Ezekiel 23 34

Ezekiel 23:34 kjv

Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 23:34 nkjv

You shall drink and drain it, You shall break its shards, And tear at your own breasts; For I have spoken,' Says the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 23:34 niv

You will drink it and drain it dry and chew on its pieces? and you will tear your breasts. I have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Ezekiel 23:34 esv

you shall drink it and drain it out, and gnaw its shards, and tear your breasts; for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 23:34 nlt

You will drain that cup of terror
to the very bottom.
Then you will smash it to pieces
and beat your breast in anguish.
I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!

Ezekiel 23 34 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Ezekiel 23:31"You have done the deeds of your sister. Therefore I will give her cup into your hand."Judgment on Oholibah/Jerusalem
Jeremiah 25:15-17"Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it."God's wrath poured out
Psalm 75:8"For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red, full of mixture; and He pours it out; surely all the wicked of the earth shall drain it, and drink it."Divine judgment in a cup
Isaiah 51:17, 22-23"Behold, take this cup of indignation from My hand, and cause all the nations to drink it... And I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who say to your overthrow, 'Lie down that we may walk over you.' And you laid your body on the ground and as the street for those who walked over them."Judgment through enemies
Revelation 14:8, 10"And another angel followed, saying, 'Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.'"Judgment on spiritual Babylon
Revelation 16:19"And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give to her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath."God remembers Babylon's cup
Jeremiah 49:12"For thus says the LORD: Behold, those whose judgment was not to drink of the cup shall drink it. And are you then guiltless? You shall not be guiltless, but you shall surely drink it."Judgment extends to those deemed innocent
Lamentations 4:21"The God of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah."Hope amidst judgment
Nahum 3:11"You too will become drunk and will seek refuge from your enemy."Assyria's downfall
Obadiah 1:16"For as you have drunk on My holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, and become as though they had never been."Universal judgment
Job 21:20"His eyes will see his destruction, and he will drink of the wrath of the Almighty."Wicked drink wrath
Proverbs 20:1"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is misled by it is not wise."Warning against strong drink
Habakkuk 2:16"You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Drink also, you, and be uncovered! The cup of the LORD'S right hand shall be turned to you, and utter shame shall cover your face."Shame as a result of judgment
Jeremiah 13:13"Then say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: Every person of Israel shall drink it; they are filled with staggering.'"Israel drinks the cup
Zechariah 12:2"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling at the last day, to all the people round about..."Jerusalem as a cup of trembling
Amos 4:12"Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!"Call to prepare for judgment
Song of Solomon 5:1"I have come into my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends! Drink, and be drunk with love!"Metaphor of enjoyable sharing
Isaiah 63:6"And I will tread down the peoples in My anger, and make them drunk in My fury; and I will bring down their strength to the earth."God's wrath expressed
Hosea 7:5"In the day of our king the princes became ill, with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers."Drunkenness and sin
Matthew 20:22-23"But Jesus answered and said, 'You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?' They said to Him, 'We are able.' He said to them, 'You will indeed drink My cup, but to sit at My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.'"Jesus' cup of suffering
Luke 22:42"'Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.'"Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane
1 Corinthians 11:25"After the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'"The Lord's Supper cup

Ezekiel 23 verses

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Ezekiel 23 34 Meaning

This verse describes God forcing His enemies, particularly the city of Samaria and its people, to drink a cup of judgment. This judgment is a consequence of their deep sinfulness and rebellion. It signifies total destruction, shame, and the experience of severe divine wrath.

Ezekiel 23 34 Context

Ezekiel 23 presents a stark allegorical condemnation of Israel's spiritual adultery. The prophet Ezekiel is commissioned by God to prophesy against the two kingdoms, Samaria (representing the northern kingdom of Israel, referred to as Oholah) and Jerusalem (representing the southern kingdom of Judah, referred to as Oholibah). Both nations are portrayed as having engaged in idolatry and political alliances with foreign nations, mirroring the sins of promiscuity and unfaithfulness in a marriage relationship. This chapter details their progressively worse descent into sin, highlighting their corrupt practices and their forsaking of the covenant with Yahweh. Verse 34 falls within the section describing the judgment to befall Oholibah (Jerusalem). God declares that Jerusalem will now drink the cup that Samaria drank, signifying that Jerusalem will endure the same severe divine punishment for its sins as Samaria did previously. This is part of a larger theme in Ezekiel where the sins of the people are met with specific and dire judgments from God. Historically, this prophecy would have been delivered to the exiles in Babylon during a period leading up to or during the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 23 34 Word Analysis

  • And (וְ) - Conjunction, linking this judgment to the preceding verses and setting up a consequence.
  • you (אַתְּ) - Refers to Oholibah (Jerusalem), emphasizing the personal accountability for its actions.
  • shall (תִּשְׁתִּי) - Future tense verb, indicating a certain and coming event.
  • drink (תִּשְׁתִּי) - From the root שָׁתָה (shatah), meaning to drink. Here it carries the implication of experiencing fully.
  • the cup (הַגָּבִיעַ) - gāḇîa meaning cup or bowl. Symbolizes a portion or experience given by God, often of judgment or wrath.
  • of (מִ) - Preposition indicating source or origin.
  • your (שִׁפְחוּת) - Refers back to the "filthiness" or "debauchery" previously mentioned in relation to the sins of Oholah (Samaria).
  • shameful (שִׁפְחוּת) - From the root שָׁפַךְ (shafakh), possibly related to pouring out or being spilled. In this context, it denotes disgrace, ruin, or extreme degradation, implying a deep stain of sin and its resulting shame.
  • and (וְ) - Conjunction.
  • dregs (חֳמַת) - From the root חָמַר (chamar), referring to lees, dregs, or sediment left at the bottom of a cup, the thickest and most potent part of the mixture. Symbolizes the worst and most bitter portion of the judgment.
  • the bitter (חֳמַת) - Related to bitter or hot substance, signifying a harsh and unpleasant experience.
  • cup (הַסֵּפֶל) - sephel a bowl or cup, similar to gāḇîa but perhaps implying a smaller, more intensely contained draught.

Words-group by Words-group Analysis

  • "drink the cup of your shameful dregs": This powerful idiom combines the "cup" as a symbol of destiny and experience with "shameful dregs" signifying the utter disgrace and final, bitter residue of sin and judgment. It paints a picture of completely consuming a portion filled with the most ignominious results of their rebellion against God.

Ezekiel 23 34 Bonus Section

The imagery of the "cup" as a symbol of divine judgment is prevalent throughout scripture, appearing in both judgment oracles against nations and in prophetic descriptions of eschatological events. This verse clearly aligns Jerusalem's fate with that of the northern kingdom, Samaria, signifying a completeness of judgment and a lesson that no one is exempt from God's righteous decree when covenant faithfulness is violated. The use of the word chamat (חֳמַת), translated as dregs or thick sediment, vividly conveys the severity of the experience – it’s not just drinking from the cup, but drinking the very worst that the cup contains. This imagery resonates with Jesus' own reference to drinking "the cup" in the Garden of Gethsemane, referring to His suffering and atonement, and also with the communal cup of the Lord's Supper, representing covenant participation and remembrance.

Ezekiel 23 34 Commentary

Ezekiel 23:34 powerfully illustrates divine retribution. God holds nations accountable for their "adultery" – their idolatry and turning away from Him to foreign alliances and false gods. The "cup" is a consistent biblical metaphor for God's dispensed judgment. Jerusalem, like Samaria before it, must now drink this cup, meaning they will experience the full, bitter consequence of their sins. The "shameful dregs" refer to the most debased and humiliating aspects of this judgment, the worst part of God's wrath poured out. This verse serves as a warning that unrepented sin leads to profound and inescapable judgment, emphasizing God's justice. It is a stark reminder of the serious nature of covenant unfaithfulness and its resulting shame and destruction.