Ezekiel 23:28 kjv
For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy mind is alienated:
Ezekiel 23:28 nkjv
"For thus says the Lord GOD: 'Surely I will deliver you into the hand of those you hate, into the hand of those from whom you alienated yourself.
Ezekiel 23:28 niv
"For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to deliver you into the hands of those you hate, to those you turned away from in disgust.
Ezekiel 23:28 esv
"For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will deliver you into the hands of those whom you hate, into the hands of those from whom you turned in disgust,
Ezekiel 23:28 nlt
"For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will surely hand you over to your enemies, to those you loathe, those you rejected.
Ezekiel 23 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 23:28 | For thus says the Lord GOD: I will give you into the hand of those whom you hate, into the hand of those from whom you have turned in disgust. | Judgment upon Oholibah |
| Jeremiah 15:2 | When the days come that the city is besieged… for what destruction shall destruction come upon her, for what ransom ransom? shall they come! | Consequence of sin |
| Isaiah 50:1 | Thus says the LORD: “Where is the decree of divorceAgainst your motherWe have put her away? Or to which of My creditors Have I sold you?... | God’s dealings with Israel |
| Lamentations 1:5 | Her adversaries have become the head, her enemies prosper; For the LORD has afflicted her Because of the multitude of her transgressions. | Zion's suffering |
| Micah 6:13 | Therefore I will also make you sick by striking you, By putting you to ruin Because of your sins. | God's punishment |
| Deuteronomy 28:48 | therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD sends against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and in need of all things. | Curses for disobedience |
| Hosea 1:6-8 | And she conceived again and bore a daughter. Then said He to her, “Name her Lo-Ruhamah, for I will have no more mercy on the house of Israel, that I should at all forgive them. | God’s rejection of Israel |
| Jeremiah 4:30 | "And when you are despoiled, What will you do? Though you dress in scarlet, Though you put on gold jewelry, Though you enlarge your eyes with paint, You beautify yourself in vain; Your lovers despise you; They seek your life. | Desolation of Jerusalem |
| Jeremiah 52:8-11 | And the Chaldeans burned the house of the king with fire, and the house of the people with fire… then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah… And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. | Fall of Jerusalem |
| Ezekiel 16:59 | "For thus says the Lord GOD: 'I will deal with you as you have dealt with her who despised her oath by breaking the covenant.' | God's judgment on Jerusalem |
| Psalm 81:12 | So I gave them up to their own hearts’ lust, And let them follow their own counsel. | God giving up to sin |
| Romans 1:24 | Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves… | Consequences of rejecting God |
| 2 Thessalonians 2:11 | And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie… | God sends delusion |
| Matthew 13:12 | For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away. | Principle of spiritual growth |
| Revelation 17:16 | And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the prostitute, to make her desolate and naked, to eat her flesh and to burn her with fire. | Judgment on Babylon |
| Ezekiel 16:41 | "They shall also publicly execute you, execute you by exposure and blood. | Judgment on Jerusalem |
| Jeremiah 19:3 | And say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring such a catastrophic thing upon this place, that both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. | Warning of destruction |
| Judges 10:14 | Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen; Let them deliver you in your time of distress. | Calling on false gods |
| Deuteronomy 30:17 | But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are already inclined to be corrupted, serving other gods and worshiping them, | Consequences of disobedience |
| Ezekiel 23:45 | And the righteous shall judge them with the judgment of adulteresses and of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands. | Judgment on Oholibah |
| Nahum 3:7 | It shall come to pass that all who look at you will flee from you, and say, "Nineveh is laid waste! Who will | Destruction of Nineveh |
Ezekiel 23 verses
Ezekiel 23 28 Meaning
This verse describes God's pronouncement of judgment upon Jerusalem and her people for their transgressions, signifying the end of their prosperity and the bringing of destruction upon them. It highlights God’s direct action in their downfall as a consequence of their infidelity.
Ezekiel 23 28 Context
Ezekiel 23 presents a powerful allegory where Samaria (Oholah) and Jerusalem (Oholibah) are portrayed as two unfaithful sisters who prostitute themselves to foreign nations. This specific verse, Ezekiel 23:28, focuses on Oholibah (Jerusalem) and details the severe judgment that God will bring upon her. The preceding verses (Ezekiel 23:23-27) describe the impending Babylonian invasion led by Nebuchadnezzar, characterizing them as formidable and detested by Jerusalem, yet destined to execute God's wrath. This chapter serves as a strong polemic against Jerusalem’s deep-seated idolatry and political unfaithfulness, drawing parallels to sexual infidelity.
Ezekiel 23 28 Word Analysis
כִּי־ (ki) - For / Because. Introduces the reason for the preceding declaration of judgment.
כֹּה֙ (koh) - Thus / So. Indicates that what follows is the definitive pronouncement of the Lord GOD.
אָמַ֣ר (amar) - says. Denotes divine speech, attributing the following declaration directly to God.
אֲדֹנָ֣י (Adonai) - Lord GOD. A dual form of address, emphasizing God's sovereign authority and lordship over all.
יְהוִ֑ה (YHWH) - Yahweh. The personal covenantal name of God.
נְתַתִּ֧י (netati) - I will give. First-person singular perfect tense verb from "natan" (to give), signifying a decided and imminent action of God.
אוֹתָ֛ךְ (otach) - you (feminine singular). Direct object, referring to Oholibah, representing Jerusalem.
בְּיַד֙ (beyad) - into the hand of. Expresses God's surrender of Jerusalem to her enemies, signifying her subjugation and defeat.
אֹ֠הֲבַ֠יִךְ (ohava'yich) - those whom you love / your lovers. Refers to the nations and powers that Jerusalem formerly sought alliances with or derived comfort from, ironically now becoming her tormentors.
אֶת־ (et) - object marker.
בַּ֠֠דַּ֠יךָ (bad'ay'cha) - those from whom you have turned in disgust / those with whom you have been weary. A masculine plural participle from "ba'a'su" (to loathe, detest, be disgusted with). It refers to the enemies who, despite being abhorred by Jerusalem, will now bring her ruin. The phrasing suggests a bitter irony that those she despised are the ones God ordards to enact her judgment.
Word-group analysis:
- "Thus says the Lord GOD: I will give you into the hand of those whom you love" - This phrase starkly contrasts God’s pronouncements with the false reliance Jerusalem placed on these very nations for support and protection, highlighting their eventual betrayal and destruction.
- "into the hand of those from whom you have turned in disgust" - This poignant statement emphasizes the ignominy and extreme suffering Jerusalem would face at the hands of those she previously detested. Their role as instruments of judgment is underscored by Jerusalem’s own feelings of aversion towards them, making the punishment even more bitter.
Ezekiel 23 28 Bonus Section
The phrase "those whom you love" can be interpreted not just as nations for political alliances, but also as lovers in the broader sense of idol worship and syncretism, which the Israelites engaged in with pagan deities. The "disgust" might reflect a fleeting sense of remorse or the eventual recoil from the full implications of such idolatrous practices, which ultimately led them back to their pagan patrons when facing difficult times. The irony of being handed over to those whom they found disgusting is a testament to the full scope of divine retribution for covenant betrayal.
Ezekiel 23 28 Commentary
This verse is a severe declaration of divine judgment on Jerusalem. God, using the prophetic voice, states His intent to deliver Oholibah (representing Jerusalem) into the hands of her enemies. The critical detail lies in the specific nature of these enemies: they are described as those whom she formerly "loved" (sought alliance with) and yet also "turned in disgust" from (due to prior defeats or mistrust). This paradox highlights the cyclical nature of Jerusalem's unfaithfulness. She turned to nations for strength, then perhaps recoiled from their perceived harshness or paganism, only to find herself utterly crushed by them when God's judgment falls. The enemies that executed her judgment were the very nations she dallied with and alienated. This emphasizes that her downfall was not a random act but a consequence of her broken covenant relationship with God, made manifest through the very powers she courted.