Ezekiel 23 32

Ezekiel 23:32 kjv

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.

Ezekiel 23:32 nkjv

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'You shall drink of your sister's cup, The deep and wide one; You shall be laughed to scorn And held in derision; It contains much.

Ezekiel 23:32 niv

"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "You will drink your sister's cup, a cup large and deep; it will bring scorn and derision, for it holds so much.

Ezekiel 23:32 esv

Thus says the Lord GOD: "You shall drink your sister's cup that is deep and large; you shall be laughed at and held in derision, for it contains much;

Ezekiel 23:32 nlt

"Yes, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "You will drink from your sister's cup of terror,
a cup that is large and deep.
It is filled to the brim
with scorn and derision.

Ezekiel 23 verses

Ezekiel 23 32 Meaning

This verse describes the severe punishment awaiting Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, for its extreme wickedness and idolatry. It proclaims that Samaria will be utterly destroyed and its inhabitants punished because of their profound sinfulness, likening their fate to that of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Ezekiel 23 32 Context

This verse is found in Ezekiel chapter 23, which is a powerful allegorical prophecy denouncing the unfaithfulness of Israel (Oholah) and Judah (Oholibah) to God. The chapter vividly portrays their harlotry with Assyria and Egypt as a betrayal of their covenant with God. Samaria, as the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, represents this spiritual and national unfaithfulness. The verse serves as a pronouncement of severe divine judgment, highlighting the consequences of their persistent idolatry and moral corruption. It echoes the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to emphasize the extreme depravity of their actions and the completeness of their impending punishment.

Ezekiel 23 32 Word Analysis

• אַתְּ (ʾat): "You" (feminine singular). Directly addresses Samaria, personified as a woman (Oholah).

• תִּשְׁתִּי (tišṯî): "will drink" (Qal imperfect, 2nd person feminine singular of שָׁתָה - šāṯâ, to drink). Implies passively receiving or experiencing something, in this case, judgment.

• כּוֹס (kôs): "cup." A common biblical metaphor for a portion of divine judgment or suffering appointed by God.

• שַׁאֲט נפֶשֶׁךְ (šaʾăṯ-nəp̄əšəḵ): "cup of your sister's" (lit. "cup of the detestableness of your soul"). Refers to the bitter cup of judgment that her sister, Jerusalem (representing Judah), also experienced due to her sins. "Sha'at" implies horror, ruin, or disgrace.

• כּוֹס (kôs): "cup." Again emphasizes the judgment to be drunk.

• תֹּהוּ (tōhû): "confusion," "emptiness," "ruin," "desolation." Describes the nature of the judgment, indicating a state of utter disorder and destruction.

• וּמְשׁוֹרֶרֶת (wə-məšōrəreṯ): "and mirthless" or "and mocking" (from שָׂרַר - śārārar, to be derisive). Suggests that there will be no joy or singing, but only sorrow and ridicule in their downfall, or that their downfall will be a mockery of what they once were. Some translations use "dregs," implying the bitter lees of the wine.

• Word Group Analysis:

  • "drink the cup": A potent idiom representing the experience and reception of judgment or suffering apportioned by God. This imagery is widespread in the Old Testament prophetic literature.
  • "your sister's cup": Links Samaria's fate directly to the similar judgment faced by Jerusalem. They shared a common heritage and a common sinfulness, leading to a shared, though perhaps temporally different, experience of God's wrath.
  • "cup of horror and of ruin/mirthless": Emphasizes the devastating and complete nature of the judgment, leaving nothing but emptiness and a spectacle of ruin.

Ezekiel 23 32 Bonus Section

The concept of "drinking the cup" of God's judgment is deeply embedded in Israel's legal and prophetic traditions. It reflects a cosmic order where actions have divinely ordained consequences. The severity of the "cup of confusion and ruin" implies a punishment so total that it incapacitates and debases, much like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, which became archetypal symbols of divine judgment for utter wickedness. The personification of cities and nations as women, particularly in their adulterous relationship with foreign gods and empires, underscores the spiritual unfaithfulness inherent in idolatry. This prophecy, therefore, goes beyond political or military defeat to address a profound theological betrayal.

Ezekiel 23 32 Commentary

Ezekiel 23:32 illustrates God's retributive justice. Samaria, as the embodiment of Israel's apostasy, is destined to share in a judgment that mirrors and is even exceeded by the eventual judgment upon Judah. The "cup" is a profound symbol of God's wrath poured out upon sin. Samaria will drink a "cup of confusion" and a "cup of ruin," indicating not only destruction but also the complete disorientation and shame that accompanies such a divine visitation. The reference to its "sister" (Jerusalem/Judah) highlights the shared culpability and the interconnectedness of their covenantal failures. The punishment is comprehensive, leaving no room for hope or recovery for the city and its inhabitants in their unrepentant state. This serves as a stark warning about the consequences of turning away from the one true God and embracing pagan practices and moral decay.