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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ez 16:37 | "I will therefore assemble all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, and all those whom you loved... I will uncover your nakedness..." | Lovers used as instruments of judgment. |
| Ez 23:9 | "Therefore I delivered her [Oholah] into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians..." | Parallel judgment for Oholah (Samaria). |
| Ez 23:22 | "Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I will rouse against you your lovers from whom you turned away...'" | Direct context, turning away from her lovers. |
| Ez 23:46 | "For thus says the Lord GOD: 'Bring up an assembly against them... and leave them as a spoil.'" | Details of the brutal judgment to be carried out. |
| Is 47:6 | "I was angry with My people; I have profaned My inheritance, And given them into your hand." | God delivering His people into captors' hands. |
| Jer 20:4 | "I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and your eyes shall see it." | Friends/allies turning into instruments of doom. |
| Jer 25:9 | "Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' says the LORD, 'and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land...'" | Babylon as God's instrument of judgment. |
| Lam 1:10 | "Her adversaries have spread their hand on all her treasures; For she has seen that the nations have entered her sanctuary..." | Result of being delivered into enemy hands. |
| Pss 79:4 | "We have become a reproach to our neighbors, A scorn and derision to those all around us." | Humiliation from former associates. |
| Lev 26:25 | "I will bring a sword against you that will execute the vengeance of the covenant..." | Covenant curse for disobedience. |
| Deut 28:49-50 | "The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth... A nation of fierce countenance..." | Prophetic warning of foreign invaders for sin. |
| Hos 8:9-10 | "For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey alone by itself; Ephraim has hired lovers." | Israel seeking foreign alliances/lovers. |
| Rom 1:24 | "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves..." | God giving up rebellious people to their desires. |
| Rev 17:16 | "And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot and make her desolate..." | Later prophetic echo of "lovers" turning to hate. |
| Jer 2:19 | "Your own wickedness will correct you, And your backslidings will rebuke you." | Consequences of turning away from God. |
| Ez 21:31 | "I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow against you with the fire of My wrath, and deliver you into the hands of brutal men..." | God delivering into brutal hands. |
| Pss 106:36-39 | "They served their idols, Which became a snare to them... Therefore the wrath of the LORD was kindled against His people..." | Consequences of idolatry. |
| 2 Ki 24:2 | "And the LORD sent against him raids of Chaldeans, raids of Syrians, raids of Moabites, and raids of the people of Ammon..." | God raising nations to execute judgment. |
| Zec 1:15 | "I am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was a little angry, and they helped on the calamity." | God using nations, who often overstepped. |
| Jdgs 2:14 | "So the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them..." | Recurring pattern of judgment and deliverance to enemies. |
| Is 1:4 | "Ah, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD..." | Underlying cause of God's wrath. |
| Jer 3:8 | "Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce..." | God's divorce from unfaithful Israel, leading to judgment. |
| Hos 5:13 | "When Ephraim saw his sickness, And Judah saw his wound, Then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb..." | Seeking foreign aid instead of God. |
Ezekiel 23 verses
Ezekiel 23 28 Meaning
Ezekiel 23:28 proclaims the Lord GOD's judgment upon Oholibah, which represents Jerusalem and Judah. It reveals that God Himself will hand her over to the very nations (Babylonians and their allies) she had pursued for alliances but then subsequently found repulsive or hostile. These former "lovers" will then act as instruments of God's wrath, dealing with her in deep-seated enmity and violence, thereby ensuring a severe and humiliating punishment that directly corresponds to her spiritual and political infidelity.
Ezekiel 23 28 Context
Ezekiel 23 details the Lord GOD's vivid allegorical judgment against Samaria (Oholah) and Jerusalem (Oholibah), personified as two sisters who engage in spiritual harlotry by pursuing idolatrous alliances with pagan nations. The chapter illustrates their progressive unfaithfulness, beginning with Assyria and extending to Babylon. Ezekiel 23:28 specifically targets Oholibah (Judah/Jerusalem) at the height of her apostasy. Historically, Judah, despite warnings, consistently engaged in treaties with formidable foreign powers, oscillating between dependence on Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon, instead of trusting in God alone. This political 'whoring' led her into adopting foreign religious practices, which are here condemned as spiritual adultery. The verse announces that the very "lovers" with whom Judah sinned will become the instruments of her divine punishment, highlighting the humiliating reversal of her self-chosen alliances. This reflects the historical reality of the Babylonian invasions and destruction of Jerusalem (586 BC).
Ezekiel 23 28 Word analysis
- For thus says the Lord GOD: (Hebrew: Ko 'amar 'Adonai Yahweh)
- This is a standard prophetic formula asserting divine authority. It establishes the words that follow as an unquestionable oracle from the sovereign God. Its frequent use throughout Ezekiel emphasizes God's direct involvement in judging His people and the nations.
- Behold, (Hebrew: hinneh)
- An interjection drawing immediate attention to an imminent, important, and often startling revelation. It emphasizes the certainty and gravity of the coming declaration.
- I will deliver you (Hebrew: w'hintanitī 'ōtāk)
- Literally "I myself will give you." This strong verb emphasizes God's active agency and responsibility in the impending judgment. It's not a mere passive allowance but a deliberate divine act of handing over His rebellious people to their enemies, indicating that these nations are merely instruments of His will.
- into the hand (Hebrew: b'yad)
- Idiomatic phrase meaning "under the power," "control of," or "at the mercy of." It signifies subjugation and the loss of autonomy, stressing the vulnerability of Jerusalem.
- of those whom you hate, (Hebrew:
alašer-sane`t nafšēkh)- A deeply ironic phrase. Earlier in the chapter, these very nations (e.g., Chaldeans, Babylonians) were depicted as "lovers" that Oholibah desired and pursued (Ez 23:14-16). The hatred mentioned here refers to the revulsion Judah eventually felt for them, likely as their exploitative and oppressive nature became clear, or possibly their loathing for these pagan oppressors after the bitter experience of their conquest and dominance. This reflects the fleeting, self-serving nature of her foreign alliances.
- into the hand of those from whom you alienated yourself, (Hebrew:
alašer-niqgoretāh nafšēkh mēhem)- Literally, "from whom your soul recoiled/became disgusted." This reinforces the preceding phrase, underscoring the shift in Oholibah's sentiment towards her "lovers." It speaks of revulsion or a strong aversion that developed. This alienation could refer to a turning away after a temporary alliance, perhaps seeking a new partner, or realizing the destructive nature of these relationships, all of which came too late to avoid divine judgment. This spiritual disgust for foreign ways eventually turns into actual disgust with the foreign powers who served God's judgment.
- and they will deal with you in hatred. (Hebrew: w'
aśuimk baḥamah)- Literally "and they will do with you with/in fury." This foretells the harsh, cruel, and merciless treatment Jerusalem will receive. It is not just conquest but a demonstration of intense animosity and vengeance by the instruments of judgment. This reflects the reality of ancient Near Eastern warfare, often brutal, driven by anger and the desire for utter subjugation, but here explicitly sanctioned and even orchestrated by God's purpose.
Ezekiel 23 28 Bonus section
The repetitive use of the phrase "into the hand" highlights the theme of divine sovereignty over historical events. God is explicitly and directly in control of delivering Judah to its fate. This specific judgment, being carried out by "those whom you hate," serves not only as punishment but also as a public shaming. In the ancient world, humiliation was a severe form of judgment. For the 'lovers' to turn on their former paramour in hatred would be the ultimate disgrace, confirming Judah's shame before the nations (cf. Ez 16:37). This emphasizes the cyclical nature of Judah's unfaithfulness and its consequences, where political flirtations (representing spiritual infidelity) always led to bitter disillusionment and eventual divine retribution.
Ezekiel 23 28 Commentary
Ezekiel 23:28 is a potent declaration of divine judgment, articulating a powerful and ironic consequence for Judah's apostasy. Having prostituted herself by forging idolatrous political alliances, Jerusalem will be delivered into the hands of the very nations she once sought out but later came to despise. This verse encapsulates the principle of lex talionis – the punishment fitting the crime. God, in His sovereignty, orchestrates circumstances where Judah’s self-chosen "lovers" become the agents of her bitter destruction, fueled by the animosity Judah herself developed towards them. It highlights the futility and tragic irony of turning away from the faithful covenant relationship with God; human alliances forged apart from Him inevitably lead to exploitation and devastation. The phrase "deal with you in hatred" underscores the severity and mercilessness of the impending judgment, a stark mirror of God's holy wrath against unfaithfulness.