Ezekiel 23 22

Ezekiel 23:22 kjv

Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side;

Ezekiel 23:22 nkjv

"Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I will stir up your lovers against you, From whom you have alienated yourself, And I will bring them against you from every side:

Ezekiel 23:22 niv

"Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will stir up your lovers against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side?

Ezekiel 23:22 esv

Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I will stir up against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side:

Ezekiel 23:22 nlt

"Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will send your lovers against you from every direction ? those very nations from which you turned away in disgust.

Ezekiel 23 verses

Ezekiel 23 22 Meaning

Ezekiel 23:22 declares a coming divine judgment upon Oholibah, which represents the kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem. The Lord God asserts that He will actively instigate Judah's former "lovers" – the very foreign nations she illicitly pursued for alliances and idol worship – to rise against her. These nations, from whom she had briefly alienated herself due to changing political tides or disillusionment, will be marshaled by God to attack and encompass her from all directions, signifying an inescapable and comprehensive destruction as a direct consequence of her unfaithfulness.

Ezekiel 23 22 Context

Ezekiel chapter 23 details an allegorical prophecy concerning the unfaithfulness of Israel and Judah, personified as two sisters, Oholah (Samaria, representing the Northern Kingdom of Israel) and Oholibah (Jerusalem, representing the Southern Kingdom of Judah). Both sisters committed spiritual prostitution by entering into illicit political and religious alliances with pagan nations and adopting their idolatrous practices, thus breaking their covenant with the Lord.

Verse 22 is part of God's declaration of judgment specifically against Oholibah. The preceding verses elaborate on Oholibah's persistent and escalating whoredom, depicting her infatuation with the Assyrians, then the Babylonians (Chaldeans), mimicking the idolatry and sexual perversions of these nations. Despite witnessing the judgment upon her sister Oholah, Oholibah deepened her defilement, returning to the "lusts of her youth" (Ezek 23:19-21) and craving further relationships with pagan powers. The verse therefore immediately follows God's condemnation of Oholibah's incessant idolatry and treacherous political dealings, asserting that the very nations she lusted after (primarily the Babylonians, who were once favored but now might have been seen with suspicion as their power grew or alliances shifted) would become the instruments of her destruction, directed by God Himself. Historically, this points to the impending Babylonian invasion and siege of Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 23 22 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵן - lāḵēn):
  • Signifies a consequence or conclusion. It links God's declared judgment directly to Oholibah's previously described persistent and worsening infidelity and idolatry. It emphasizes the direct correlation between sin and its resulting punishment.
• thus says (כֹּה־אָמַר - kōh-ʾāmar):
  • A common prophetic formula indicating direct divine speech. It underscores the authoritative and undeniable nature of the declaration. This is not a human opinion but a decree from God Himself.
• the Lord GOD (אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה - ʾăḏōnāy YHVH):
  • "Adonai" (Lord) signifies mastership and sovereign authority. "YHVH" (rendered as GOD in all caps) is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His self-existent, faithful nature. Together, it stresses the supreme, personal, and covenant-keeping God issuing a definitive pronouncement.
• Behold (הִנֵּה - hinnēh):
  • An interjection drawing attention to what follows. It signals an imminent, significant, and dramatic event that the audience needs to acknowledge and heed. It imparts a sense of urgency and certainty to the divine action.
• I will rouse against you (מֵעִיר עָלַיִךְ - mēʿîr ʿālāyiḵ):
  • "Rouse" (from עוּר - ʿûr, to stir up, awaken) indicates God's active role. He is not passively allowing events; He is directly instigating and mobilizing the forces of judgment. This highlights God's sovereignty over nations, even those unaware of His direct command.
• O Oholibah (אׇהֳלִיבָה - ʾāholîḇâ):
  • The allegorical name for Judah/Jerusalem, meaning "My tent is in her." It contrasts ironically with her behavior, as she, who housed God's sanctuary, betrayed Him with idol worship and foreign alliances. Her identity as God's covenant people is violated by her actions.
• your lovers (מְאַהֲבַיִךְ - məʾahăḇayiḵ):
  • Refers to the foreign nations Judah/Jerusalem illicitly pursued for political alliances and from whom she adopted idolatrous practices (e.g., Assyria, Babylon). This term, loaded with sexual promiscuity in the allegory, highlights Judah's spiritual adultery and disloyalty to God.
• from whom you turned away (אֲשֶׁר נִקַּעְתְּ מֵהֶם - ʾăšer niqqaʿt mehem):
  • "Turned away" (from נָקַע - nāqaʿ, to be alienated, disgusted, or separated). This implies a recent shift in Judah's political allegiance or a disillusionment with these "lovers." Perhaps the "turning away" signifies a break in their relationship, not out of repentance to God, but out of political expediency or having exploited them for some time. God uses this very estrangement to bring them back as instruments of judgment.
• and I will bring them against you (וַהֲבֵאוֹתִים עָלַיִךְ - wahăḇeʾôṯîm ʿālāyiḵ):
  • Reiterates God's direct agency. He is sovereignly gathering and directing these "lovers" back to act as His judgment implement. It's not coincidence, but divine purpose.
• from every side (מִסָּבִיב - misāḇîḇ):
  • Emphasizes the completeness and inescapability of the judgment. The attack will be comprehensive, from all directions, signifying total encirclement and no avenue for escape or relief for Oholibah.

Ezekiel 23 22 Bonus section

The allegorical framework of Oholah and Oholibah in Ezekiel 23 highlights God's perception of His covenant relationship with Israel and Judah as a marital bond. Therefore, any spiritual infidelity—idolatry or reliance on foreign powers—is treated as an act of adultery or prostitution, deserving of the severe societal punishment for such crimes in ancient Israel (e.g., stripping, shaming, stoning, burning, as described elsewhere in the chapter). This specific verse demonstrates the "eye for an eye" principle of divine justice: just as Judah chased after her "lovers," so will those same "lovers" be marshaled against her to mete out God's judgment. It underscores the reality that nothing can circumvent God's pre-ordained covenant blessings and curses.

Ezekiel 23 22 Commentary

Ezekiel 23:22 vividly illustrates God's sovereign and just judgment upon Judah for her persistent unfaithfulness, framed within the shocking allegory of spiritual prostitution. This verse is a stern pronouncement directly from "the Lord GOD," emphasizing His undeniable authority and covenant integrity. He declares He will "rouse" Judah's "lovers"—the very pagan nations she craved for security and through whose idolatries she defiled herself—to become her destroyers. The irony is potent: those she ran to for illicit help are now empowered by God to punish her. Her previous "turning away" from them likely represents fleeting political shifts or disillusionment, not genuine repentance, and God harnesses this instability for His purposes. The attack will come "from every side," ensuring there is no escape. This underscores that God controls not only His people's destiny but also the actions of seemingly independent pagan nations, using them as instruments of His righteous justice against His disobedient covenant people. The verse is a powerful lesson in divine retribution: those who sow unholy alliances and spiritual adultery will reap the bitter harvest of destruction at the hands of their chosen idols and partners.