saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with red,

Young's Literal Translation

And she doth add unto her whoredoms, And she seeth graved men on the wall, Pictures of Chaldeans, graved with red lead,

Context

The Two Adulterous Sisters

¹³And I saw that she too had defiled herself; both of them had taken the same path. ¹⁴But Oholibah carried her prostitution even further. She saw the men portrayed on the wall, images of the Chaldeans, engraved in vermilion, ¹⁵wearing 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.

Summary

Ezekiel 23:14 uses the metaphor of two sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, to depict the unfaithfulness of Israel and Judah to God. The verse describes how these sisters continued in their idolatry and spiritual adultery, forsaking the Lord for false gods. Despite God's warnings and calls to repentance, they persisted in their sinful ways, leading to their eventual judgment and exile. This passage serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the importance of remaining faithful to Him alone.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Men pourtrayed upon the wall - See on Eze 8:10 (note).

John Gill Bible Commentary

And that she increased her whoredoms,.... Added to the number of her idols, increased her idols, and even was guilty of more than her sister: for when she saw men portrayed on the wall; of the temple, as idols were, Eze 8:10 or upon the wall of a private house, where they were worshipped as household gods: the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion: the images of their heroes, who after death were deified; and these, being drawn upon the wall with vermilion, which, being mixed with ceruse, made a flesh colour, were worshipped; as Bel, Nebo, Merodach, which are names of their idols, Isa 46:1 or these were graven on the walls, or etched out upon them with minium or red lead; or rather were "painted" (r), as some render the word, with minium, vermilion, or cinnabar, which are the same; See Gill on Jer 22:14, and it may be observed, that it was usual with the Heathens to paint the images and statues of their gods with these. Thus Virgil (s) represents Pan, the god of Arcadia, coloured red with minium or vermilion; and Pausanius (t) speaks of the statue of Bacchus being besmeared with cinnabar: and Pliny (u) says the face of the image of Jupiter used to be anointed with minium or vermilion on festival days; and observes, that the nobles of Ethiopia used to colour themselves all over with it; this being the colour of the images of their gods, which they reckoned more august, majestic, and sacred. Hence the Romans, in their triumphs, used to paint themselves with vermilion; particularly it is said of Augustus Caesar, that he did this to make himself the more conspicuous and respectable, after the example of the Assyrians and Medes (w): and the triumphers chose to be rubbed all over with a red colour, that they might, according to Isidore (x), resemble the divine fire. (r) "depictas sinopide", Pagninus; "pictas minio", Piscator. (s) "Pan deus Arcadiae venit, quem vidimus ipsi Sanguineis ebuli baccis, minioque rubentern." Bucolic. Eclog. 10. (t) Achaica, sive l. 7. p. 452. & Arcadica, sive l. 8. p. 520. (u) Nat. Hist. l. 33. c. 7. (w) Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 6. c. 6. p. 332. (x) Originum, l. 18. c. 2.

Ezekiel 23:14

The Two Adulterous Sisters

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And she increased her whoredoms; for she saw men portrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion,

Bible in Basic English

And her loose behaviour became worse; for she saw men pictured on a wall, pictures of the Chaldaeans painted in bright red,

Douay-Rheims 1899

And she increased her fornications: and when she had seen men painted on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans set forth in colours,

Free Bible Version

However, Oholibah's prostitution was even worse. She saw pictures of Babylonian soldiers wearing bright red uniforms painted on the wall.

King James (Authorized) Version

And that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion,

Translation for Translators

But she did even worse things. She saw drawings of men from Babylonia on the walls, painted in red.

Unlocked Literal Bible

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

Noah Webster Bible

And that she increased her prostitutions: for when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion.

World English Bible

“She increased her prostitution; for she saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with red,

Young's Literal Translation

And she doth add unto her whoredoms, And she seeth graved men on the wall, Pictures of Chaldeans, graved with red lead,

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Men pourtrayed upon the wall - See on Eze 8:10 (note).

John Gill Bible Commentary

Ezekiel 23:14

Verse

Context

The Two Adulterous Sisters

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Ezekiel 23:14

The Two Adulterous Sisters

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary