Ezequiel 23

ARC · Chapter 23/48

1Veiu mais a mim a palavra do Senhor, dizendo:

2Filho do homem, houve duas mulheres, filhas de uma mãe.

3Estas fornicaram no Egypto; na sua mocidade fornicaram; ali foram apertados os seus peitos, e ali foram apalpados os seios da sua virgindade.

4E os seus nomes eram: Ohola, a mais velha, e Oholiba, sua irmã; e foram minhas, e pariram filhos e filhas; e, quanto aos seus nomes, Samaria é Ohola, e Jerusalem é Oholiba.

5E fornicou Ohola, sendo minha; e enamorou-se dos seus amantes, dos assyrios, seus visinhos,

6Vestidos de azul, prefeitos e magistrados, todos mancebos de cobiçar, cavalleiros montados a cavallo.

7Assim commetteu ella as suas fornicações com elles, os quaes todos eram a flôr dos filhos da Assyria, e com todos os de quem se enamorava; com todos os seus idolos se contaminou.

8E as suas fornicações, que trouxe do Egypto, não as deixou; porque com ella se deitaram na sua mocidade, e elles apalparam os seios da sua virgindade, e derramaram sobre ella a sua fornicação.

9Portanto a entreguei na mão dos seus amantes, na mão dos filhos da Assyria, de quem se enamorara.

10Estes descobriram a sua vergonha, levaram seus filhos e suas filhas, mas a ella mataram á espada; e foi afamada entre as mulheres, e n'ella exerceram os juizos.

11O que vendo sua irmã Oholiba, corrompeu o seu amor mais do que ella, e as suas fornicações mais do que as fornicações de sua irmã

12Enamorou-se dos filhos da Assyria, dos prefeitos e dos magistrados seus visinhos, vestidos com primor, cavalleiros que andam montados em cavallos, todos mancebos de cobiçar.

13E vi que se tinha contaminado; que o caminho de ambas era o mesmo.

14E augmentou as suas fornicações, porque viu homens pintados na parede, imagens dos chaldeos, pintadas de vermelho;

15Cingidos de cinto nos seus lombos, e tiaras largas tingidas nas suas cabeças, todos de parecer de capitães, á similhança dos filhos de Babylonia em Chaldea, terra do seu nascimento.

16E se enamorou d'elles, vendo-os com os seus olhos: e lhes mandou mensageiros a Chaldea.

17Então vieram a ella os filhos de Babylonia para a cama dos amores, e a contaminaram com as suas fornicações: e ella se contaminou com elles; então apartou-se d'elles a alma d'ella.

18Assim descobriu as suas fornicações, e descobriu a sua vergonha: então a minha alma se apartou d'ella, como já se tinha apartado a minha alma de sua irmã.

19Porém multiplicou as suas fornicações, lembrando-se dos dias da sua mocidade, em que fornicara na terra do Egypto.

20E enamorou-se dos seus amantes, cujas carnes são como carnes de jumentos, e cujo fluxo é como o fluxo de cavallos.

21Assim trouxeste á memoria a enormidade da tua mocidade, quando os do Egypto apalpavam os teus seios, por causa dos peitos da tua mocidade.

22Por isso, ó Oholiba, assim diz o Senhor Jehovah: Eis que eu suscitarei contra ti os teus amantes, dos quaes se tinha apartado a tua alma, e os trarei contra ti de em redor:

23Os filhos de Babylonia, e todos os chaldeos de Pecod, e de Soa, e de Coa, e todos os filhos da Assyria com elles, mancebos de cobiçar, prefeitos e magistrados todos elles, capitães e homens afamados, todos elles montados a cavallo.

24E virão contra ti com carros, carretas e rodas, e com ajuntamento de povos; e se porão contra ti em redor com rodelas, e escudos, e capacetes: e porei diante d'elles o juizo, e julgar-te-hão segundo os teus juizos.

25E porei contra ti o meu zelo, e usarão de indignação comtigo: o nariz e as orelhas te tirarão, e o que te ficar de resto cairá á espada: teus filhos e tuas filhas elles te tomarão, e o que ficar por ultimo em ti será consumido pelo fogo.

26Tambem te despirão os teus vestidos, e te tomarão as tuas joias de enfeite.

27Assim farei cessar em ti a tua enormidade e a tua fornicação da terra do Egypto; e não levantarás os teus olhos para elles, nem te lembrarás mais do Egypto.

28Porque assim diz o Senhor Jehovah: Eis que eu te entregarei na mão dos que aborreces, na mão d'aquelles de quem se tinha apartado a tua alma.

29E te tratarão com odio, e levarão todo o teu trabalho, e te deixarão nua e despida: e descobrir-se-ha a vergonha da tua fornicação, e a tua enormidade, e as tuas fornicações.

30Estas coisas se te farão, porquanto tu fornicaste após os gentios, e porquanto te contaminaste com os seus idolos.

31No caminho de tua irmã andaste; por isso te darei o seu copo na tua mão.

32Assim diz o Senhor Jehovah: Beberás o copo de tua irmã, fundo e largo: servirás de riso e escarneo; elle leva muito.

33De embriaguez e de dôr te encherás: o copo de tua irmã Samaria é copo de espanto e de assolação.

34Bebel-o-has pois, e esgotal-o-has, e os seus cacos roerás, e os teus peitos arrancarás; porque eu o fallei, diz o Senhor Jehovah.

35Portanto, assim diz o Senhor Jehovah: Porquanto te esqueceste de mim, e me lançaste para traz das tuas costas, leva tu pois tambem a tua enormidade e as tuas fornicações.

36E disse-me o Senhor: Filho do homem, porventura julgarias a Ohola e a Oholiba? mostra-lhes pois as suas abominações.

37Porque commetteram adulterio, e sangue se acha nas suas mãos, e com os seus idolos commetteram adulterio, e até os seus filhos, que me geraram, fizeram passar pelo fogo por si, para os consumir.

38E ainda isto me fizeram: contaminaram o meu sanctuario no mesmo dia, e profanaram os meus sabbados.

39Porque, havendo sacrificado seus filhos aos seus idolos, vinham ao meu sanctuario no mesmo dia para o profanarem; e eis que assim fizeram no meio da minha casa.

40E, o que mais é, enviaram uns homens, que haviam de vir de longe, aos quaes fôra enviado um mensageiro, e eis que vieram, por amor dos quaes te lavaste, coloriste os teus olhos, e te enfeitaste de enfeites.

41E te assentaste sobre um leito de honra, diante do qual estava uma mesa preparada: e pozeste sobre ella o meu incenso e o meu oleo.

42Havia com ella a voz de uma multidão satisfeita, e com varões da classe baixa foram trazidos beberrões do deserto; e pozeram braceletes nas suas mãos, e corôas de esplendor nas suas cabeças.

43Então disse á envelhecida em adulterios: Agora devéras fornicarão as suas fornicações, como tambem ella.

44E entraram a ella, como quem entra a uma prostituta: assim entraram a Ohola e a Oholiba, mulheres infames.

45De maneira que homens justos elles as julgarão conforme o juizo das adulteras, e conforme o juizo das que derramam o sangue; porque adulteras são, e sangue ha nas suas mãos.

46Porque assim diz o Senhor Jehovah: Farei subir contra ellas uma congregação, e as entregarei ao desterro e ao roubo.

47E a congregação as apedrejará com pedras, e as acutilarão com as suas espadas: a seus filhos e a suas filhas matarão, e as suas casas queimarão a fogo.

48Assim farei cessar a infamia da terra, para que se escarmentem todas as mulheres, e não façam conforme a vossa infamia.

49E a vossa infamia carregarão sobre vós, e levareis os peccados dos vossos idolos; e sabereis que eu sou o Senhor Jehovah.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Another explicit allegory compares Samaria (Oholah) and Jerusalem (Oholibah) to two sisters who prostitute themselves politically and spiritually with Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt, seeking foreign alliances instead of trusting in God.

Explanation

As in chapter 16, adultery language describes the political and military alliances that Israel and Judah made with foreign empires, which always came accompanied by the adoption of their gods and customs. The fact that Judah (Oholibah) is described as worse than Samaria, even after witnessing her older sister's punishment (the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C.), shows how repeating another's mistake, even with the example in plain sight, deepens responsibility. The practical application concerns the temptation to seek security in alliances or solutions that compromise principles, instead of trusting God even when that seems riskier.

Fun facts

  • The names 'Oholah' and 'Oholibah' in Hebrew mean, respectively, 'her own tent' and 'my tent is in her,' a theological wordplay about where each one placed her worship.
  • The detailed description of Babylonian officers and horsemen 'painted in vermilion' (v.14-15) corresponds to real depictions found in Assyrian and Babylonian reliefs preserved to this day.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Ezequiel 23:1Oholah and Oholibah, two sisters with names invented by the text to represent Samaria and Jerusalem, open a political allegory: foreign alliances and imported cults are treated as “marital unfaithfulness” against God, language common among the prophets for describing betrayal of the covenant.
  2. Ezequiel 23:2The chapter introduces two sisters — a new allegory similar to the one in chapter 16, but now comparing Samaria and Jerusalem to each other.
  3. Ezequiel 23:3The two sisters’ unfaithfulness is described as something that began very early, back in Egypt — even before the formal covenant with God.
  4. Ezequiel 23:4The text reveals the symbolic names and their direct identification: Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah — the whole allegory is about the two kingdoms, north and south.
  5. Ezequiel 23:5Oholah, Samaria, getting involved with the Assyrians represents the political and military alliances the northern kingdom made with Assyria — the “harlotry” here is symbolic language for dependence on foreign powers, not a report of literal events.
  6. Ezequiel 23:6The description of Samaria’s Assyrian partners emphasizes status and military power — the attraction was, in practice, to political and military alliances, not just affection.
  7. Ezequiel 23:7Samaria’s unfaithfulness is directly tied to idolatry: pursuing these foreign alliances came together with adopting the gods of those same allies.
  8. Ezequiel 23:8The text insists the old patterns, going back to Egypt, were never truly abandoned — Samaria’s unfaithfulness is treated as a continuing habit, not an isolated episode.
  9. Ezequiel 23:9As a consequence, God hands Samaria over to the very power she sought as an ally — the same partners she chose become the instrument of judgment.
  10. Ezequiel 23:10The conquest of Samaria by Assyria is described using the same allegorical language: public humiliation and the loss of everything, including her own children.
  11. Ezequiel 23:11Instead of learning from her older sister’s fate, Jerusalem follows the same path, but even more seriously, according to the text.
  12. Ezequiel 23:12The description of Jerusalem’s Assyrian allies repeats almost word for word the one about Samaria — the allegory shows the two sisters repeating exactly the same pattern.
  13. Ezequiel 23:13God sums up the comparison directly: both followed exactly the same path of unfaithfulness, with no real distinction between them up to this point.
  14. Ezequiel 23:14Jerusalem does not stop with the Assyrian allies: she also becomes enamored with images of Babylonian warriors, widening the circle of alliances she pursues even further.
  15. Ezequiel 23:15The detailed description of the Babylonian garments shows how impressive and desirable these foreign images seemed in Jerusalem’s eyes.
  16. Ezequiel 23:16The initiative comes from Jerusalem herself: upon seeing the images, she herself takes the initiative to seek contact with Babylon, anticipating a real political alliance.
  17. Ezequiel 23:17After pursuing this alliance so eagerly, Jerusalem ends up disappointed even with it — a pattern of insatiable pursuit that never brings lasting satisfaction.
  18. Ezequiel 23:18God’s turning away from Jerusalem is described with the same language used for Samaria — both sisters receive the same kind of judgment.
  19. Ezequiel 23:19Even after everything, Jerusalem goes back to fondly remembering the time in Egypt, reinforcing that the root of the problem goes back to the people’s oldest origins.
  20. Ezequiel 23:20The animal comparison, also used in Jeremiah, directly describes the vigor associated with these allies — a strong image conveying the intensity of the attraction described in the allegory.
  21. Ezequiel 23:21The text closes this section by repeating the memory of Egypt as the point of origin for the whole pattern that repeats throughout the two sisters’ lives.
  22. Ezequiel 23:22The irony of the passage is heavy: Oholibah, Jerusalem, will turn against the very Babylonians she once courted — the text uses this to explain, poetically, why it was exactly Babylon that ended up destroying the city.
  23. Ezequiel 23:23The list of peoples and specific names shows the reach of the coalition that will turn against Jerusalem — it is not a single enemy, but a broad alliance of nations from the region.
  24. Ezequiel 23:24The same group of allies Jerusalem sought becomes the army that attacks her — the allegory’s central reversal repeats here, just as it already happened with Samaria.
  25. Ezequiel 23:25The description of the judgment uses the traditional penalties applied to women accused of adultery at the time — the allegory stays consistent even in the details of the punishment.
  26. Ezequiel 23:26It repeats the image already seen in chapter 16: losing her clothes and jewelry symbolizes losing everything that came from God’s original care.
  27. Ezequiel 23:27The judgment’s ultimate goal is to put a final end to this old pattern — the text describes it as if the memory of Egypt should simply stop influencing Jerusalem’s choices.
  28. Ezequiel 23:28Ironically, Jerusalem ends up handed over to the very allies she had already been disappointed by — the text shows how the search for outside security turned against her.
  29. Ezequiel 23:29The final humiliation publicly exposes everything that was once hidden — the allegory ends as exposed as it began, but now as punishment.
  30. Ezequiel 23:30The text once again sums up the two central motives: wrong political alliances and the idolatry that came along with them.
  31. Ezequiel 23:31Drinking the sister’s “cup” is a recurring image in the prophets for shared judgment — Jerusalem will go through the same kind of punishment that had already fallen on Samaria decades earlier.
  32. Ezequiel 23:32The image of the “cup” is a common poetic device in the Bible for receiving the same consequence someone else already suffered — Jerusalem will drink from the same cup of judgment as Samaria.
  33. Ezequiel 23:33Samaria’s cup, already emptied before, represents the same measure of suffering and ruin now reaching Jerusalem.
  34. Ezequiel 23:34The harsh, physical image of draining the cup to the very end reinforces that the announced judgment will not be partial or cut short before its time.
  35. Ezequiel 23:35The final reason is repeated once more: forgetting God is the root of it all, and the consequence is carrying alone the weight of her own choices.
  36. Ezequiel 23:36God returns to the book’s standard question to confirm Ezekiel’s task: to clearly expose the wrongs of the two sisters, without holding back.
  37. Ezequiel 23:37The final summary gathers the two gravest sins already mentioned in earlier chapters: unfaithfulness through idolatrous alliances and the sacrifice of their own children.
  38. Ezequiel 23:38Beyond all that, the text adds that these practices happened at the same time they were defiling the temple itself and the Sabbath — no part of religious life was left untouched.
  39. Ezequiel 23:39The most shocking detail: on the very day they sacrificed their children to the idols, they still went to the temple as if nothing had happened — the contradiction between false and true worship, side by side.
  40. Ezequiel 23:40The careful preparation to receive these foreign allies — bathing, makeup, jewelry — shows how actively these alliances were courted, not imposed from outside.
  41. Ezequiel 23:41The scene describes an atmosphere of luxury and celebration, made worse still by including incense and oil that belonged to true worship, used here in the wrong context.
  42. Ezequiel 23:42The celebration scene brings together people of varied backgrounds, all taking part in the same atmosphere of alliance and luxury the allegory condemns.
  43. Ezequiel 23:43Even after so much time and wear, the pattern of pursuing these alliances keeps repeating with no sign of change.
  44. Ezequiel 23:44The text closes this scene confirming that both sisters, despite their different histories, end up in the same place: described as women who gave themselves to the same unfaithfulness.
  45. Ezequiel 23:45The final judgment applied to both follows the same legal categories mentioned before: breaking the covenant and bloodshed treated with equal seriousness.
  46. Ezequiel 23:46God confirms He will call up a specific group to carry out the judgment against the two sisters, repeating the structure already announced in earlier verses.
  47. Ezequiel 23:47The description of the judgment’s execution repeats the same elements seen before: stoning, sword, and fire, the traditional penalties associated with a grave breach of the covenant.
  48. Ezequiel 23:48The stated goal of the public punishment is to serve as a warning to others — the allegory also works as an alert for anyone who might still repeat the same pattern.
  49. Ezequiel 23:49The chapter ends with the same conclusion as so many others: the recognition of who God is comes through the direct, proportional fulfillment of the announced judgment.

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