Ezekiel 23 35

Ezekiel 23:35 kjv

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.

Ezekiel 23:35 nkjv

"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back, Therefore you shall bear the penalty Of your lewdness and your harlotry.' "

Ezekiel 23:35 niv

"Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Since you have forgotten me and turned your back on me, you must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution."

Ezekiel 23:35 esv

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring."

Ezekiel 23:35 nlt

"And because you have forgotten me and turned your back on me, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: You must bear the consequences of all your lewdness and prostitution."

Ezekiel 23 verses

Ezekiel 23 35 Meaning

Ezekiel 23:35 pronounces divine judgment on Jerusalem (symbolized by Oholibah) for its profound spiritual infidelity. It declares that because Jerusalem intentionally disregarded and abandoned God, it must bear the full consequences and punishment for its own immoral spiritual acts of idolatry and treacherous covenant breaking, equating these actions to lewdness and harlotry.

Ezekiel 23 35 Context

Ezekiel 23:35 concludes God's scathing indictment against Jerusalem (Oholibah), following the parallel condemnation of Samaria (Oholah) in the same chapter. The chapter employs an extended allegory of two sisters who represent the northern kingdom of Israel (Samaria/Oholah) and the southern kingdom of Judah (Jerusalem/Oholibah). Both sisters are depicted as unfaithful wives, committing "harlotry" by entering into illicit political alliances with pagan nations (Assyria, Egypt, Babylon) and adopting their idolatrous practices, rather than trusting in their covenant with Yahweh.

Oholibah, Jerusalem, is portrayed as even more wicked than Oholah, Samaria, having observed Samaria's judgment yet intensifying her own spiritual infidelity. Verses 30-34 detail the severe judgment to befall Jerusalem, including the desolation of her land and the removal of her wealth. Verse 35 directly states the reason for this impending wrath: Jerusalem's active forgetfulness of God and rejection of His commands. This verse signifies the direct link between their apostasy and the suffering they are about to experience at the hands of those very nations with whom they "harloted," a common motif in Ezekiel. Historically, this prophecy foretells the coming Babylonian exile and the destruction of Jerusalem, a consequence of centuries of spiritual rebellion despite numerous warnings from God's prophets.

Ezekiel 23 35 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵן, lakhen): Signals a consequence or conclusion drawn from what has just been stated. It acts as a divine judicial pronouncement, establishing the unbreakable link between Israel's actions and God's impending judgment, signifying the end of God's patience.
• thus says the Lord God (כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, koh amar Adonai YHWH): A solemn and authoritative formula often introducing a divine oracle or prophetic declaration. It emphasizes that this is not merely Ezekiel's opinion but a direct, unalterable message from the sovereign and covenant-keeping God, granting it ultimate weight and infallibility.
• Because (יַעַן, ya'an): Establishes the causal link, directly attributing the upcoming judgment to Jerusalem's specific failures. It underscores divine justice, where the punishment directly addresses the transgression.
• you have forgotten Me (שָׁכַחַתְּ אוֹתִי, shakhakht otim):
  • Forgotten (שָׁכַח, shakhakh): This Hebrew word means more than a mere lapse of memory; it denotes an active and intentional disregard, neglect, or abandonment of one's obligations or relationships. In the context of the covenant, it signifies a deliberate forsaking of Yahweh and His commands. It implies a conscious choice to ignore God's works, words, and very presence.
  • Me: Emphasizes the personal nature of the transgression. It was God, their covenant partner and deliverer, whom they actively chose to set aside.
• and cast Me behind your back (וַתַּשְׁלִיכִי אַחֲרֵי גַּוֵּךְ, vattashlikhi akharei gavvek):
  • cast behind your back (שָׁלַךְ אַחֲרֵי גַּוֵּךְ, shalakh akharei gavvek): This idiom portrays a defiant and contemptuous rejection. To cast something behind one's back signifies complete dismissal, scorn, and a refusal to acknowledge its importance or presence. It highlights the depth of their rebellion, going beyond mere forgetfulness to an active, disdainful removal of God from their priorities and consciousness. It implies a desire to avoid seeing or confronting God's will.
• you also shall bear (וְגַם־אַתְּ תִּשְׂאִי, vegam-at tisei):
  • you also: Reinforces that Jerusalem, like Samaria before her, will receive due punishment, confirming the impartiality of divine justice.
  • shall bear (נָשָׂא, nasa'): Here, means to endure, suffer, or carry the consequences and punishment for guilt. It implies taking full responsibility for one's actions and experiencing the punitive outcomes without any intervention or reprieve. It signifies the end of external scapegoats or blame.
• your lewdness (זִמָּה, zimmah): Refers to a planned, morally depraved act; an outrageously wicked and shameful deed or scheme. In a spiritual sense, it denotes the deep corruption and wicked plotting inherent in Israel's idolatry and political alliances, revealing the calculated nature of their infidelity rather than mere spontaneous error. It speaks to perverse schemes that violate God's law.
• and your harlotries (וְאֶת־תַּזְנוּתָיִךְ, ve'et-taznutayikh):
  • harlotries (תַּזְנוּת, taznut): This plural form signifies multiple acts of spiritual promiscuity and infidelity, describing repeated acts of straying from Yahweh to other gods or foreign powers. It encompasses all their idolatrous practices and covenant violations, vividly portraying their treacherous departure from God's singular devotion. The plural emphasizes the extent and frequency of their betrayal.

Ezekiel 23 35 Bonus section

The concept of "forgetting" God in the Hebrew Bible often carries a covenantal dimension, signifying a betrayal of the unique relationship between Yahweh and Israel. It is not about cognitive impairment, but rather a deliberate abandonment of the obligations and loyalty inherent in the covenant. This verse thus stands as a legal accusation within a divine lawsuit. The twin indictment of "forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back" highlights both passive disregard and active rejection, making the people's culpability undeniable. The phrase "bear your lewdness and your harlotries" also invokes a legal and cultic context where individuals had to bear the consequences of their impurity or guilt (e.g., Lev 5:1, 17; 16:22). This ensures that the punishment is fully owned by the offenders, leaving no doubt about the source of their suffering. Furthermore, this prophecy implicitly stands against the popular, but mistaken, belief of the time that Jerusalem was inviolable due to God's presence in the Temple. Ezekiel constantly dismantles this false security, demonstrating that God's presence is conditional on obedience, and His justice demands accountability for covenant breaking.

Ezekiel 23 35 Commentary

This verse serves as a climactic judicial pronouncement, establishing the direct cause-and-effect relationship between Israel's spiritual adultery and the impending severe judgment. The heart of the accusation lies in Jerusalem's profound forgetfulness and contemptuous dismissal of God. "Forgotten Me" goes beyond a simple lapse; it's a deliberate act of choosing to ignore Yahweh and His covenant. This disregard is amplified by "cast Me behind your back," which powerfully conveys a gesture of utter disdain and defiance, turning away from God as if He were irrelevant or burdensome.

Consequently, God declares that Jerusalem "shall bear" the full weight of its "lewdness" and "harlotries." This signifies that divine justice is both equitable and unavoidable. There will be no intercessor, no escaping the consequences of their choices. Their "lewdness" (planned wickedness and depravity) and "harlotries" (spiritual infidelity through idolatry and foreign alliances) are precisely what they will have to endure as punishment. The suffering will directly reflect the nature of their sins, a principle frequently seen in Ezekiel and other prophetic books where the punishment fits the crime. This statement encapsulates God's ultimate decision to hold His people accountable, letting their own choices bring about their inevitable downfall. The verse underscores God's faithfulness even in judgment; He gives them over to the very choices they made, illustrating the principle that sin, by its nature, contains the seeds of its own destruction.