Ezekiel 23:18 kjv
So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness: then my mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister.
Ezekiel 23:18 nkjv
She revealed her harlotry and uncovered her nakedness. Then I alienated Myself from her, As I had alienated Myself from her sister.
Ezekiel 23:18 niv
When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body, I turned away from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.
Ezekiel 23:18 esv
When she carried on her whoring so openly and flaunted her nakedness, I turned in disgust from her, as I had turned in disgust from her sister.
Ezekiel 23:18 nlt
"In the same way, I became disgusted with Oholibah and rejected her, just as I had rejected her sister, because she flaunted herself before them and gave herself to satisfy their lusts.
Ezekiel 23 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 23:4, 7 | Oholah and Oholibah... committed lewdness and bore children. | Spiritual whoredom |
| Jeremiah 2:13 | My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me... | Forsaking God |
| Psalm 78:58 | For they provoked Him to anger with their high places and moved Him to jealousy with their idols. | Idolatry causing God's jealousy |
| Romans 1:23 | and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images... | Exchange God's glory |
| 1 Corinthians 6:18 | Flee from sexual immorality. | Adultery condemned |
| Revelation 17:5 | Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. | Whoredom and judgment |
| Judges 2:12 | they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers... | Apostasy's consequence |
| Hosea 5:3 | I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me... | God's intimate knowledge of Israel's sin |
| Isaiah 54:6 | For the LORD has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit. | God's abandoned wife |
| Psalm 73:27 | For indeed, those who are far from You will perish; You cut off all those who turn from You. | Perishing from God |
| Ezekiel 5:11 | Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary... | Defiling sanctuary |
| Ezekiel 16:36-37 | I will... show your nakedness to your lovers... | Judgment for adultery |
| Matthew 10:33 | But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny before My Father... | Denial of God |
| 1 Timothy 5:8 | But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith... | Denying faith |
| John 15:6 | If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and withers... | Abiding in Christ |
| Hebrews 10:39 | But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. | Shrinking back |
| Zechariah 11:10 | And I took my staff, Beauty, and broke it in pieces to annul the covenant... | Annulment of covenant |
| Proverbs 14:34 | Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. | Sin and disgrace |
| Hosea 1:2 | when the LORD first spoke by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry..." | Prophet's symbol of Israel's unfaithfulness |
| Lamentations 5:18 | Because of the Mount Zion which is desolate, foxes roam over it. | Desolation of Zion |
Ezekiel 23 verses
Ezekiel 23 18 Meaning
This verse describes God's disgust and rejection of Israel (personified as a woman) due to her unfaithfulness. The act of turning her back on God is depicted as an abhorrent spiritual adultery. The abandonment of the LORD's dwelling place signifies a profound spiritual and national decay.
Ezekiel 23 18 Context
Ezekiel 23 portrays two allegorical sisters, Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem), representing the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel, respectively. Both succumbed to idolatry and foreign alliances, mirroring the spiritual unfaithfulness of a wife to her husband. Verse 18 highlights the climax of Oholibah's (Jerusalem's) betrayal. Having initially been favored, she too turned away from God, choosing pagan lovers over the Lord. This verse sets the stage for the severe judgment God would bring upon Jerusalem, ultimately leading to its destruction and exile.
Ezekiel 23 18 Word Analysis
- וְאָחַר֙ (wə’āḥār): "And turned her back." The preposition 'et' followed by 'achar' signifies a turning away from something. It implies rejection and departure. In a spiritual sense, it means apostasy from God.
- וְגֵוָהּ֙ (wəḡêwāh): "And her back." Derived from 'ga'ah', meaning pride or haughtiness, this term, when used with "back," emphasizes a deliberate, contemptuous turning away from God. It's not a stumble but a proud defiance.
- אֹ֫תִ֖י (’ōṯî): "Me." The direct object, referring to the LORD. This highlights the personal nature of Israel's sin against God.
- וַתְּבִיאֵ֫נִי֙ (wattəḇî’ê nî): "And brought me." Implies ushering someone into a place. Here, she brought the LORD, or more accurately, she brought about His presence to be seen in a state of judgment and consequence due to her actions.
- מִקְצֵ֥ה (mîqṣē): "To the extremity of," "to the end of." This indicates reaching the limit or conclusion of something, often a journey or a path.
- עֲבוֹדָתָהּ֙ (ʿăḇōḏâṯāh): "Her doings," "her service," "her work." Refers to her entire course of action, particularly her idolatrous practices.
- בָּנֶ֙יהָ֙ (bāneh âh): "Her sons." Refers to the people of Judah who engaged in these practices.
- הֶחֱזִ֙יקֽוּ־ (heḥăẕî qû): "Hold," "strengthened themselves," "took hold." Suggests her children clung to or strengthened themselves in their corrupt ways.
- עֶצֶר֙ (ʿéṣer): "An assembly," "a storehouse," but here it means "for themselves." It denotes internal focus and self-preservation within their corrupt system, rather than seeking God.
- עֶצֶם֙ (ʿéṣem): "Bone," "substance," "very being." Used here with "them," it emphasizes her dependence and reliance on these sinful practices and associations, making them the very foundation of her national identity, detached from God.
Group analysis:
- "And turned her back and her stubbornness towards Me": This phrase paints a vivid picture of active rejection and resolute defiance against God, emphasizing an obstinate refusal to return to Him.
Ezekiel 23 18 Bonus Section
This verse, alongside the broader context of Ezekiel 23, underscores the covenantal relationship between God and Israel. Their apostasy was not merely a personal sin but a violation of a sacred marriage covenant. The allegorical language powerfully conveys the depth of God's pain and the severity of His judgment when His people prioritize worldly allurements and idolatry over Him. The "sons" who clung to her sins represent subsequent generations who perpetuated the cycle of rebellion, leading to a cumulative weight of judgment. The "extremity of her doings" points to the inescapable consequences of prolonged disobedience.
Ezekiel 23 18 Commentary
The verse powerfully illustrates God's grief and indignation over spiritual unfaithfulness. Israel's turning her "back" signifies a conscious and resolute turning away from God and His covenant. The term "stubbornness" (often translated as "back") emphasizes the pride and hardening of her heart against God's truth. The bringing of the LORD "to the end of her doings" suggests that her actions will ultimately lead her to the furthest extent of God's judgment and displeasure. Her children's clinging to their corrupt ways rather than God highlights the deeply entrenched nature of sin within the nation.