12 “She lusted for the neighboring (A)Assyrians,
(B)Captains and rulers,
Clothed most gorgeously,
Horsemen riding on horses,
All of them desirable young men.
13 Then I saw that she was defiled;
Both took the same way.
14 But she increased her harlotry;
She looked at men portrayed on the wall,
Images of (C)Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion,
15 Girded with belts around their waists,
Flowing turbans on their heads,
All of them looking like captains,
In the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea,
The land of their nativity.
16 (D)As soon as her eyes saw them,
She lusted for them
And sent (E)messengers to them in Chaldea.

17 “Then the [a]Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love,
And they defiled her with their immorality;
So she was defiled by them, (F)and alienated herself from them.
18 She revealed her harlotry and uncovered her nakedness.
Then (G)I (H)alienated Myself from her,
As I had alienated Myself from her sister.

19 “Yet she multiplied her harlotry
In calling to remembrance the days of her youth,
(I)When she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
20 For she lusted for her [b]paramours,
Whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys,
And whose issue is like the issue of horses.
21 Thus you called to remembrance the lewdness of your youth,
When the (J)Egyptians pressed your bosom
Because of your youthful breasts.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 23:17 Lit. sons of Babel
  2. Ezekiel 23:20 Illicit lovers

Bible Gateway Recommends