Ezekiel 23:1-49

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 23:1-10

God had often spoken to Ezekiel, and by him to the people, to this effect, but now his word comes again; for God speaks the same thing once, yea, twice, yea, many a time, and all little enough, and too little, for man perceives it not. Note, To convince sinners of the evil of sin, and of their misery and danger by reason of it, there is need of line upon line, so loth we are to know the worst of ourselves. The sinners that are here to be exposed are two women, two kingdoms, sister-kingdoms,... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 23:11-21

The prophet Hosea, in his time, observed that the two tribes retained their integrity, in a great measure, when the ten tribes had apostatized (Hos. 11:12; Ephraim indeed compasses me about with lies, but Judah yet rules with God and is faithful with the saints; and this was justly expected from them: Hos. 4:15; Though thou Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend); but this lasted not long. By some unhappy matches made between the house of David and the house of Ahab the worship of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 23:22-35

Jerusalem stands indicted by the name of Aholibah, for that she, as a false traitor to her sovereign Lord the God of heaven, not having his fear before her eyes, but moved by the instigation of the devil, had revolted from her allegiance to him, had compassed and imagined to shake off his government, had kept up a correspondence had joined in confederacy with his enemies, and the pretenders to a deity, in contempt of his crown and dignity. To this indictment she has pleaded, Not guilty: I am... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 23:36-49

After the ten tribes were carried into captivity, and that kingdom was made quite desolate, the remains of it by degrees incorporated with the kingdom of Judah, and gained a settlement (many of them) in Jerusalem; so that the two sisters had in effect become one again; and therefore, in these verses, the prophet takes those to task jointly who were thus conjoined: ?Wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah together? Ezek. 23:36. Wilt thou go about to frame an excuse for them? Thou seest the matter... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 23:1

The word of the Lord came unto me ,.... The word of prophecy, as the Targum; another prophecy, one upon the same subject, as in Ezekiel 16:1 , saying ; as follows: read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 23:2

Son of man, there were two women ,.... Or two nations and kingdoms, the kingdom of Israel or the ten tribes, and the kingdom of Judah or the two tribes. So the Targum, "son of man, prophesy concerning two provinces, which are as two women:' the daughters of one mother ; either Sarah the wife of Abraham, from whom they sprung; or because they were originally one kingdom and nation; so they were when they came out of Egypt, and during the times of the judges, and in the reigns of David... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 23:3

And they committed whoredoms in Egypt ,.... When they were but one body, one nation; and while they sojourned as strangers in that land they learned and practised the idolatries of it, Joshua 24:14 , and so the Targum, "and they erred in Egypt, after the worship of their idols they erred, and there they corrupted their works:' they committed whoredoms in their youth ; as soon as they were come out of Egypt, and were formed into a political and ecclesiastical state, had the law of God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 23:4

And the names of them were Aholah the elder ,.... Or, "the greater" F13 הגדולה "major", Junius and Tremellius, Polanus, Starckius. meaning the ten tribes of Israel, which were more in number than Judah, and greater in power and riches; their name, Aholah, signifies "her tent or tabernacle", which was entirely their own, and not the Lord's: their worship, and places of worship, were of their own appointing, namely, their calves at Dan and Bethel; God had nothing to do with them, there... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 23:5

And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine ,.... His married wife, and so ought to have cleaved to him alone: or, under me F15 תחתי "sub me", Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Tigurine version. Piscator, Cocceius, Starckius. ; under his cover, power, and protection, and therefore it was their interest to serve him only: or, "instead of me" F16 "Exteros excipiens loco meo", Junius & Tremellius, Polanus. ; or, as the Syriac version, "besides me": they worshipped other gods in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 23:6

Which were clothed with blue ,.... A colour the Assyrians were fond of, and clothed their soldiers in, and was taking to the eye; and is mentioned, because that men, finely clothed find beautifully arrayed, are more engaging to women, who are fond of dress: captains and rulers ; men of power and authority in military and civil affairs, either in the camp, or in the court; officers either in the army, or in the king's palace; and which was a recommendation of them: desirable young men ... read more

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