Bible Strands
Ezekiel 23:7
She offered sexual favors to all the elite of Assyria. She defiled herself with all the idols of those for whom she lusted.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Ezekiel addresses the exiled elders of Israel, narrating an allegory of two sisters representing Samaria and Jerusalem. He describes their historical pursuit of foreign political alliances and their subsequent adoption of the gods attached to those alliances.
The words — The phrase וַ/תִּתֵּ֤ן תַּזְנוּתֶ֙י/הָ֙ (va./ti.Ten taz.nu.Tei./ha) literally renders "and she gave her prostitution" or "she offered sexual favors." This verb directly introduces the covenant-breaking act that the surrounding narrative details.
The thread — This pattern of political and spiritual prostitution recurs in Hosea 5:3 and Hosea 6:10, where Ephraim and Israel are accused of turning to idolatry and defiling themselves. Ezekiel 20:7 similarly warns the ancestors against defiling themselves with the abominations of Egypt.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that seeking security through foreign powers and their gods constitutes a direct violation of covenant loyalty. It requires the reader to identify where competing loyalties functionally replace 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
Thus she committed her whoredoms with them, with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted: with all their idols she defiled herself.
Cross-references
- Hosea 5:3 I know all about Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me. For now, O Ephraim, you have turned to prostitution; Israel is defiled.
- Hosea 6:10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing: Ephraim practices prostitution there, and Israel is defiled.
- Ezekiel 20:7 And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’
- Ezekiel 22:3 and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O city who brings her own doom by shedding blood within her walls and making idols to defile herself,
- Genesis 10:22 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.
- Psalms 106:39 They defiled themselves by their actions and prostituted themselves by their deeds.
- Ezekiel 16:15 But because of your fame, you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot. You lavished your favors on everyone who passed by, and your beauty was theirs for the asking.
- Ezekiel 23:30 have brought these things upon you, because you have prostituted yourself with the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.