1The whoredoms of Aholah and Aholibah. 22Aholibah shall be punished by her own lovers. 36Their adulteries reproved, 45and their judgments declared.
1THE word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
2Son of man, there were 1two women, the daughters of one mother:
1 Understand Judah and the ten tribes, both descended from Israel. Compare Jer. 3:7, 8, 10; Ezek. 16:44, 45.
3And they 2committed whoredoms in Egypt;a they committed whoredoms in their 3youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they 4bruised the teats of their virginity.
2 That is, committed idolatry. See verses 8, 19, etc.; Lev. 17 on verse 7; Ezek. 20:8.
a Ezek. 20:8.
3 When I first took them for Mine own people. See Jer. 2:2; Hosea 2:2, with the annotations.
4 Or, handled. Hebr. they handled, or felt; that is, they did it; it was done. Their idolatrous practices are thus figuratively described. Also verse 8, etc. Other, spoiled, or pressed.
4And the 5names of them were 6Aholah the 7elder, and 8Aholibah her sister: and they were 9mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were 10their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.
5 Understand the names figuratively.
6 That is, her tent or tabernacle; God calls the ten tribes as such, and Samaria (their capital city, Isa. 7:9, as follows) because they had separated themselves from Judah, the temple and the true worship of God, and set up a worship by itself apart. See 1 Kings 12:16, 28, 29, etc.
7 Thus the ten tribes are called by reason of their power and respect.
8 That is, my tent is in or among them. Likewise God called Jerusalem and Judah, because His temple and worship were there, which He had ordained Himself.
9 Or, became mine. Hebr. unto me, that is, I married them, or had married them, and had made a matrimonial covenant with them. See Ezek. 16:8, 20. For, God gives them these names from that which happened during the time of the marriage, while that lasted.
10 Understand proper and no figurative names.
5And Aholah played the harlot when she was 11mine; and she doted on her 12lovers, on the 13Assyrians her 14neighbours,
11 That is, though she was My married wife, and was under My subjection; yet she proved unfaithful unto Me, and kept company with others, instead of me, as the Hebrew word may be also translated, but not without such filling up of the sense.
12 The paganish nations, with whom she entered into covenant, and embraced their idols. See verses 7, 30, etc.
13 Hebr. Asshur.
14 See 2 Kings 15:19; Isa. 7:8, 17, 18; Hosea 8:9, 10, etc.
6Which were clothed with blue, captains and rulers, all of them 15desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses.
15 Hebr. young men of desire, or wish, that is, desirable, wished for, and consequently pleasant, gracious young men. Also verses 12, 23.
7Thus she 16committed her whoredoms with them, with all them that were the chosen 17men of Assyria, and 18with all on whom she doted: with all their idols she defiled herself.
16 Hebr. properly: gave, or delivered her whoredoms to them; that is, she behaved herself as a bold impudent strumpet.
17 That is, Assyrians. See Ezek. 16:26. Also verse 23, and children of Babel, verses 15, 23.
18 Or, the words being a little transposed, thus: and she defiled herself with all their idols, and with all on whom she doted.
8Neither left she her whoredoms brought from 19Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they 20bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her.
19 As verse 3. This may be specifically understood of the idolatry of the golden calves, first set up in the wilderness, and after at Dan and Bethel, and of the covenants made with Egypt. See 2 Kings 17:4.
20 As verse 3.
9Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians,b upon whom she 21doted.
b 2 Kings 17; 18.
21 And yet afterwards deserted from them, 2 Kings 17:4.
10These 22discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew 23her with the sword: and she became 24famous among women; for they had executed 25judgment upon her.
22 See Ezek. 16:37.
23 The most important part of the people. Compare verse 25.
24 That is, she became renowned as a special example and spectacle of God’s righteous judgment among all nations.
25 That is, had punished her for her disloyalty committed against God, and her confederates.
11And when her sister 26Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than 27she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms.
26 Jerusalem and Judah, as verse 4.
27 She made it worse than Aholah, that is, the ten tribes, not taking warnings by her example. Compare this with Jer. 3:8, 9, 10, 11; Ezek. 16:47, 51.
12She doted upon the 28Assyrianscher 29neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most 30gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them 31desirable young men.
28 See Ezek. 16:28.
c 2 Kings 16:7.
29 As verse 5.
30 Hebr. completely, that is, splendidly, namely, of ornament.
31 As verse 6.
13Then I saw that she was defiled, that they 32took both one way,
32 Judah took the same course which Israel had done. See verse 31; Gen. 6 on verse 12.
14And that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw 33men pourtrayed upon the 34wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with 35vermilion,d
33 Hebr. men of the portrait, or painted, or printed, engraved things. See Ezek. 8:10.
34 Namely, in her own country, as the foreign pictures, especially of magnificent nations, are accustomed to be carried about everywhere and copied to satisfy the curiosity, the desire of knowledge and the ostentation of many men.
35 See Jer. 22 on verse 14.
d mercuric sulfide used as a bright red pigment
15Girded with girdles upon their loins, 36exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the 37land of their nativity:
36 Or, dyed abundantly, or much hanging down, waving up and down.
37 From where they were carried into Judah, or at least portrayed or pictured after the clothing which was worn in Babel.
16And as soon as she saw them 38with her eyes, she 39doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea.
38 That is, as soon as she looked upon them with her eyes, she was inflamed with a pagan, carnal, idolatrous affection towards them.
39 As immodest women are inflamed with and dote upon foreign beautiful pictures, so was Judah enamored with the pictures of the Chaldeans. See a beginning and spark of this 2 Kings 20:12, 13, etc.; Ezek. 16:29.
17And the Babylonians came to her into the 40bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was 41alienated from 42them.
40 That is, to sleep with her, that is, to make a covenant with her.
41 Or, turned away, separated herself, went away herself from them (after the nature of the unchaste passion); also verses 18, 22 and 28.
42 She estranged from the Chaldeans and departed from them, lusting after Egypt, verse 21.
18So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness: then my mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her 43sister.
43 Israel or the ten tribes, called above Aholah.
19Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, 44wherein she had played the harlot in the land of 45Egypt.
44 Or, in which, or, how.
45 As verse 3.
20For she doted upon their 46paramours,e47whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of 48horses.
46 Egyptians, that is, she behaved herself much more immoderately and more foolishly than other nations did, who of old time had been united with Egypt. Some understand here the Babylonians and Chaldeans.
e forbidden lovers
47 Egyptians (see Ezek. 16:26), who were exceeding bent and inclined to corporal and spiritual whoredom.
48 Or, stallions.
21Thus thou 49calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth.
49 Hebr. visited; which word in our language is sometimes also used in the same signification when we speak of visiting, trying, examining this or that thing again.
22¶Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy 50lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is 51alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side;
50 See Ezek. 16:37.
51 Understand of the Chaldeans, as verse 17.
23The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, 52Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses.
52 These are the names of lands or regions belonging to Babel, and whose inhabitants were likewise used in the army of the Babylonians against Judah and Jerusalem. Compare further Jer. 50:21 with the annotation. Some conceive them to be names of princes or captains of war.
24And they shall come against thee with 53chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with an assembly of people, which shall 54set against thee buckler and shield and helmet round about: and I will set 55judgment before them, and they shall judge thee according to their 56judgments.
53 Or, carts, fighting carts, and the following word riding-wagons. In the Hebrew these words are all used in the singular number: cart, wagon, wheel, buckler, shield, helmet; according to the use of the language.
54 That is, besiege thee.
55 That is, I will lay the law open before them, which they shall use against thee, I will use them as executioners of My judgments upon thee; I will so order and govern them that they shall give thee thy deserved reward.
56 Or, way, manner, custom, as they are accustomed to punish rebels, perjured persons and adulteresses; see thereof in the sequel.
25And I will set my 57jealousy against thee, and they shall deal furiously with thee: they shall 58take away thy nose and thine ears; and 59thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire.
57 My utmost and just vengeance for thy disloyalty committed against Me.
58 Or, take off, that is, cut off; as the Egyptians were accustomed to do unto adulteresses; whereby is further meant all manner of cruelty which the enemies would show to her.
59 That is, the last of thee who remains, thy remnant. Other, thy last shall be that thou shalt fall by the sword, that is, the end, or, at last thou shalt, etc. Also in the sequel.
26They shall also stripf thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy fair jewels.
f Ezek. 16:39.
27Thus will I make thy lewdness to 60cease from thee, and thy whoredom brought from the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes unto 61them, nor remember Egypt any more.
60 Compare Ezek. 22:15.
61 Namely, the Egyptians.
28For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy mind is alienated:
29And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy 62labour, and shall leave thee nakedg and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.
62 That is, all that thou hast gotten by thy labor, all thy goods.
g Ezek. 16:39.
30 I 63will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols.
63 Or, shall be done unto thee, shall they do unto thee, because the Hebrew word here (as elsewhere) is put without limitations of persons.
31Thou hast walked in the 64way of thy sister; therefore will I give her 65cup into thine hand.
64 As verse 13.
65 The cup of My wrath, of which she has drunk, that is, I will punish thee with similar punishment , because thou hast committed similar sins. See Job 21 on verse 20; Psalm 11 on verse 6; Jer. 25:15, etc.
32Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be 66laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth 67much.
66 As those who have drunk themselves drunk are wont to be.
67 Hebr. is much in containing, or to contain, that is, much drink may go into it, as we use to say.
33Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and 68sorrow, with 69the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria.
68 The word sorrow or misery serves for explanation; as if God said: Thou shalt be drunken and full, but it shall be with sorrow and misery.
69 Other, of or with the cup, etc., which, etc.
34Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break 70the sherdsh thereof, and pluck off thine own 71breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
70 As drunken men, being in anger and madness, break the drinking vessels in pieces; thus shalt thou find thyself exceedingly sorrowed and vexed at My punishments.
h fragments
71 With which thou hast exercised spiritual whoredom; that is, thou shalt loath thyself because of thy sins, by feeling of the fearful punishments that shall come upon thee for the same.
35Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotteni me, and cast me behind thy 72back, therefore bear thou also thy 73lewdness and thy whoredoms.
i Jer. 2:32; 3:21; 13:25; 18:15; Ezek. 22:12.
72 See 1 Kings 14 on verse 9.
73 That is, the punishment thereof, also verse 49.
36¶The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou 74judgej75Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;
74 See Ezek. 20 on verse 4; 22:2.
j Ezek. 20:4; 22:2.
75 See verse 4.
37That they have committed adultery, and 76blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto 77me, to pass for them 78through the fire,k to 79devour them.
76 Especially the blood of their own children. See verse 45; Ezek. 16:36.
77 As being Abraham’s seed and in covenant with Me, likewise born, while My marriage with them still stood. See Ezek. 16 on verse 20.
78 See Ezek. 16:20, 21, 36, 45, with the annotations. Likewise Ezek. 20:31.
k Ezek. 16:21; 20:26, 31.
79 Namely, of the fire, that is, to be consumed by the fire. Compare Ezek. 16:20; 21:32 with the annotations.
38Moreover this they have done 80unto me: they have defiled 81my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.l
80 Or, against me.
81 Other, my sanctuaries, that is, the temple, wherein was the holy place and the Holy of Holies.
l Ezek. 22:8.
39For when they had 82slainm their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my 83sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thusn have they done in the midst of mine house.
82 Or, throated them, cut their throats, namely to the honor of their idols. See Ezek. 16:20, 36, with the annotations. Likewise Isa. 57:5.
m Ezek. 16:21.
83 Pretending as if they were willing to tender yet some service and honor unto Me. Compare 2 Kings 21:4, 5; Jer. 7:9, 10; 11:15; Ezek. 8:3, 6; 43:8.
n 2 Kings 21:4, etc.
40And furthermore, that ye have 84sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments,
84 To make unlawful covenants with pagan nations, for the alluring and entertaining, of which God relates that they used similar tricks, practices and devises, as the cunning base strumpets are wont to do.
41And satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, whereupono thou hast set 85mine incense and mine oil.
o Prov. 7:17.
85 Which I had given thee, wherewith I, as thy lawful Husband, had endowed and adorned thee, and which thou oughtest to have used to Mine honor and glory. Compare Ezek. 16:16, 17, 18, 19; Hosea 2:8, 9.
42And a voice of a multitude 86being at ease was with 87her: and with the men of the 88common sort were brought 89Sabeans from the wilderness, which put 90bracelets upon 91their hands, and 92beautiful crowns upon their heads.
86 Namely, upon the aforesaid bed, that is, when these sisters had dispatched their covenant-affairs with those great pagan lords, they sent unto others. Other, and in them (namely, Judah and Israel) was a voice of a merry company (that is, there was heard mirth (as is usual in brothel-houses) for the pagan covenants), and with the multitude, or because of the multitude of men (that is, of the common rabble) were brought Sabeans, etc.
87 Namely, Aholah and Aholibah.
88 That is, of the common people, or of the lower sort of men.
89 Or, drunkards, drunken men, etc. Other, Sabeans, because the Hebrew word may signify both because there is likewise mention made of the wilderness, so hereby may be understood all the rabble of vile and base nations, as the Sabeans (of whom see Job 1 on verse 15), Arabians, Ethiopians, etc. (being also given to drinking and swilling) towards whom these adulterous sisters did likewise carry themselves as vile base strumpets.
90 Or, arm-jewels, bracelets.
91 Namely, upon the hands of these harlots.
92 Hebr. crown of ornament.
43Then 93said I unto her that was 94old in adulteries, 95Will they now commit whoredoms with her, 96and she with them?
93 That is, I thought, humanly speaking, to express the unbridled wickedness of the people.
94 Or, worn out. This may be applied to Aholah, as whose whoredom began even under the reign of Jeroboam, after the death of Solomon; or of Aholibah, who continued longest in her own country, or of both together. Other, And I told this old one of her idolatries, that is, I reproved her about them by My prophets, but it was to no purpose, as follows.
95 As if the Lord said: Now it seems that notwithstanding her old age, her whoredom will begin again anew. Other, Now will they whore out the whoredoms of this whore and she also herself, that is, now will they surely once grow weary and cease, as well those who come abroad to commit fornication with these harlots, as these harlots themselves; but no, the contrary has appeared. Other, in that they commit whoredom sometimes with this and sometimes with that harlot. These words are differently translated because of their brevity.
96 Or, and also of the other. It will begin again. Or, as others, it will once cease with them both.
44Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the 97lewd women.
97 Hebr. women of lewdness.
45¶And the 98righteous men, they shall 99judgep them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the 100manner of women that shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and 101blood is in their hands.
98 This may be taken generally, as if the Lord would have said: All honest righteous men shall have to condemn these harlots. Or, it may be applied to the Assyrians and Babylonians, who are called righteous, because they were the executioners of God’s justice upon Israel and Judah, and had just cause for it, by reason of their perjury and rebellion. See the next verse.
99 Or, condemn.
p Ezek. 16:38.
100 See Ezek. 16 on verse 38.
101 As verse 37.
46For thus saith the Lord GOD; 102I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled.
102 Or, One shall, they shall, as Ezek. 16:40.
47And the company shall stone them with stones,q and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burnr up their houses with fire.
q Ezek. 16:38, 40.
r Ezek. 16:41.
48Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to do after your lewdness.
49And they shall recompense your lewdness 103upon you, and ye shall bear the 104sins of your idols: and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
103 That is, upon your heads, recompensing and punishing you according to your deserts.
104 That is, the punishments of your sins, committed with your idols, as verse 35.