Ezekiel 23 48

Ezekiel 23:48 kjv

Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to do after your lewdness.

Ezekiel 23:48 nkjv

Thus I will cause lewdness to cease from the land, that all women may be taught not to practice your lewdness.

Ezekiel 23:48 niv

"So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you.

Ezekiel 23:48 esv

Thus will I put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness as you have done.

Ezekiel 23:48 nlt

In this way, I will put an end to lewdness and idolatry in the land, and my judgment will be a warning to all women not to follow your wicked example.

Ezekiel 23 verses

Ezekiel 23 48 Meaning

This verse signifies the complete and final judgment upon Jerusalem and Samaria for their sin and spiritual adultery. It pronounces the end of their corrupt practices and the eradication of their idols and defiled worship, bringing them to ruin.

Ezekiel 23 48 Context

Ezekiel chapter 23 describes God's judgment on two unfaithful sisters, Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem). Both engaged in spiritual adultery with foreign nations, mirroring their physical promiscuity. The chapter details their escalating sins, comparing them to prostitutes who are abandoned and punished. Verse 48 serves as the concluding declaration of divine retribution against Jerusalem (Oholibah), the last of the two to be judged in this chapter, sealing their doom for their profound wickedness and idolatry. This prophecy was delivered during the Babylonian exile, a historical backdrop where Jerusalem was on the brink of its final destruction.

Ezekiel 23 48 Word Analysis

• וּבִֽעְרָה (uv'arah): From the root "ba'ar" (בָּעַר), meaning "to burn," "consume," or "blot out." Here, it signifies complete removal or eradication, not just punishment but the complete cessation of the evil.

• הַזִּמָּה (hazimmáh): Refers to "lewdness," "deceitfulness," "shamelessness," or "wickedness." It encapsulates the moral and spiritual corruption that characterized Jerusalem.

• מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ (miqqirbekhâ): "From your midst," "from within you." Emphasizes the internal eradication of sin from the community.

• וְשָׁפְט֛וּ (v'shafetu): "And they shall judge." Indicates the act of divine judgment being carried out by external agents as instruments of God's wrath.

• וְשָׁמְד֧וּ (v'shamdu): "And they shall destroy," "devastate," or "annihilate." Denotes a thorough and decisive destruction.

• אֹתָ֛ךְ (otâkh): "You." Directly addresses Jerusalem, highlighting the personal nature of the judgment.

• כְּמִשְׁפַּט־ (k'mishpat): "According to the judgment of." Underscores that the punishment aligns with the guilt and transgressions.

• הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖וֹת (ha'na'arôt): "The maidens," "young women," or "virgins." Refers to unmarried women who, in their youth, might be judged less severely. However, their judgment is like that of adulteresses, signifying the severity of their sin.

• הַֽמְזֹנָ֑ה (ha'mezoneh): "The adulteress." Specifically contrasts their punishment with that of those who commit the lesser sin of adultery, implying their sin of spiritual fornication and idolatry is far greater.

• וְשָׁפַטְתִּ֤י (v'shafat'ti): "And I will judge." God Himself asserts His active role in administering justice.

• אֶת־הַמְּזֹנ֤וֹת (et ha'mezônôt): "The adulteresses." Plural, referring to multiple individuals or groups who have committed spiritual adultery.

• וְאֶת־דְּמֵ֤י (v'et d'mei): "And the blood of." Refers to the guilt of shedding innocent blood, a sin often associated with the unrighteous judgment and violence of the people.

• נַפְשֹׁותָ֣ן (nafshotân): "Their souls," "their lives." The shedding of innocent blood means taking lives unjustly.

• יָּשִׁיב עָלַיִךְ: "He will bring upon you," or "return upon you." The recompense for their actions.

• Word Group Analysis:

  • "the lewdness shall be taken away from your midst, and the unfaithfulness shall be cut off from you." - This phrase emphasizes a complete cleansing or purging of sin and disobedience from the heart of the city and its people, not merely a removal of external actions.
  • "and all the women shall receive their recompense" - "Women" here metaphorically represents Jerusalem itself, as well as its inhabitants. The judgment is described as a direct consequence, a fitting repayment for their actions, likened to how adulteresses were treated.
  • "I will bring your blood against you in judgment" - This highlights God's righteous judgment against Jerusalem for its violence and the injustices committed, the innocent blood spilled will be accounted for and visited upon the city.

Ezekiel 23 48 Bonus Section

The prophet Ezekiel's use of strong, often graphic, imagery is characteristic of his ministry. The allegorical portrayal of Israel and Judah as unfaithful women (Oholah and Oholibah) served to illustrate the profound betrayal of their covenant with God. This severe judgment is not arbitrary; it is presented as a just consequence for their repeated rejection of God and embrace of pagan practices, a theme prevalent throughout the Old Testament. The ultimate application of judgment in the New Testament often points to both immediate historical consequences and ultimate spiritual reckoning for all who rebel against God. The shedding of innocent blood, a specific accusation, resonates with instances of judicial corruption and violence against prophets and righteous individuals throughout Israel's history.

Ezekiel 23 48 Commentary

This verse acts as a decisive pronouncement of God's judgment against Jerusalem for its pervasive sinfulness, particularly its spiritual infidelity and idolatry. The imagery used, such as "lewdness" and "adulteress," powerfully conveys the deep corruption and betrayal of God's covenant. The judgment is portrayed as complete eradication ("taken away," "cut off"), indicating a final end to its unfaithfulness. God declares His personal involvement in bringing this judgment, ensuring it is in accordance with the measure of their sin, which includes violence and the shedding of innocent blood. The comparison to adulteresses receiving a severe sentence underscores the severity of Jerusalem's betrayal of its covenant relationship with God, emphasizing that its transgressions far exceeded lesser forms of sin.