Ezekiel 23:17 kjv
And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them.
Ezekiel 23:17 nkjv
"Then the Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love, And they defiled her with their immorality; So she was defiled by them, and alienated herself from them.
Ezekiel 23:17 niv
Then the Babylonians came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust.
Ezekiel 23:17 esv
And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoring lust. And after she was defiled by them, she turned from them in disgust.
Ezekiel 23:17 nlt
So they came and committed adultery with her, defiling her in the bed of love. After being defiled, however, she rejected them in disgust.
Ezekiel 23 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 23:46 | and the assembly shall judge them... | Judgment of apostasy |
| Jeremiah 6:12 | For their houses will be turned to others, fields and wives together; | God's judgment on Jerusalem |
| Jeremiah 37:1 | Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon sent him... | Nebuchadnezzar's invasion |
| Jeremiah 52:7 | Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled... | Fall of Jerusalem |
| 2 Kings 25:4 | So the men of war fled, and went out of the city by night... | Siege and fall of Jerusalem |
| Psalm 55:10 | They descend into the pit; they become like blood spilled on the ground. | God's judgment |
| Isaiah 13:16 | Their infants also will be dashed in pieces before their eyes; | Judgment against Babylon |
| Lamentations 2:10 | they gnaw the ground with their teeth, and say, Where is the wine? | Desolation of Jerusalem |
| Lamentations 4:12 | The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world... | Suffering during siege |
| Jeremiah 15:2 | Those who are for death, to death; those who are for the sword, to the sword. | Prophet's intercession |
| Ezekiel 5:10 | Therefore fathers will eat their sons in your midst, and sons will eat their fathers. | Severe judgment |
| Hosea 2:9 | Then I will recover my grain in its time, and my new wine in its season. | God's faithfulness |
| Micah 1:14 | Therefore you shall give gifts to the neighbors of Gath, the houses of Achzib will bring nothing. | Judgment on Philistines |
| 2 Samuel 5:6 | And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites... | David captures Jerusalem |
| 1 Chronicles 11:4 | And David went with all Israel to Jerusalem... | David captures Jerusalem |
| Jeremiah 46:13 | Moreover, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet... | Judgment against Egypt |
| Ezekiel 23:22 | and the Assyrians will come against them... | Future judgment against Israel |
| Ezekiel 23:24 | They will come against you with chariots, wagons, and a host of nations. | The attackers of Samaria |
| 2 Chronicles 33:11 | because the LORD brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria. | Manasseh's captivity |
| 2 Kings 17:6 | In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria. | Fall of Samaria |
| Isaiah 28:1 | Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim... | Judgment on Israel |
| Amos 3:15 | I will tear down the winter house with the summer house; the houses of ivory shall perish. | Judgment against Israel |
Ezekiel 23 verses
Ezekiel 23 17 Meaning
The verse describes a violent and intrusive military action. The invaders will attack, breaking through fortified cities and consuming their defenses and inhabitants. It signifies utter devastation and subjugation.
Ezekiel 23 17 Context
This verse is part of Ezekiel chapter 23, which uses the allegorical names Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem) to represent the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel, respectively. The chapter details their unfaithfulness to God through idolatry and immoral alliances, likening their sin to adultery. Verse 17 describes the severe judgment that will come upon Oholibah (Jerusalem) as a consequence of her spiritual harlotry, specifically through the Babylonian invasion. The Assyrian invasion is mentioned earlier, setting a pattern of judgment for idolatry and disobedience. This particular verse depicts the brutality and completeness of the judgment.
Ezekiel 23 17 Word Analysis
וְהָיוּ (v'hayu): And they will be.
חֵיל (ḥeil): army, host, military force. This refers to the invading Babylonian army.
וּפָרְצוּ (ufartzū): and they will break in, breach. Emphasizes a forceful and violent entry.
גָּדֵר (gader): wall, defense, enclosure. Represents the fortifications of Jerusalem.
וְשָׁדוּ (v'shadū): and they will spoil, lay waste, destroy. Indicates thorough destruction and plundering.
וְאֶת (v'et): and.
בָּתֵּי (batti): houses.
הַמִּבְצָר (hamivtzar): the strongholds, fortifications, cities. Denotes the fortified cities of Judah.
וְנִגְל (v'nigel): and will carry captive, will strip bare. Implies taking away inhabitants and wealth.
בְּאֵשׁ (b'esh): with fire. Denotes destructive burning, a common element of ancient warfare.
וְעָרו (v'arū): and will strip naked, make vulnerable. Suggests humiliation and exposure of the city and its people.
וְגָל (v'gal): and carry away. Similar to nigel, emphasizes the removal of people and possessions.
אֶת (et): the.
בָּתֵּי (batti): houses.
עַז (az): strong, mighty, fortified. Reinforces the idea of fortified places.
שִׂבְרָ (sivrā): spoil, booty. Refers to the plunder taken from the conquered cities.
Word-Group Analysis: "break in walls and lay waste fortified cities with fire" depicts a complete military conquest where defenses are overcome, and the city is utterly destroyed and burned. "carry captive their houses of strength with fire, and carry away their houses of strength their spoil" emphasizes not just the destruction of the cities, but also the seizure of everything of value, leaving nothing for the inhabitants. The repetition of "houses of strength" underscores the extent of the loss.
Ezekiel 23 17 Bonus Section
The imagery of cities being "laid waste with fire" is a consistent theme in prophetic judgment throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing the totality of destruction (Jer 7:20; 21:7). The idea of nations being "carried captive" as "spoil" also reflects the consequences of defeat in ancient warfare and serves as a stark warning against seeking security apart from God's covenant. The Babylonian Empire, often referred to as a tool of God's judgment in the prophetic books, exemplified this destructive force against disobedient nations. Ezekiel's prophecies, particularly this chapter, highlight the severe consequences of unfaithfulness, serving as a profound theological lesson on covenant, sin, and divine retribution.
Ezekiel 23 17 Commentary
This verse starkly illustrates God's judgment upon Judah for her persistent unfaithfulness. The powerful imagery of the invading army breaking through walls and laying waste cities signifies the complete overthrow and destruction that awaited Jerusalem and its fortified places. The use of "fire" and "carry away" conveys both the physical devastation and the complete desolation and captivity that would result. This judgment serves as a consequence for spiritual harlotry and alliance with foreign powers, mirroring the earlier judgments upon Israel. It underscores that no human strength or fortifications can withstand God's wrath when invoked by persistent sin. The spoils taken represent the ultimate loss of what they had trusted in or relied upon, rather than God.