Ezekiel 23:12 kjv
She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men.
Ezekiel 23:12 nkjv
"She lusted for the neighboring Assyrians, Captains and rulers, Clothed most gorgeously, Horsemen riding on horses, All of them desirable young men.
Ezekiel 23:12 niv
She too lusted after the Assyrians?governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men.
Ezekiel 23:12 esv
She lusted after the Assyrians, governors and commanders, warriors clothed in full armor, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men.
Ezekiel 23:12 nlt
She fawned over all the Assyrian officers ? those captains and commanders in handsome uniforms, those charioteers driving their horses ? all of them attractive young men.
Ezekiel 23 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 23:12 | "She has indeed laid up her whoredoms from the days of her youth..." | Refers to Samaria's spiritual adultery. |
| Jeremiah 2:20 | "For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress..." | Shows Israel's past unfaithfulness. |
| Hosea 2:5 | "For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done foolishly..." | Highlights the source of spiritual impurity. |
| Romans 1:25 | "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." | Contrasts genuine worship with idolatry. |
| Revelation 18:5 | "For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." | Concludes the consequences of persistent sin. |
| Isaiah 58:2 | "Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of her God..." | Describes a people outwardly religious but inwardly estranged. |
| Psalm 50:16-17 | "But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do that thou shouldest take my covenants in thy mouth: Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee?" | Condemns hypocritical observance of God's word. |
| Matthew 7:21-23 | "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven..." | Warns against mere lip-service without true obedience. |
| John 14:15 | "If ye love me, keep my commandments." | Links love for Christ with obedience. |
| 1 Samuel 15:22 | "And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." | Emphasizes obedience over ritualistic actions. |
| Proverbs 3:9-10 | "Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." | Links honoring God with generous offerings and devotion. |
| Acts 5:29 | "Then Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men." | Declares supreme allegiance to God's authority. |
| Jeremiah 3:14 | "Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a church, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:" | God's persistent invitation to return. |
| Ezekiel 16:46 | "And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister that dwelleth at thy right hand is Sodom and her daughters." | Places Samaria in relation to Jerusalem and Sodom. |
| Amos 4:4 | "Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes every third year:" | Critiques outward religious observance lacking inner transformation. |
| Hebrews 10:38 | "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." | Consequence of turning away from God. |
| Luke 10:42 | "But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." | Prioritizing devotion to God's word. |
| Revelation 3:20 | "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." | Christ's invitation to intimate fellowship. |
| 1 Corinthians 10:21 | "Ye cannot drink of the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils." | Separation required from defiling practices. |
| James 4:4 | "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?" | Adultery as a metaphor for unfaithfulness to God. |
| Galatians 5:17 | "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." | Internal conflict between flesh and spirit. |
| Romans 12:1 | "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." | Call to dedicated, living sacrifice in service. |
Ezekiel 23 verses
Ezekiel 23 12 Meaning
This verse describes a fervent commitment and a zealous desire to follow God's commandments, symbolized by making vows and dedicating oneself to the Lord's way. It speaks of a sincere heart and a ready will to obey and serve, even to the point of personal sacrifice or earnest seeking.
Ezekiel 23 12 Context
Ezekiel chapter 23 addresses the spiritual adultery of the two kingdoms, Israel (Samaria) and Judah (Jerusalem). Verse 12 specifically speaks about Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. It critiques their history of unfaithfulness, which began even in their early existence and led them into various forms of idolatry and dependence on foreign alliances. This verse sets the stage for a graphic depiction of their transgressions and the divine judgment that would follow. The prophecy is delivered during the Babylonian exile, when Jerusalem had also fallen, underscoring the severity of both kingdoms' departures from God. The contemporary audience would have understood the metaphors of harlotry and unfaithfulness as representing political alliances and religious apostasy, betraying their covenant with Yahweh.
Ezekiel 23 12 Word Analysis
- "She": Refers to Oholibah, representing Jerusalem, though the verse transitions to describing Oholah (Samaria) more explicitly through the metaphor.
- "has": Indicates a past and continuing action, suggesting ingrained habits and a continuous state of being.
- "indeed": Emphasizes the reality and certainty of the statement.
- "laid up": This Hebrew word (tsaphan) means "to hide," "to treasure," or "to store up." It suggests that her unfaithfulness was not a single event but something accumulated and cherished over time.
- "her whoredoms": Represents spiritual infidelity, idolatry, and straying from the covenant relationship with God. This also extended to sexual immorality which was often linked to pagan worship practices.
- "from": Denotes the origin or starting point.
- "the days": Refers to specific periods or eras.
- "of her youth": Points to the early stages of Samaria's existence as a nation, indicating that her departure from God began very early in her history. This suggests a fundamental flaw in her foundational commitment.
Words-group Analysis:
- "laid up her whoredoms from the days of her youth": This phrase paints a picture of ingrained corruption and habitual sin. The accumulation suggests a deep-seated practice of spiritual infidelity, becoming part of Samaria's identity from its inception. It signifies a persistent turning away from God, where her apostasy was not a recent development but a long-standing characteristic.
Ezekiel 23 12 Bonus Section
The Hebrew term "tsaphan" (laid up) can carry connotations of treasuring or hiding away, suggesting that Samaria's unfaithfulness was something it clung to, perhaps even found comfort or advantage in. This mirrors the deeper problem highlighted throughout Scripture where people often "love the darkness rather than the light" (John 3:19) because their deeds are evil. The emphasis on "the days of her youth" serves as a theological statement: the failure was not in an isolated incident, but a root problem present from the nation's beginning, a consistent deviation from God's intended path, foreshadowing a generational cycle of sin unless repentance occurs.
Ezekiel 23 12 Commentary
This verse is a foundational critique of Samaria's history. It’s not merely a recounting of past sins but an exposé of their enduring nature. The nation of Israel, symbolized by Samaria, did not simply stray; it actively "stored up" its transgressions, cherishing its corrupt practices from its nascent stages. This accumulated unfaithfulness manifested as idolatry, false worship, and illicit alliances with foreign powers, all of which were seen as betraying the covenant vows made to Yahweh. The language of "laying up" suggests that these sins were not accidental but intentional and developed into a hardened disposition. This early and consistent apostasy set Samaria on a path that ultimately led to its destruction.