Ezekiel 23:18-21

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 23:18

So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness ,.... The Jews did not cease from their idolatries when they broke with the Babylonians; but were rather more frequent and impudent in them, and courted the friendship and alliance of other Heathen nations, and their worship; even as a lewd woman, when she has cast off her former lovers, does not leave her lewdness, but seeks after others; and by her impudence in discovering her whoredoms, and her nakedness, and by all the signs... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 23:19

Yet she multiplied her whoredoms ,.... Though the Lord frowned upon the Jews in the times of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, yet still they went on, and increased their alliances and idolatries with the Heathen nations: in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt ; they called to mind with pleasure the idolatries of their fathers in Egypt, and committed the same themselves; they sent ambassadors to Egypt, in the times of Zedekiah, for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 23:20

For she doted upon their paramours ,.... Or "concubines" F26 פלגשיהם "equecubinas eorum", Vatablus, so Junius & Tremellius, Polanus; "concubitores", Munster, Tigurine version; "cinaedos", Castalio; and, as Ben Melech observes, these were men, and not women. ; the neighbouring nations and allies of the Egyptians, whose friendship the Jews courted, and whose idols they served: the Septuagint and Arabic versions wrongly read the Chaldeans: whose flesh is as the flesh of asses,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 23:21

Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth ,.... By committing the same; the same idolatries their fathers committed in Egypt they now committed, being in alliance with the same people: or, thou causest to be visited the lewdness of thy youth F1 ותפקדי את זמת נעוריך "et visitasti scelus adolescestiae, vel pueritiae tuae", Piscator, Starckius; i.e. "visitari fecisti a Deo", a Lapide. ; by the Lord, who remembered their sins, and punished them for them: in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 23:20

She doted upon their paramours - פלגשיהם pillagsheyhem , their harlots or concubines. Anciently harlot meant in our language either the male or female prostitute. Whose flesh is as the flesh of asses - See on Ezekiel 16:25 ; (note). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 23:1-49

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 23:1-49

Inexcusable infidelity. What it must have cost the patriotic prophet to write this chapter passes our power to imagine. The Jew was naturally and pardonably proud of his country and of its history. No thoughtful Jew could, indeed, be insensible to imperfections and flaws in the national character, to stains upon the nation's annals. But in this passage of his prophecies the dark shading is relieved by no gleam of light. Israel is depicted as bad from the days of Egyptian bondage down to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 23:19

Yet she multiplied her whoredoms . The disappointment and failure, however, did not lead to repentance. Foreign alliances, and with them foreign idolatries, were courted more eagerly than ever, though in a different direction. The lovers were changed, but the harlotry went on. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 23:20

She doted on her paramours . Commonly the word is used of a concubine ( Genesis 22:24 ; 8:31 ). Here it is used in scorn of the Egyptian princes whose favor Judah courted, reminding us of Homer's ἀχαιίδες οὐκετ ἀχαίοι , as indicating their political weakness. All that need be said of the comparison that follows is that here also Ezekiel follows in the footsteps of Jeremiah ( Jeremiah 5:8 ). What is indicated is that Judah threw herself into the idolatrous ritual of Egypt with... read more

Group of Brands