Ezekiel 23 43

Ezekiel 23:43 kjv

Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them?

Ezekiel 23:43 nkjv

Then I said concerning her who had grown old in adulteries, 'Will they commit harlotry with her now, and she with them?'

Ezekiel 23:43 niv

Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, 'Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is.'

Ezekiel 23:43 esv

"Then I said of her who was worn out by adultery, 'Now they will continue to use her for a whore, even her!'

Ezekiel 23:43 nlt

Then I said, 'If they really want to have sex with old worn-out prostitutes like these, let them!'

Ezekiel 23 verses

Ezekiel 23 43 Meaning

This verse expresses God's lament and rhetorical question concerning Judah (represented as Aholibah), who had a long-standing history of spiritual unfaithfulness and idolatry, symbolized as "adulteries." It highlights God's exasperation over Jerusalem's chronic apostasy, questioning whether she will continue to pursue illicit alliances and false worship with foreign nations (represented by "them"), even after witnessing the devastating consequences suffered by her sister, Israel (Samaria), for the same sins. The verse implicitly affirms that her pattern of sin would indeed persist, leading to inevitable judgment.

Ezekiel 23 43 Context

Ezekiel 23 details an extensive allegory of two sisters, Oholah (Samaria, representing the Northern Kingdom of Israel) and Oholibah (Jerusalem, representing the Southern Kingdom of Judah). Both were chosen by God and metaphorically married to Him but later committed spiritual harlotry by pursuing political alliances with powerful pagan nations like Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon, and adopting their idolatrous practices. The chapter describes their increasingly outrageous unfaithfulness and the subsequent divine judgment meted out through the very "lovers" they pursued. Verse 43 directly addresses Aholibah (Jerusalem) and, following the judgment already inflicted upon her sister Aholah (Samaria), rhetorically asks whether Jerusalem will persist in her old, ingrained habits of spiritual adultery and ungodly alliances, anticipating an affirmative and dire answer. Historically, Jerusalem did continue these patterns, leading to its destruction by Babylon, similar to Samaria's fate with Assyria.

Ezekiel 23 43 Word analysis

• Then I said (וָאֹמַר - va'ōmar): The speaker is God, expressed through the prophet Ezekiel. This indicates a divine utterance, thought, or declaration, carrying the weight of ultimate authority. It signifies God's direct engagement with, and observation of, His people's conduct.

• concerning her that was old (לַבָּלָה הִיא - labālāh hī’):

  • her refers to Aholibah (Jerusalem/Judah).
  • old (bālāh) carries the meaning of being worn out, decrepit, or antiquated. It suggests a long history, a habitual, ingrained condition rather than a recent lapse. It speaks of the persistent and deep-rooted nature of Judah's spiritual corruption.

• in adulteries (בְּזְנוּנִים - biznûnîm):

  • From the root zanâ, meaning to commit whoredom or harlotry. In the prophetic context, it is a powerful metaphor for spiritual unfaithfulness to God, idolatry, and relying on foreign political alliances instead of Yahweh. The plural form (adulteries) emphasizes the multitude and recurrence of these transgressions. This signifies a chronic pattern of sin.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them?" (הַתַּזְנוּן עָלֶיהָ אֶת־זְנוּנֶיהָ וְהִיא אֹתָם׃ - hattaznûn ‘alêhā ’et-zᵊnûnêhā wᵊhī’ ’ōtām): This is a rhetorical question from God, expressing exasperated dismay or foretelling a certainty.
    • Will they now commit whoredoms: "They" refers to the foreign nations Judah historically aligned with (e.g., Assyrians, Egyptians, Babylonians). The question implies a continued pattern, even now after past judgments (e.g., Samaria's fall). It asks if these nations will be drawn to her corrupt ways.
    • with her, and she with them?: This phrase underscores the reciprocity and mutual culpability in the spiritual harlotry. It highlights Jerusalem's active participation and desire for these illicit relationships, not just being passively seduced. It’s a willful pursuit of idolatry and ungodly alliances, driven by her own "lust."

Ezekiel 23 43 Bonus section

The allegorical portrayal of Judah and Israel as prostitutes, though graphic, served a vital purpose for Ezekiel's original audience. It underscored the covenant relationship with God as a marital bond, making the people's idolatry and foreign alliances not just theological error, but a deeply personal betrayal and infidelity to their divine Husband. This imagery, drawn from the ancient Near Eastern context where harlotry often correlated with fertility cults and state cults of foreign gods, would have immediately communicated the gravity and repugnance of their actions from God's perspective. It highlights that the relationship with God was meant to be exclusive and all-encompassing, demanding loyalty above all political or material gains offered by pagan associations. The persistence in sin, even after experiencing or witnessing judgment, points to a spiritual blindness and hardening of heart that runs deep, requiring divine intervention or a catastrophic re-shaping of their national identity.

Ezekiel 23 43 Commentary

Ezekiel 23:43 profoundly illustrates God's frustration with His people's ingrained rebellion. Judah, represented as Aholibah, is characterized as "old in adulteries," a poignant description signifying her long-standing, habitual spiritual infidelity, rather than an isolated mistake. This is not a youth venturing into sin, but a seasoned offender whose character is defined by apostasy. The rhetorical question, "Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them?", isn't posed out of ignorance but out of prophetic certainty, infused with divine lament. It conveys that despite witnessing Samaria's destruction (Oholah's fate) as a dire warning for similar sins, Judah would predictably persist in pursuing foreign alliances and idolatry, which were perceived by God as profound acts of betrayal and harlotry. This verse serves as a stark commentary on the human tendency to ignore lessons from history and God's judgments, perpetuating cycles of sin, ultimately sealing their own fate through unrepentant defiance.