Ezekiel 23 5

Ezekiel 23:5 kjv

And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,

Ezekiel 23:5 nkjv

"Oholah played the harlot even though she was Mine; And she lusted for her lovers, the neighboring Assyrians,

Ezekiel 23:5 niv

"Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians?warriors

Ezekiel 23:5 esv

"Oholah played the whore while she was mine, and she lusted after her lovers the Assyrians, warriors

Ezekiel 23:5 nlt

"Then Oholah lusted after other lovers instead of me, and she gave her love to the Assyrian officers.

Ezekiel 23 verses

Ezekiel 23 5 Meaning

The verse describes the spiritual harlotry of Samaria, likening its infidelity to God to a woman’s pursuit of multiple lovers. Samaria’s sin is presented as deeply rooted, starting from a young age, and characterized by a lust for foreign alliances and pagan worship, which leads to destruction.

Ezekiel 23 5 Context

Chapter 23 of Ezekiel provides a prophetic judgment against the northern kingdom of Israel (represented by Samaria, "Oholah") and the southern kingdom of Judah (represented by Jerusalem, "Oholibah"). This specific verse addresses Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom. The prophet uses a vivid allegory of two sisters who engaged in spiritual prostitution with the Egyptians and Assyrians. Samaria’s sin is detailed as an early and persistent pattern of seeking alliances and worshiping idols, straying from her covenant with Yahweh. This spiritual unfaithfulness is portrayed as the root cause of the impending divine judgment.

Ezekiel 23 5 Word Analysis

• "And": Conjunction, linking this statement to the previous descriptions of Oholah's past.
• "Samaria": (Hebrew: שָׁמְרִי יִן — Shomron; Greek: Σαμαρείτης — Samareites). The capital city of the northern Kingdom of Israel. Historically significant as a center of political power and idolatrous worship. Its name is linked to its founder, Shemer.
• "its": Possessive pronoun, referring to Samaria.
• "and": Conjunction, connecting Samaria’s political affiliation with her spiritual state.
• "her": Possessive pronoun, referring to Samaria.
• "people": (Hebrew: בָּנֶיהָ — baneha), meaning "her sons" or "her children." This refers to the inhabitants of Samaria and Israel.
• "she": Pronoun, referring to Samaria.
• "did": Past tense verb.
• "committed": (Hebrew: זָנָה — zanah), meaning "to commit sexual immorality," "to play the harlot," or "to prostitute oneself." This is a strong term indicating spiritual infidelity, specifically referring to idol worship and reliance on foreign powers.
• "wantonness": (Hebrew: מְאַלַּפְת — me'alluph; typically interpreted as an adjective relating to tamed, familiar, or perhaps here, corrupted). While the precise meaning is debated, it often conveys a sense of loose morals or corrupt behavior, making oneself familiar or readily available for illicit relationships.
• "her": Possessive pronoun.
• "own": Emphasizing self-initiated corruption.
• "harlotry": (Hebrew: זְנוּנִים — zenunim), the plural of zanah, denoting multiple acts or a habitual state of sexual immorality. In this context, it signifies continuous idolatry and covenant-breaking with foreign nations.
• "which": Relative pronoun, introducing the description of the nature of her harlotry.
• "was": Past tense verb.
• "for": Preposition indicating cause or reason.
• "them": Pronoun, referring to a powerful or desirable entity. In context, it implies foreign oppressors or false gods, particularly the Assyrians in the context of Ezekiel.
• "to": Preposition indicating direction or association.
• "her": Possessive pronoun.
• "own": Emphasizing self-wrought associations.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "to": Preposition.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "to": Preposition.
• "with": Preposition indicating accompaniment or participation.
• "Assyrian": (Hebrew: אַשּׁוּרִי — Ashshuri), pertaining to Assyria, a powerful Mesopotamian empire that conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE. The mention of Assyrians is crucial as they were the historical instrument of judgment against Samaria.
• "for": Preposition indicating reason.
• "a": Indefinite article.
• "harlot": (Hebrew: פֶּלֶח — pelekh; contextually understood as referring to lustful association or possibly a specific type of prostitute/concubine). Denotes engaging in immoral sexual activity.
• "out": Preposition indicating origin.
• "of": Preposition indicating origin or source.
• "her": Possessive pronoun.
• "loins": (Hebrew: מֵרֵעַ — me'are‘; meaning groin or hip, figuratively referring to procreation or source of descent). This is a strong physical metaphor for intimate relations and also signifies her ingrained sinfulness stemming from her very being and actions.
• "she": Pronoun.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "brought": (Hebrew: קִרְצָה — qirtsah or qarats). Generally means to incite or stir up, implying a self-started attraction or attraction derived from.
• "forth": Preposition.
• "her": Possessive pronoun.
• "lovers": (Hebrew: רָעוּח — re'u‘h, also re'u‘ayim — plural; meaning friends, companions, or lovers). In this context, it specifically refers to foreign nations with whom Israel formed unholy alliances.
• "for": Preposition indicating purpose or benefit.
• "to": Preposition.
• "them": Pronoun, referring to her lovers/alliances.
• "by": Preposition indicating method or agent.
• "their": Possessive pronoun.

Word-Group Analysis:The phrase "committed wantonness, her own harlotry" (Hebrew: זָנָה מְאַלַּפְת זְנוּנִים — zanah me'alluph zenunim) emphasizes a deep-seated, habitual, and self-perpetuated pattern of sin. "Her own loins" (Hebrew: מֵרֵעַ — me'are‘) is a powerful image conveying that this corruption originated from within and was a core aspect of her identity and actions, leading to "her lovers" (Hebrew: רָעוּח — re'u‘h), representing the foreign entanglements that ultimately caused her ruin.

Ezekiel 23 5 Bonus Section

The allegory of Oholah and Oholibah in Ezekiel 23 serves as a powerful and disturbing portrayal of covenant unfaithfulness. Samaria's "harlotry" in this verse points to the recurring pattern of Israelite kings and people turning to pagan gods and forging political alliances with foreign nations, particularly Assyria and Egypt, rather than seeking divine guidance and protection. This unfaithfulness extended to worship at high places, the erection of idolatrous pillars, and the adoption of the practices of surrounding nations, all of which were direct violations of the Mosaic covenant. The choice of Samaria and Jerusalem as symbolic sisters underscores the shared spiritual heritage yet divergent paths and judgments of the divided kingdom. The reference to "Assyrian" directly connects Samaria’s sin to the specific historical agent of its downfall, serving as a dire warning.

Ezekiel 23 5 Commentary

Ezekiel 23:5 vividly illustrates the spiritual promiscuity of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, epitomized by its capital, Samaria. This verse reveals that their sin was not an isolated incident but a pervasive and deeply ingrained lifestyle, driven by a self-willed attraction to foreign powers and their idolatrous practices. The Hebrew word zanah signifies more than just sexual sin; it denotes a betrayal of covenant loyalty, akin to a wife’s infidelity to her husband. Samaria's "wantonness" was her repeated embrace of Assyria, seeking strength and security in an ungodly alliance rather than relying on God. This sin was not a passive act but an active pursuit of sinful relationships and worship, stemming from her "own loins," implying a corruption rooted in her very being and culture. The Assyrian empire, specifically mentioned here, was the historical power that ultimately led to Samaria’s destruction and the exile of the ten northern tribes, fulfilling God's judgment for this persistent unfaithfulness.