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 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 20:3 | "You shall have no other gods before me." | Commandment against idolatry/unfaithfulness |
| Deut 6:4-5 | "Hear, O Israel...love the Lord your God..." | Emphasizes exclusive devotion to God |
| Deut 7:3-4 | "Nor shall you make marriages with them...your heart." | Warning against foreign alliances and idolatry |
| Judg 2:17 | "But they did not listen to their judges...played the harlot after other gods." | Early example of Israel's spiritual harlotry |
| Hos 1:2-3 | "Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry...for the land commits great harlotry by forsaking the Lord." | God's metaphor for Israel's unfaithfulness |
| Hos 2:2-5 | "Plead with your mother, plead...a harlot." | Israel's unfaithful conduct likened to adultery |
| Hos 5:13 | "When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria..." | Ephraim (Northern Israel) seeking Assyrian help |
| Hos 7:11 | "Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense; they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria." | Israel's foolish pursuit of foreign alliances |
| Hos 8:9 | "For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by itself..." | Israel's reliance on Assyria instead of God |
| Isa 1:21 | "How the faithful city has become a harlot!" | Jerusalem (and by extension, Israel) as unfaithful |
| Isa 30:1-7 | "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the Lord, "who carry out a plan, but not mine..." | Trusting Egypt/Assyria instead of God |
| Isa 31:1-3 | "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help...and trust in chariots..." | Reliance on human military might over God |
| Jer 2:2 | "I remember the devotion of your youth...as a bride." | God remembering Israel's early faithfulness |
| Jer 3:1-9 | "She played the harlot...Yet she returned not to me..." | Extended comparison of Israel/Judah to an adulterous wife |
| Jer 3:2 | "Look up to the bare heights, and see! Where have you not been ravished? By the roads you have sat for them, like an Arab in the desert." | Israel's rampant seeking of lovers/idols |
| Ezek 16:1-63 | "Your birth and your upbringing were like this...you made yourself a harlot." | Detailed allegory of Jerusalem's harlotry, highly parallel to Ch 23 |
| 2 Kgs 15:19-20 | "Pul the king of Assyria came against the land...so he gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, to strengthen his hand..." | Historical account of tribute paid to Assyria |
| 2 Kgs 17:4 | "But the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea, for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt..." | Israel seeking alliance with Egypt against Assyria |
| 2 Kgs 17:7-18 | "All this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God..." | Reasons for Israel's fall, including foreign alliances |
| Ps 106:35-39 | "They mingled with the nations...practiced harlotry in their deeds." | Israel's corruption through engaging with foreign practices |
| Jas 4:4 | "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?" | New Testament warning against spiritual unfaithfulness |
| Rev 17:1-6 | "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot...drunk with the blood of the saints..." | The symbolism of a harlot in Revelation for spiritual apostasy |
| Ezek 23:22-29 | "Therefore, O Aholibah, thus says the Lord God: 'Behold, I will rouse against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust..." | Subsequent judgment pronounced against both sisters by God |
| Deut 28:15-68 | "But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God...all these curses shall come upon you." | Covenant curses for disobedience, including seeking foreign aid. |
Ezekiel 23 verses
Ezekiel 23 5 Meaning
Ezekiel 23:5 describes Aholah, the symbolic representation of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria), engaging in spiritual prostitution. This verse means that Samaria, while in an exclusive covenant relationship with God—as if married to Him—betrayed Him by ardently pursuing alliances with, and adopting the idolatrous practices of, the Assyrian empire. It portrays a deep and passionate betrayal of the divine covenant through faithless political maneuvering and syncretic worship, choosing human power and foreign gods over her rightful Divine spouse.
Ezekiel 23 5 Context
Ezekiel 23 details an extended prophetic allegory of two sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, representing the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) and the Southern Kingdom of Judah (Jerusalem), respectively. God depicts His covenant relationship with them as a marriage, and their spiritual infidelity as harlotry. The chapter serves as a stark warning to the surviving kingdom of Judah, then in exile or facing imminent destruction, that their spiritual idolatry and pursuit of foreign alliances mimic or even exceed the sins of their "older sister," Aholah. Verse 5 specifically addresses Aholah's initial phase of harlotry, establishing the pattern of sin that ultimately led to Samaria's destruction by the Assyrians. The historical context is set against the backdrop of ancient Israel's constant temptation to rely on powerful Mesopotamian empires (Assyria, Babylon) or Egypt for political and military security, rather than trusting solely in God's protection, often adopting foreign religious practices in the process.
Ezekiel 23 5 Word analysis
- And Aholah (וְאָֽהֳלָ֗ה – vĕ’āhŏlāh): A symbolic name meaning "her tent." This refers to Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The "tent" suggests her independent place of worship or religious identity, separate from God's prescribed sanctuary, indicating a compromised faith from its foundation.
- played the harlot (זָנְתָה֙ – zānətāh): The Hebrew verb zānāh literally means "to commit prostitution" or "to be unfaithful." In prophetic literature, it is consistently used metaphorically to describe spiritual adultery, specifically Israel's idolatry and their turning away from YHWH to other gods or foreign alliances. This emphasizes a deliberate and immoral betrayal of covenant.
- when she was Mine (תַּחְתָּ֔י – taḥtāy): Literally "under Me" or "in My stead/place." This phrase highlights that her unfaithfulness occurred while she was still exclusively bound to God by covenant. It emphasizes the direct and personal affront to God's proprietorship and the depth of the betrayal against her divine "husband."
- and she doted (וַתֶּֽאֱגֹב֙ – vatē’eḡōḇ): From the verb ’aḡaḇ, meaning "to lust, be enamored, dote upon." This is a strong, visceral word signifying intense, often sexual, longing or infatuation. It conveys a deep, passionate, and eager desire for her lovers, implying an active and ardent pursuit rather than a passive transgression.
- on her lovers (מְאַהֲבֶ֔יהָ – mə’ahavīhā): Lit. "her lovers" or "those who love her." These are not mere political allies but objects of spiritual and national infatuation, the foreign nations whose aid Israel sought and whose deities or customs they adopted. The term casts them as illicit romantic partners in this spiritual adultery.
- on the Assyrians (בָּאַשּׁוּר֙ – bā’aššûr): Refers to the Assyrian empire, a dominant military and political power in the ancient Near East. Their presence indicates a tangible, historical target for Israel's misguided affections and alliances, symbolizing the earthly powers that replaced their trust in God.
- her neighbors (שְׁכֵנֶֽיהָ׃ – šəkhēnīhā): Means "her neighbors." This signifies geographic proximity and familiar interaction, suggesting that the temptation and corruption came from readily accessible sources. Their status as "neighbors" highlights the immediacy of their corrupting influence and the direct path Israel took to infidelity.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- Aholah played the harlot: Establishes the primary offense of the Northern Kingdom – a profound act of spiritual infidelity and covenant violation. The name "Aholah" already hints at her deviation from proper worship, making the harlotry fitting.
- when she was Mine: This crucial phrase defines the betrayal as happening within a sacred, established relationship, making it a grievous breach of loyalty and trust directly against God. It underscores divine ownership and the intimacy of the forsaken covenant.
- she doted on her lovers: Elevates the "harlotry" beyond a simple act to an ardent, lustful pursuit. It's not passive disobedience but active, passionate longing for forbidden relationships. This intensifies the sin and foreshadows the severity of the coming judgment.
- on the Assyrians her neighbors: Provides concrete identification for Aholah's "lovers." This pinpoints the historical and political manifestation of her spiritual betrayal—seeking power and security from a pagan empire instead of trusting God, adopting their ways and risking idolatry due to their proximity.
Ezekiel 23 5 Bonus section
The concept of Israel as God's bride who committed harlotry is a pervasive prophetic motif, deeply rooted in the Exodus covenant, which brought Israel into a unique relationship with YHWH. The covenant at Sinai, marked by fidelity, implicitly set up the metaphor for spiritual adultery should Israel fail. Furthermore, the selection of specific nations like "the Assyrians" not only denotes historical accuracy but also symbolizes the constant external pressures and temptations for Israel to conform to the dominant powers and their pagan practices. The description serves not just as history but as a timeless lesson on the dangers of syncretism and placing trust in anything or anyone above God, relevant to all who enter a covenant relationship with Him. The stark language serves a polemic function against any notion that Israel's covenant with God was merely political or could be easily compromised without severe spiritual repercussions.
Ezekiel 23 5 Commentary
Ezekiel 23:5 presents a poignant image of spiritual betrayal, initiating God's allegorical indictment of Samaria (Aholah) for its profound unfaithfulness. The imagery of harlotry powerfully conveys Israel's forsaking of its exclusive covenant with God, much like an unfaithful wife abandons her husband. "When she was Mine" underlines the direct affront to God's divine proprietorship, transforming simple sin into a grave personal betrayal. The use of "doted" escalates the imagery from mere straying to an intense, lustful pursuit of foreign alliances and their associated idols, demonstrating a heart deeply captivated by the forbidden. Specifically naming the Assyrians highlights the real-world political and religious compromises Samaria made, prioritizing worldly security over divine trust, thus intertwining political alliance with spiritual idolatry. This verse sets the stage for God's righteous judgment against those who abandon Him for human and pagan alternatives.