Ezekiel 23

Ezekiel 23:1

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

Ezekiel 23:2

Son of man. See note on Ezekiel 2:1.

two women. Two sisters, representing respectively Samaria and Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 23:3

whoredoms = idolatries.

Egypt. Compare Ezekiel 20:7, Ezekiel 20:8. pressed = handled, as in verses: Ezekiel 23:8, Ezekiel 23:21.

bruised = squeezed (in natural use).

Ezekiel 23:4

Aholah. Hebrew. ’ahalah = [She has] her own tent. So named probably because Israel set up her own worship as distinct from Jehovah’s.

elder. Refers not to age, but to extent.

Aholibah. Hebrew. ’ahalibah = My tent [is] in her.

Ezekiel 23:7

the chosen, &c. = the choice of Asshur’s sons. So. verses: Ezekiel 23:9, Ezekiel 23:12.

Ezekiel 23:10

famous = a name: i.e. infamous.

Ezekiel 23:14

men. Hebrew, plural ’enosh. App-14.

Ezekiel 23:17

mind = Hebrew. nephesh. App-18,

Ezekiel 23:18

My mind. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6.

like as = according as.

Ezekiel 23:19

calling to remembrance. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Cause), App-6, for the desiring of her former idolatries.

harlot. Put for idolatress.

in. Some codices read “from”, as in Ezekiel 23:8 and Ezekiel 23:27.

Ezekiel 23:21

bruising. Aram, and Syriac read “handling”, as in Ezekiel 23:3.

Ezekiel 23:22

the Lord GOD. Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah. See note on Ezekiel 2:4.

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.

Ezekiel 23:23

Pekod . . . Shea . . . Roo. These Eastern peoples are all named in the inscriptions,

Ezekiel 23:24

wagons = chariots.

an assembly = a gathered host.

people = peoples.

Ezekiel 23:29

labour. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Cause), App-6, for the product of the labour.

Ezekiel 23:30

heathen = nations,

idols = manufactured gods.

Ezekiel 23:31

cup. Compare Isaiah 51:17. Revelation 14:9, Revelation 14:10.

Ezekiel 23:34

break: or, gnaw, lest a drop should be lost.

pluck off = tear out: i.e. destroy the occasions of their idolatry.

saith the Lord GOD = [is] Adonai Jehovah’s oracle.

Ezekiel 23:35

lewdness . . . whoredoms. Put here by Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Cause), App-8, for the punishment due to the idolatry.

Ezekiel 23:37

adultery. Put (like whoredom) for all idolatry, as being unfaithfulness to Jehovah. See note on Ezekiel 16:15.

caused = set apart.

to pass, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 18:21; Leviticus 20:2-4),

them. “Them” is masculine, and refers to the idols, in the first clause; and so, many codices, with six earlypriated editions (one Rabbinic). But some codices read feminine = themselves.

Ezekiel 23:38

defiled . . . profaned. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 19:31). App-92. Compare Ezekiel 22:8.

Ezekiel 23:39

children = sons.

lo. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.

Ezekiel 23:40

men. Plural of ’mush. App-14.

wash thyself. Compare Rth 3:3.

paintedst, he. Compare 2 Kings 9:30. Jeremiah 4:30.

Ezekiel 23:41

a stately bed. Compare Proverbs 7:16-18. Isaiah 67:8, Isaiah 67:9,

Ezekiel 23:42

multitude, &c. = a careless throng.

with her: or, in her: i.e. in Jerusalem.

men of the common sort = men out of the mass of mankind.

men. Hebrew, plural of ’enosh, App-14.

the common sort. Hebrew. ’adam. App-14.

Sabeans. Hebrew text reads “drunkards”, But margin, and some codices, with three early printed editions, read “Sebeans”.

Ezekiel 23:43

and she = even hers. Ginsburg thinks it should read so it was". Compare Ezekiel 16:15, Ezekiel 16:19.

Ezekiel 23:44

they went. Hebrew text reads “came he”. A special various reading called Sevir (App-34), with some codices, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “came they”.

Ezekiel 23:45

the righteous . . . shall judge. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 20:10). App-92.

Ezekiel 23:46

company = a gathered host.

Ezekiel 23:49

sins. Hebrew. chata. App-44.

ye shall know, &c. Occurs only here, Ezekiel 13:9; and Ezekiel 24:24. Compare note on Ezekiel 6:7.