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

Ezekiel 23:48 declares God's decisive act to eradicate widespread spiritual depravity from the land. The severe judgment meted out to Oholah (Israel/Samaria) and Oholibah (Judah/Jerusalem) serves as a profound warning and educational lesson for all observing "women" (symbolizing other nations, or future generations/people within the covenant community) not to imitate their "lewdness" or adopt their idolatrous practices. It underscores God's commitment to purify His land and deter further rebellion through the terrifying example of His justice.

Ezekiel 23 48 Context

Ezekiel 23 depicts the intense spiritual adultery of Israel (represented as Oholah, meaning "Her Tent") and Judah (Oholibah, "My Tent is in Her"). These two sisters symbolize the northern and southern kingdoms, respectively, personifying their progression into increasingly gross idolatry and reliance on foreign alliances (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon) rather than Yahweh. Their harlotry is portrayed in graphic, shocking detail to emphasize the severity and abhorrence of their unfaithfulness to God, who had a covenant marriage with them. The chapter culminates in a harsh judgment, where their former "lovers" become their executioners, stripping them, killing them, and laying waste to their land. Verse 48 concludes this horrific portrayal by explaining the ultimate purpose behind such devastating divine punishment: to purify the land and serve as a potent deterrent to others, preventing the spread and repetition of similar "lewdness" among nations and future generations. It marks a decisive end to the systemic perversion that characterized their relationship with God.

Ezekiel 23 48 Word analysis

• Thus: (כֵּן, kēn) - An adverb meaning "so," "in this way," or "as follows." It links the forthcoming divine action directly to the preceding descriptions of judgment in verses 45-47, indicating the manner and outcome of that process.
• I will cause: (וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי, wəhišbatti) - From the Hebrew verb שָׁבַת (shābat), in the Hiphil stem, meaning "to make cease," "to bring to an end," or "to put a stop to." This emphasizes God's direct, intentional, and sovereign action in stopping the practice of sin. It highlights His divine agency and ultimate authority.
• lewdness: (זִמָּה, zimmâ) - A strong Hebrew noun denoting "wickedness," "depravity," "evil device," or "shameful deed." While it can refer to sexual immorality in other contexts, in Ezekiel, particularly in this chapter, it is primarily used metaphorically to describe Israel and Judah's deep-seated, calculated idolatry and spiritual adultery against God. It conveys a sense of premeditated, disgraceful perversion.
• to cease: (literally implied by the verb וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי, wəhišbatti, "I will cause to cease/bring to an end") - This signifies a definitive eradication of the wicked behavior from the sphere of influence.
• from the land: (מִן־הָאָרֶץ, min-hāʾāreṣ) - "From the earth/land." This refers specifically to the covenant land of Israel/Judah, which was defiled by their actions (cf. Lev 18:24-28). God's cleansing targets the physical domain that witnessed and was polluted by their sin, signifying a restoration of holiness to His promised territory.
• that all women: (לְמַעַן תִּוָּסֵרְנָה כָּל־הַנָּשִׁים, ləmaʿan tiwwāsērnâ kol-hannāšîm) -
  • that: (לְמַעַן, ləmaʿan) - "In order that," expressing purpose or result.
  • all women: (כָּל־הַנָּשִׁים, kol-hannāšîm) - Literally "all the women." This is likely not restricted to literal females but represents a broader scope, potentially other nations, cities, or even all future inhabitants of the land who might observe the judgment. The use of "women" aligns with the chapter's overarching metaphor of the two harlot sisters. It signifies a collective learning audience.
• may be taught: (תִּוָּסֵרְנָה, tiwwāsērnâ) - From the Hebrew verb יָסַר (yāsar), in the Niphal (passive) stem, meaning "to be admonished," "to be disciplined," "to be instructed," or "to be corrected." This highlights the didactic purpose of the divine judgment; it is intended as a public lesson, a sobering example.
• not to follow: (לֹא תַעֲשֶׂנָה, loʾ taʿaśenâ) - "Not they will do," an emphatic negative command against replicating the actions of Oholah and Oholibah.
• your lewdness: (כְזִמַּתְכֶן, kəzimmateken) - "According to your lewdness." This specifies the particular nature of the sin—the deep, depraved spiritual adultery and idolatry characteristic of Israel and Judah.
• nor practice: (וְכַחֻקּוֹתֵיכֶם לֹא תֵלַכְנָה, wəkhaḥuqqōtêkhem loʾ tēlaknāh) -
  • nor: (וְלֹא, wəloʾ) - "And not."
  • practice your customs: (כַחֻקּוֹתֵיכֶם תֵלַכְנָה, khaḥuqqōtêkhem tēlaknāh) - Literally, "and according to your statutes/decrees they shall not go." Here, "customs" (חֻקּוֹת, chukkôt) refers to the specific, ingrained patterns of wicked behavior and idolatrous rituals that characterized the two sisters' unfaithfulness. These were their "laws" or "decrees" by which they lived, contrasting sharply with God's divine statutes. The phrase emphasizes abstaining from their established system of rebellion.

Words-group analysis

• "Thus I will cause lewdness to cease from the land": This phrase asserts God's ultimate authority and intent to purge the nation's spiritual landscape of the deep-seated sin of idolatry. It's a declaration of divine cleansing, demonstrating God's holiness and His inability to tolerate pervasive unfaithfulness in His covenant community and land. The eradication of 'lewdness' (zimmah) signifies a restoration of proper moral and spiritual order, setting a standard for all who observe.
• "that all women may be taught not to follow your lewdness nor practice your customs": This segment reveals the didactic purpose of God's judgment. The severe punishment of Judah and Israel is not solely retributive; it's a terrifying, living object lesson for others. "All women" acts as a generalized collective, potentially encompassing surrounding nations who observed Israel's example, or even future generations of people within the covenant who would witness the historical record. The goal is preventive—to instruct them through this example, discouraging any imitation of Israel's grievous spiritual infidelity and the corrupt religious systems they embraced, which were a perversion of God's true 'statutes.' It's about discrediting and making repulsive the path of disobedience.

Ezekiel 23 48 Bonus section

The "women" referred to in this verse can be understood in a few nuanced ways. Given the allegorical nature of the chapter with two "sisters," extending the metaphor to "all women" could generically signify "all inhabitants of the earth," emphasizing a universal message to humanity or to surrounding nations. Alternatively, it might refer to other groups or communities within the larger covenant structure, meaning "all peoples of Israel" who needed to learn this lesson. The term "lewdness" (זִמָּה, zimmâh) here signifies not just incidental sin but a deep, pervasive, and systemic pattern of deliberate rebellion, revealing a corrupted character rather than just isolated acts. This type of deep-seated sin leads to utter rejection and ultimate divine cessation. This verse also underscores a critical principle in biblical theology: God's judgments, however severe, are always righteous and serve a broader redemptive and instructional purpose, contributing to the establishment of His holy kingdom and teaching humanity about His divine nature and demands.

Ezekiel 23 48 Commentary

Ezekiel 23:48 delivers a sobering message: divine judgment, while devastating, often carries a redemptive, educational purpose beyond mere retribution. The graphically detailed punishment of Judah and Israel (Oholibah and Oholah) for their spiritual harlotry is not simply an outpouring of wrath, but a deliberate act designed by God to set a definitive precedent. By utterly eradicating their "lewdness" and its "customs" from the covenant land, God establishes a visible, undeniable lesson. This acts as a deterrent for "all women," symbolically encompassing other nations, future communities, or indeed any group observing God's acts, teaching them the terrifying consequences of abandoning God for idols and foreign alliances. The severity of the sisters' downfall becomes a profound testament to God's holiness, His intolerance of spiritual adultery, and His unyielding demand for faithfulness, ensuring that such heinous behavior is not replicated by those who fear His name. This passage reveals that God uses historical examples of judgment to foster learning, obedience, and fear of Him among all who witness or come to know of His righteous acts.