CHAPTER 23
and they played
in Egypt,
prostituting themselves
from their youth.
Their breasts
were fondled
there,
and their virgin
bosoms
caressed.
The older
was named
Oholah,
and her sister
was Oholibah.
They became
Mine
and gave birth to
sons
and daughters.
As for their identities,
Oholah
is Samaria,
and Oholibah
is Jerusalem.
Oholah
prostituted herself
while she was still Mine.
She lusted
after
her lovers,
the Assyrians—
warriors
She offered
sexual favors
to all
the elite
of Assyria.
She defiled herself
with all
the idols
of those for whom
she lusted.
She did not
give up
the prostitution
she began in Egypt,
when
men slept
with her
in her youth,
caressed
her virgin
bosom,
and poured out
their lust
upon her.
They
exposed
her nakedness,
seized
her sons
and daughters,
and put her
to the sword.
Thus she became
a byword
among women,
and they executed
judgment
against her.
Her sister
Oholibah
saw this,
yet in her lust
and
prostitution
she was more depraved
than her sister.
She too lusted
after
the Assyrians—
governors
and commanders,
warriors
dressed
in splendor,
horsemen
riding on
steeds,
all
desirable
young men.
But Oholibah carried
her prostitution even further.
She saw
the men
portrayed
on
the wall,
images
of the Chaldeans,
engraved
in vermilion,
wearing
belts
on their waists
and flowing
turbans
on their heads;
all
of them looked
like officers
of the Babylonians
in Chaldea,
the land
of their birth.
Then the Babylonians
came
to her,
to the bed
of love,
and in their lust
they defiled
her.
But after she had been defiled by them,
she
turned away
in disgust.
When Oholibah openly
prostituted herself
and exposed
her nakedness,
I
turned away from her
in disgust,
just as
I
had turned away
from
her sister.
Yet she multiplied
her promiscuity,
remembering
the days
of her youth,
when
she had prostituted herself
in the land
of Egypt
and lusted
after
their lovers,
whose
genitals
were like those
of donkeys
and whose emission
was like that
of stallions.
So you revisited
the indecency
of your youth,
when the Egyptians
caressed
your bosom
and pressed
your young
breasts.
Therefore,
Oholibah,
this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘I will incite
your lovers
against you,
those
from whom
you turned in disgust.
And I will bring them
against you
from every side—
the Babylonians
and all
the Chaldeans,
the men of Pekod,
Shoa,
and Koa,
and all
the Assyrians
with them—
all desirable
young men,
governors
and commanders,
officers
and administrators,
mounted on
horses.
They will come
against you
with a host
of peoples,
with weapons,
chariots,
and wagons.
They will array themselves
against you
on every side
with buckler
and shield
and helmet.
I will delegate
judgment
to them,
and they will punish you
by their own standards.
And I will set
My jealous rage
against you,
and they will deal
with you
in fury.
They will cut off
your noses
and ears,
and your survivors
will fall
by the sword.
They
will seize
your sons
and daughters,
and your remnant
will be consumed
by fire.
So I will put an end
to
your indecency
and prostitution,
which began in the land
of Egypt,
and you will not
lift
your eyes
to them
or remember
Egypt
anymore.’
For
this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘Surely
I will deliver you
into the hands of those
you hate,
from whom
you turned away
in disgust.
They will treat
you with hatred,
take
all for which
you have worked,
and leave you
naked
and bare,
so that the shame
of your prostitution
will be exposed.
Your indecency
and promiscuity
have brought
these things
upon you,
because you have prostituted yourself
with
the nations
and defiled yourself
with their idols.
This is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘You will drink
your sister’s
cup,
a cup deep
and wide.
It will bring
scorn
and derision,
for it holds
so much.
You will be filled
with drunkenness
and grief,
with a cup
of devastation
and desolation,
the cup
of your sister
Samaria.
You will drink
it dry;
you will dash it
to pieces,
and tear
your breasts.
For
I
have spoken,’
declares
the Lord
GOD.
Therefore,
this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘Because
you have forgotten
Me
and have cast
Me
behind
your back,
you
must bear the consequences
of your indecency
and
prostitution.’”
Then the LORD
said
to me:
“Son
of man,
will you pass judgment
against Oholah
and Oholibah?
Then declare
to them
their abominations.
For
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.
They have also
done
to Me
this:
On that very same
day
they defiled
My sanctuary
and profaned
My Sabbaths.
On the very
day
they slaughtered
their children
for their idols,
they entered
My sanctuary
to profane it.
Yes,
this
they did
inside
My house.
Furthermore,
they 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.
You sat
on
a couch
of luxury
with a table
spread
before it,
on
which you had set
My incense
and My oil.
The sound
of a carefree
crowd
accompanied her.
Sabeans
were brought in
from the desert
along with
men
from the rabble,
who put
bracelets
on
your wrists
and beautiful
crowns
on
your head.
Then I said
of her who had grown old
in adulteries:
‘Now
let them use her as a prostitute,
for that is all she is!’
And they slept
with her
as with
a prostitute;
they slept with
Oholah
and Oholibah,
those lewd
women.
But righteous
men
will sentence
them
to the punishment of
those who commit adultery
and bloodshed,
because
they
are adulteresses
with blood
on their hands.
This is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘Bring a mob
against them
and consign
them
to terror
and plunder.
The mob
will stone
them
and cut them
down
with their swords.
They will kill
their sons
and daughters
and burn down
their houses.
So I will put an end
to indecency
in
the land,
and all
the women
will be admonished
not
to imitate
your behavior.
They will repay
you for your indecency,
and you will bear the consequences
of your sins
of idolatry.
Then you will know
that
I
am the Lord
GOD.’”