Bible Strands
Ezekiel 23:9
Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, the Assyrians for whom she lusted.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Yahweh addresses Ezekiel concerning the allegorical cities of Samaria and Jerusalem, pronouncing judgment immediately after describing their initial idolatry in Egypt. This declaration marks the transition from their prolonged unfaithfulness to the execution of their appointed consequences.
The words — The conjunction לָ/כֵ֥ן (la./Khen) translates literally as "to/ therefore," establishing direct causality. The verb phrase נְתַתִּ֖י/הָ (ne.ta.Ti./ha) means "I gave/ her," presenting the surrender to foreign powers as a deliberate divine act rather than mere historical accident.
The thread — The verse traces this judgment to Assyrian conquest, paralleling the campaigns recorded in 2 Kings 15:29 and the final removal of Israel in 2 Kings 17:23. Hosea 11:5 reinforces this trajectory, noting that persistent refusal to repent results in political subjugation under Assyrian authority.
Why it lands — The text states that pursuing foreign alliances and idolatry directly results in surrender to those exact powers. It requires the reader to accept that divine judgment operates through historical consequences, demanding accountability for chosen allegiances without offering mitigation.
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
Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted.
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 15:29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and he took the people as captives to Assyria.
- 2 Kings 17:23 Finally, the LORD removed Israel from His presence, as He had declared through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their homeland into Assyria, where they are to this day.
- Hosea 11:5 Will they not return to the land of Egypt and be ruled by Assyria because they refused to repent?
- 2 Kings 17:3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute.
- 2 Kings 18:9 In the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which was the seventh year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it.
- 1 Chronicles 5:26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria) to take the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. And he brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this day.
- Revelation 17:12 The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings along with the beast.
- Revelation 17:16 And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.