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Ezekiel 23

49 verses

TL;DR

Ezekiel 23 portrays Samaria and Jerusalem as two sinful women, Aholah and Aholibah, who turn to idolatry and foreign alliances, provoking God’s judgment.

Summary

Ezekiel 23 begins with the prophet receiving a vision of two women, Aholah (Samaria) and Aholibah (Jerusalem), who commit adultery by aligning with foreign powers—first Assyria, then Babylon and the Chaldeans. The text details their continual idolatry, the destruction of their children, and the desecration of God’s sanctuary. The prophet warns of impending judgment: chariots, swords, and the loss of family, wealth, and identity. The passage ends with a declaration that the women’s sins will be repaid, restoring a sense of divine justice. The chapter serves as an allegory for Israel’s covenant faithlessness and the consequences of worshiping other nations’ gods.

Outline
  1. The prophet’s vision of Aholah and Aholibah as apostate nations
  2. Their alliances with Assyria and later Babylon, with associated idolatry and violence
  3. God’s pronouncement of judgment and the promised restoration of justice
Themes
Idolatry and apostasyForeign political alliances as spiritual compromiseDivine judgment and the certainty of retribution
Keywords
idolatryapostasyforeign alliancesjudgmentcovenant faithlessnessprophetic visionprophetic warningsacrificedestruction
People
AholahAholibahSon of Manthe LORD
Places
SamariaJerusalemEgyptAssyriaBabylonChaldeaPekodShoaKoa
Things
idolsincenseoilcupwinestonesswordschariotshorses
Key Verses
  • Ezekiel 23:25: God declares the imminent destruction of the nation’s leaders and loss of children.
  • Ezekiel 23:27: The prophetic promise that the nation’s idolatry will be ended and the people will no longer recall Egypt.
  • Ezekiel 23:35: The LORD’s warning that Jerusalem will suffer the same fate as Samaria for walking in her sister’s ways.
Questions
  • How does the allegory of Aholah and Aholibah illustrate the dangers of political alliances with foreign powers?
  • In what ways does the passage connect Israel’s idolatry with social and military consequences?
  • What does the repeated emphasis on 'forgetting' God reveal about covenant faithfulness?
  • How might this chapter inform modern discussions of religious identity and cultural assimilation?
  • Why does the prophet use vivid imagery of loss (e.g., loss of ears, noses, children) to convey judgment?
Sentiment

neutral