Ezekiel 23:36-44 · Bible study
Ezekiel 23:36-44 Commentary: The Case Against the Sisters
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God tell Ezekiel to judge rather than intercede? This passage exposes the shocking sins of Israel and Judah, and the end of mercy.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God commands Ezekiel to pronounce judgment on Israel and Judah for persistent idolatry, child sacrifice, defiling the temple, and trusting foreign alliances, exposing that the time for intercession is past.
- Key words: “Judge” (rhetorical, meaning to declare guilty), “adultery” (both literal and spiritual), “blood” (violence, child sacrifice), “same day” (hypocrisy of mixing worship with abomination).
- Main debate: Whether the “men from afar” represent literal foreign ambassadors (Barnes, JFB) or the idols themselves (Keil); and whether “Sabeans/drunkards” are a textual variant for mercenary troops.
- Theological theme: The holiness of God cannot tolerate the mixing of true worship with idolatry; persistent sin leads to a point of no return where judgment replaces intercession.
- Best use: As a solemn warning against hypocrisy, worldly alliances, and the gradual erosion of reverence for God’s house and holy things.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
36Then the LORD said to me: “Son of man, will you pass judgment against Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.
37For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols. They have even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to Me, in the fire as food for their idols.
38They have also done this to Me: On that very same day, they defiled My sanctuary and profaned My Sabbaths.
39On the very day they slaughtered their children for their idols, they entered My sanctuary to profane it. Yes, they did this inside My house.
40Furthermore, you sisters sent messengers for men who came from afar; and behold, when they arrived, you bathed for them, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with jewelry.
41You sat on a couch of luxury with a table spread before it, on which you had set My incense and My oil,
42accompanied by the sound of a carefree crowd. Drunkards were brought in from the desert along with men from the rabble, who put bracelets on your wrists and beautiful crowns on your head.
43Then I said of her who had grown old in adulteries: ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is!’
44And they slept with her as with a prostitute; they slept with Oholah and Oholibah, those lewd women.
WEB World English Bible 2000
36Yahweh said moreover to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.
37For they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols. They have also caused their sons, whom they bore to me, to pass through the fire to them to be devoured.
38Moreover this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my Sabbaths.
39For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and behold, they have done this in the middle of my house.
40“Furthermore you sisters have sent for men who come from far away, to whom a messenger was sent, and behold, they came; for whom you washed yourself, painted your eyes, decorated yourself with ornaments,
41and sat on a stately bed, with a table prepared before it, whereupon you set my incense and my oil.
42“The voice of a multitude being at ease was with her. With men of the common sort were brought drunkards from the wilderness; and they put bracelets on their hands, and beautiful crowns on their heads.
43Then I said of her who was old in adulteries, ‘Now they will play the prostitute with her, and she with them.’
44They went in to her, as they go in to a prostitute. So they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women.
KJV King James Version 1769
36The Lord said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;
37That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them.
38Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.
39For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house.
40And furthermore, that ye have sent 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,
41And satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.
42And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.
43Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them?
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 lewd women.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
36Jehovah said moreover unto me: Son of man, wilt thou judge Oholah and Oholibah? then declare unto them their abominations.
37For they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands; and with their idols have they committed adultery; and they have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass through the fire unto them to be devoured.
38Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.
39For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of my house.
40And furthermore ye have sent for men that come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent, and, lo, they came; for whom thou didst wash thyself, paint thine eyes, and deck thyself with ornaments,
41and sit upon a stately bed, with a table prepared before it, whereupon thou didst set mine incense and mine oil.
42And the voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with men of the common sort were brought drunkards from the wilderness; and they put bracelets upon the hands of them twain, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.
43Then said I of her that was old in adulteries, Now will they play the harlot with her, and she with them.
44And they went in unto her, as they go in unto a harlot: so went they in unto Oholah and unto Oholibah, the lewd women.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
36And Jehovah saith unto me, `Son of man, Dost thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? Declare then to them their abominations.
37For they have committed adultery, And blood is in their hands, With their idols they committed adultery, And also their sons whom they bore to Me, They caused to pass over to them for food.
38Again, this they have done to Me, They defiled My sanctuary in that day, And My sabbaths they have polluted.
39And in their slaughtering their sons to their idols They also come in unto My sanctuary in that day to pollute it, And lo, thus they have done in the midst of My house,
40And also that they send to men coming from afar, Unto whom a messenger is sent, And lo, they have come in for whom thou hast washed, Painted thine eyes, and put on adornment.
41And thou hast sat on a couch of honour, And a table arrayed before it, And My perfume and My oil placed on it.
42And the voice of a multitude at ease is with her, And unto men of the common people are brought in Sabeans from the wilderness, And they put bracelets on their hands, And a beauteous crown on their heads.
43And I say of the worn-out one in adulteries, Now they commit her whoredoms--she also!
44And they come in unto her, As the coming in unto a whorish woman, So they have come in unto Aholah, And unto Aholibah--the wicked women.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
36And Jehovah said unto me, Son of man, wilt thou judge Oholah and Oholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations.
37For they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands; and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also passed over unto them their children, whom they bore unto me, to be devoured.
38Moreover this have they done unto me: in the same day have they defiled my sanctuary and profaned my sabbaths.
39For when they had slaughtered their children unto their idols, they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and behold, thus have they done in the midst of my house.
40And furthermore, they sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and behold, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thine eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments;
41and satest upon a stately bed, with a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hadst set mine incense and mine oil.
42And the voice of a multitude living carelessly was with her; and with people of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, and they put bracelets upon their hands, and a beautiful crown upon their heads.
43And I said of her that was old in adulteries, Will she now commit her fornications, even she.
44And they went in unto her, as they go in unto a whorish woman: so went they in unto Oholah and unto Oholibah the lewd women.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
36And the Lord spoke to me, saying: Son of man, dost thou judge Oolla, and Ooliba, and dost thou declare to them their wicked deeds?
37Because they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and they have committed fornication with their idols: moreover also their children, whom they bore to me, they have offered to them to be devoured.
38Yea, and they have done this to me. They polluted my sanctuary on the same day, and profaned my sabbaths.
39And when they sacrificed their children to their idols, and went into my sanctuary the same day to profane it: they did these things even in the midst of my house.
40They sent for men coming from afar, to whom they had sent a messenger: and behold they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, and didst paint thy eyes, and wast adorned with women's ornaments.
41Thou sattest on a very fine bed, and a table was decked before thee: whereupon thou didst set my incense, and my ointment.
42And there was in her the voice of a multitude rejoicing: and to some that were brought of the multitude of men, and that came from the desert, they put bracelets on their hands, and beautiful crowns on their heads.
43And I said to her that was worn out in her adulteries: Now will this woman still continue in her fornication.
44And they went in to her, as to a harlot: so went they in unto Oolla, and Ooliba, wicked women.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this passage is a judicial summing-up of Israel's and Judah's sins. The opening phrase “will you judge” is read by Keil and Delitzsch as a rhetorical question meaning “will you not judge?”, paralleling Ezekiel 20:4 and 22:2. God is not inviting intercession; He is commanding a verdict. The sins listed, adultery (idolatry), child sacrifice, defiling the sanctuary on the same day, profaning Sabbaths, and courting foreign alliances, are deliberately heaped together to show a pattern of brazen unfaithfulness. Barnes notes the horror of offering children to Molech and then entering Yahweh's house “the same day.” Matthew Henry calls this “the condemnation of a people ripe for ruin.” The phrase “old in adulteries” (v.43) is taken by the Cambridge Bible as indication of a long, incorrigible history. The overall consensus: the time for pleading is over; only judgment remains.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Judgment without intercession: The rhetorical 'will you judge?' parallels Ezekiel 20:4 and 22:2, indicating that the prophet's role is to declare, not plead.
- Historical vs. figurative reading: Some see the 'men from afar' as literal political envoys (Barnes), while others read them as idols or spiritual powers (Keil).
- The point of no return: The phrase 'old in adulteries' (v.43) is debated as describing either a long habit that invites judgment or a final, irreversible state.
What is clear: The passage is a divine verdict against God’s people for persistent and shocking unfaithfulness, signaling that the time for intercession has passed and judgment is certain.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'judge' in verse 36 | Commentators agree the verb means to pronounce a guilty verdict, not to intercede or to mediate. | Some see it as a rhetorical question ('Will you not judge?'), following Ezekiel 20:4 and 22:2; others take it as a direct command. The outcome is the same: judgment is declared. |
| Identity of the 'men from afar' | They represent foreign nations with whom Israel and Judah formed alliances. | Some (like Barnes) see them as literal envoys and ambassadors; others (like Keil) emphasize the idolatrous nature of the alliances, focusing on the spiritual adultery. |
| Textual variant in verse 42: 'Sabeans' or 'drunkards' | The text refers to foreign mercenaries or a rowdy multitude. | The Hebrew Keri (marginal reading) says 'drunkards' while the Qere says 'Sabeans.' Both point to a disorderly, pagan presence, but the exact identity is uncertain. |
| The role of child sacrifice in the passage | Child sacrifice is condemned as the ultimate covenant violation, the betrayal of God's own children to idols. | Some interpreters focus on the literal practice under Manasseh (Barnes); others see it as the peak of spiritual adultery that demonstrates how far the people have fallen. |
| Can a person or nation reach a point of no return? | The passage witnesses that persistent, unrepentant sin leads to certain judgment. | Christians differ on whether the 'old in adulteries' metaphor implies that repentance becomes impossible for the community, or whether it describes a hardened state from which only God can rescue. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ezekiel 23 uses an extended allegory of two sisters, Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem), to expose the spiritual unfaithfulness of the northern and southern kingdoms. By the time of this prophecy (around 591 BC, during the reign of Zedekiah), Samaria had already fallen to Assyria in 722 BC. Judah, having seen her sister's fate, nevertheless persisted in the same sins.
The actions described in verses 40, 42 reflect real practices. “Washing yourself, painting your eyes, and adorning yourself with ornaments” was a standard Near Eastern preparation for a banquet or for receiving guests, Adam Clarke draws attention to a parallel custom in Bengal. The “stately bed” or couch was where guests reclined; Gill explains that a “table prepared before it” with incense and oil indicates an idolatrous feast. God's own incense and oil, intended for His worship, were being offered to foreign gods.
“Sending for men from far away” refers to Judah's diplomatic overtures to Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon, seeking military alliances rather than trusting Yahweh. The “drunkards from the wilderness” have been variously identified as Sabeans (as in ASV, YLT) or mercenary bands (Barnes, JFB). The bracelets and crowns show the allure of such alliances.
Child sacrifice, mentioned in verse 37, was practiced in the Valley of Hinnom (Jeremiah 7:31). The shock of verse 39 is that parents would slaughter their children to Molech and then, on the same day, walk into the temple to worship. This mixing of the abominable with the sacred showed a total loss of reverence. The historical context makes clear that these were not private sins but public, institutional practices that defiled the covenant community.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources mention a textual variant in verse 42. The Hebrew text reads “Sabeans” (sons of Sheba) in some manuscripts, while the marginal reading (Keri) has “drunkards.” The Cambridge Bible notes that the LXX reads “and a sound of music they raised,” suggesting a different Hebrew Vorlage. The phrase “being at ease” has also been questioned; the word occurs only here in Ezekiel and may mean “living carelessly.” Despite these variants, the overall sense, a riotous, foreign multitude, is agreed upon. No other significant textual issues are reported for this passage.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Ezekiel 23:36, 44 has been read as a stark warning against covenant unfaithfulness. Early Christian writers, such as Jerome, allegorized the two sisters as the synagogue and the church (or the unfaithful and faithful), though most modern interpreters keep the historical referent to Samaria and Jerusalem. The Reformers, including Calvin and Luther, used the passage to condemn the mixing of true worship with human traditions and to argue that God will not tolerate idolatry in His sanctuary. In more recent centuries, commentators like Matthew Henry applied it as a call to self-examination for any church that grows comfortable with worldly alliances. The graphic imagery continues to shock readers into recognizing the seriousness of betraying God’s love.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Charge (vv.36, 37). God summons Ezekiel to pronounce the verdict on His people. The sins are adultery and bloodshed, both literal and spiritual. The ultimate betrayal is offering children to idols.
- The Hypocrisy (vv.38, 39). On the same day they commit child sacrifice, they enter the sanctuary. They treat Yahweh as one god among many, not the One God. Sabbath and sanctuary are profaned.
- The Alliance with the World (vv.40, 44). Seeking foreign powers becomes a form of prostitution. God's incense and oil are used to celebrate worldly alliances. The result is that the people become “old in adulteries”, hardened in their sin, and judgment falls.
Five-point outline
- Judgment, Not Intercession (v.36). The command to “judge” shuts the door on further pleading. As Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note, the rhetorical question implies that God will not be entreated.
- Adultery and Blood (v.37). Two categories: unfaithfulness to God and violence against the innocent. Child sacrifice is the extreme point.
- Defilement of the Sacred (vv.38, 39). The sanctuary and Sabbath are treated as ordinary. The same day, no separation between the profane and the holy.
- Pursuit of Foreign Lovers (vv.40, 42). Bathing, painting, jewelry, and a lavish bed: the imagery of seduction. The “men from afar” are political and military allies.
- The Irreversible Outcome (vv.43, 44). “Old in adulteries” means beyond repentance. The lovers come, and judgment follows.
Illustration hooks
- Mixed signals: A person who publicly worships on Sunday while secretly engaging in corrupt business deals, the same day, the same hands.
- Alliances of convenience: A church that partners with worldly institutions for power or money, neglecting its dependence on God.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do we keep from mixing our worship with worldly values?
- When does God stop listening to our prayers and start pronouncing judgment?
- What does it mean to be “old in adulteries”? Can a person or church reach a point of no return?
Leading a Discussion
This passage confronts us with a hard truth: persistent, unrepented sin can move God from mercy to judgment. The sisters represent God's own people, yet their betrayal is described in the rawest terms. As you discuss, notice that the focus is not on God's anger but on His grief, the sanctuary defiled, the incense misused, the children sacrificed. The question is not whether God is harsh, but whether we have grown numb to our own unfaithfulness.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 36, 37. Why do you think God tells Ezekiel to judge rather than intercede? What does this reveal about the seriousness of the sin?
- Verse 37 mentions “blood is in their hands.” How does child sacrifice connect with spiritual unfaithfulness? What forms of violence might accompany idolatry today?
- What stands out to you about the timing in verses 38, 39? (The same day they sacrificed children, they entered the sanctuary.) What does this say about their attitude toward God?
- In verses 40, 42, the sisters prepare for foreign visitors with washing, makeup, and a banquet. What does this ritual preparation symbolize about their trust in political alliances rather than God?
- Verse 43 says the Lord speaks of “her who was old in adulteries.” What does the phrase “old in” suggest about the depth and duration of their sin? Is there hope for such a person?
- Compare the final verse (44) with God’s earlier call to return in other prophets. Why is this passage so final? Does it contradict God’s mercy?
- How can we guard against the gradual hardening that leads to being “old in adulteries”? What safeguards does the church have against mixing holy and profane?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Isaiah 58:1 | “Cry aloud! Don’t spare! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins. |
| Jeremiah 1:10 | Behold, I have today set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” |
| Jeremiah 11:14 | “Therefore don’t pray for this people. Don’t lift up cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their trouble. |
| Jeremiah 14:11 | Yahweh said to me, “Don’t pray for this people for their good. |
| Ezekiel 16:2 | “Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations; |
| Ezekiel 20:4 | “Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers. |
| Ezekiel 22:2 | “You, son of man, will you judge? Will you judge the bloody city? Then cause her to know all her abominations. |
| Hosea 2:2 | Contend with your mother! Contend, for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband; and let her put away her prostitution from her face, and her adulteries from between her breasts; |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke connects the prophet's description of Jerusalem's idolatry to actual customs he knew, noting the details match exactly how a loose woman in Bengal prepares for guests: bathing, painting her eyes, and covering herself with ornaments. He reads the stately bed as a luxurious altar, and the raucous crowd as participants in an idolatrous festival.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that the sin described here is not idolatry but courting political alliances with foreign powers, which were as easily broken as they were made. He corrects the translation to show Israel and Judah sent for these allies, and the gifts they gave quieted the invading army's threats, only to bring eventual punishment.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This passage is not a continuation of the earlier allegory but an independent description running parallel to it. The commentary highlights a particular horror: the sisters entered the Lord’s house on the same day they had sacrificed their children, feeling no incongruity in combining the two acts.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that God rejects any defense or intercession for Israel and Judah. Instead, he commands the prophet to expose their abominations: murder, child sacrifice, defiling the sanctuary, and actively seeking alliances with pagan nations. They adorned themselves like a harlot for these foreign lovers, even using God's own incense and oil.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights Judah's shameless hypocrisy: on the same day they burned their children to Molech, they presented themselves as worshippers in the Lord's temple. They used every seductive art, even painting their eyes, to attract idolatrous allies, and they offered God's own incense on pagan altars.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch draws a sharp distinction between two separate crimes in this passage: literal idolatry, especially child sacrifice to Molech, and the ungodly political alliance with Chaldea. The sending for distant lovers, adorning oneself, and feasting with incense and oil refer not to worship of false gods but to Judah's diplomatic flirtation with foreign powers.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Ezekiel 23 differs from chapter 16 by shifting focus from God's love for the faithless bride to the seductive splendor of the foreign lovers she pursued. Here the sin is trusting political alliances with heathen nations rather than religious idolatry, and the prospect of pardon recedes behind the certainty of judgment.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the brazen hypocrisy of entering the temple on the very day they had defiled themselves with idolatry and murder. He notes the specific details of their sin: washing like a harlot, preparing a feast, offering incense to idols, and shouting in joy over a peace treaty with Israel's enemies.