What does Ezekiel 23:36 mean?
"¶ The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;" - Ezekiel 23:36
Ezekiel 23:36 in the King James Version of the Bible reads: "The Lord said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations."
This verse is part of a larger passage in the book of Ezekiel that details the sins and judgment of two sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, who represent the northern kingdom of Israel (Aholah) and the southern kingdom of Judah (Aholibah). Throughout this passage, Ezekiel uses powerful and vivid imagery to illustrate the spiritual adultery and idolatry of these two sister nations. The language used is graphic and provocative, designed to shock and awaken the people to the severity of their sins and the impending judgment from God.
Context:
In Ezekiel 23, the prophet Ezekiel is given a vision and a message from the Lord to confront the sinful behavior of the Israelites. The passage uses the metaphor of two sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, to represent the unfaithfulness and idolatry of the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel. The imagery of prostitution and adultery is used to illustrate the spiritual infidelity of the people, specifically their worship of false gods and their alliances with foreign nations that led them astray from their covenant with God.
Symbolism:
The use of the metaphor of two sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, to represent the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel, serves to highlight the widespread idolatry and unfaithfulness of the entire nation. The graphic language and imagery of prostitution and lewd behavior are meant to shock and awaken the people to the severity of their sins and the impending judgment from God. By using such bold and provocative language, Ezekiel seeks to bring about repentance and a turning back to God.
Themes:
The primary theme of Ezekiel 23:36 is the judgment of God on those who have turned away from Him and engaged in spiritual adultery. The imagery of prostitution and promiscuity serves as a powerful metaphor for the idolatry and unfaithfulness of the Israelites, and the consequences that they will face for their actions. Additionally, the passage emphasizes the holiness and faithfulness of God, and the importance of remaining faithful to Him alone.
Overall, Ezekiel 23:36 is a powerful and sobering reminder of the consequences of unfaithfulness and idolatry in the eyes of God. It serves as a warning to all who would turn away from Him and place their trust in false gods or worldly alliances. The graphic and provocative language used is meant to shock and awaken the people to the severity of their sins, and to underscore the need for repentance and a return to faithful obedience to God.
Have questions about Ezekiel 23:36?
Dive deeper into this scripture with Bible Chat — an AI-powered tool for exploring God's Word through conversation. Ask questions, get context, and grow in your understanding of the Bible.
Get Our Apps
Ezekiel 23:36 Artwork
Ezekiel 23:36 - "¶ The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;"
"¶ The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;" - Ezekiel 23:36
Ezekiel 36:23 - "And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes."
Ezekiel 36:16 - "¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
Ezekiel 36:36 - "Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it."
2 Samuel 23:36 - "Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,"
Genesis 36:23 - "And the children of Shobal were these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam."
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." - Ezekiel 36:26
Ezekiel 36:34 - "And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by."
Luke 23:36 - "And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,"
Exodus 36:23 - "And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:"
Ezekiel 36:9 - "For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown:"
Matthew 23:36 - "Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation."
Ezekiel 27:36 - "The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more."
Ezekiel 36:30 - "And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen."
Job 36:23 - "Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?"
Ezekiel 36:28 - "And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God."
Ezekiel 36:21 - "¶ But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went."
Ezekiel 20:36 - "Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 36:14 - "Therefore thou shalt devour men no more, neither bereave thy nations any more, saith the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 36:1 - "Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:"
Ezekiel 36:35 - "And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited."
Ezekiel 36:19 - "And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them."
Ezekiel 36:24 - "For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land."
Ezekiel 36:29 - "I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you."
"¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying," - Ezekiel 36:16
Ezekiel 36:18 - "Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it:"
Ezekiel 36:10 - "And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:"
Ezekiel 41:23 - "And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors."
Ezekiel 40:36 - "The little chambers thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits."