Bible Strands
Ezekiel 23:5
Oholah prostituted herself while she was still Mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians—warriors
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Ezekiel addresses the exiled community, using the allegorical figures Oholah and Oholibah to represent Samaria and Jerusalem. He recounts their initial covenant relationship with Yahweh before detailing their subsequent political alliances.
The words — The text highlights וַתִּזֶן (va.ti.zen), meaning "she acted as a prostitute," and וַתַּעְגַּב (va.ta'.gav), meaning "she lusted." These verbs establish the commercial and emotional nature of the covenant violation.
The thread — This pattern of seeking Assyrian protection appears in 2 Kings 15:19, 2 Kings 16:7, and 2 Kings 17:3. Those passages record the historical subjugation of the northern and southern kingdoms under Assyrian tribute and military control.
Why it lands — The passage demands recognition that political reliance on foreign powers constitutes a breach of covenant loyalty. It requires the reader to evaluate whether current allegiances compromise exclusive devotion to the covenant God.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 15:19 Then Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver in order to gain his support and strengthen his own grip on the kingdom.
- 2 Kings 16:7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hands of the kings of Aram and Israel, who are rising up against me.”
- 2 Kings 17:3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute.
- Hosea 5:13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, then Ephraim turned to Assyria and sent to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.
- 2 Kings 17:7 All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods
- Jeremiah 50:38 A drought is upon her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is a land of graven images, and the people go mad over idols.
- Ezekiel 16:28 Then you prostituted yourself with the Assyrians, because you were not yet satisfied. Even after that, you were still not satisfied.
- Hosea 8:9 For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey on its own. Ephraim has hired lovers.
- 1 Kings 14:9 You have done more evil than all who came before you. You have proceeded to make for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me, and you have flung Me behind your back.
- 1 Kings 14:16 So He will give Israel over on account of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.”