Ezekiel 23

New International Version

Two Adulterous Sisters

23 The word of the Lord came to me: ²“Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother.^(A) ³They became prostitutes in Egypt,^(B) engaging in prostitution^(C) from their youth.^(D) In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed.^(E) ⁴The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.^(F)

⁵“Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians^(G)—warriors^(H) ⁶clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen. ⁷She gave herself as a prostitute to all the elite of the Assyrians and defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after.^(I) ⁸She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt,^(J) when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.^(K)

⁹“Therefore I delivered her into the hands^(L) of her lovers,^(M) the Assyrians, for whom she lusted.^(N) ¹⁰They stripped^(O) her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women,^(P) and punishment was inflicted^(Q) on her.^(R)

¹¹“Her sister Oholibah saw this,^(S) yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister.^(T) ¹²She too lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men.^(U) ¹³I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way.^(V)

¹⁴“But she carried her prostitution still further. She saw men portrayed on a wall,^(W) figures of Chaldeans^[a] portrayed in red,^(X) ¹⁵with belts^(Y) around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers, natives of Chaldea.^[b] ¹⁶As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers^(Z) to them in Chaldea.^(AA) ¹⁷Then the Babylonians^(AB) came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust.^(AC) ¹⁸When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body,^(AD) I turned away^(AE) from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.^(AF) ¹⁹Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. ²⁰There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses. ²¹So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled.^[c]^(AG)

²²“Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stir up your lovers^(AH) against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side^(AI)— ²³the Babylonians^(AJ) and all the Chaldeans,^(AK) the men of Pekod^(AL) and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, handsome young men, all of them governors and commanders, chariot officers and men of high rank, all mounted on horses.^(AM) ²⁴They will come against you with weapons,^[d] chariots and wagons^(AN) and with a throng of people; they will take up positions against you on every side with large and small shields and with helmets. I will turn you over to them for punishment,^(AO) and they will punish you according to their standards. ²⁵I will direct my jealous anger^(AP) against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and those of you who are left will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and daughters,^(AQ) and those of you who are left will be consumed by fire.^(AR) ²⁶They will also strip^(AS) you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry.^(AT) ²⁷So I will put a stop^(AU) to the lewdness and prostitution you began in Egypt. You will not look on these things with longing or remember Egypt anymore.

²⁸“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to deliver you into the hands^(AV) of those you hate, to those you turned away from in disgust. ²⁹They will deal with you in hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you stark naked,^(AW) and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed.^(AX) Your lewdness^(AY) and promiscuity^(AZ) ³⁰have brought this on you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.^(BA) ³¹You have gone the way of your sister; so I will put her cup^(BB) into your hand.^(BC)

³²“This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“You will drink your sister’s cup,
    a cup large and deep;
it will bring scorn and derision,^(BD)
    for it holds so much.^(BE)
³³You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,
    the cup of ruin and desolation,
    the cup of your sister Samaria.^(BF)
³⁴You will drink it^(BG) and drain it dry
    and chew on its pieces—
    and you will tear your breasts.

I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(BH)

³⁵“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you have forgotten^(BI) me and turned your back on me,^(BJ) you must bear^(BK) the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution.”

³⁶The Lord said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront^(BL) them with their detestable practices,^(BM) ³⁷for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them.^(BN) ³⁸They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary^(BO) and desecrated my Sabbaths.^(BP) ³⁹On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated^(BQ) it. That is what they did in my house.^(BR)

⁴⁰“They even sent messengers for men who came from far away,^(BS) and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, applied eye makeup^(BT) and put on your jewelry.^(BU) ⁴¹You sat on an elegant couch,^(BV) with a table^(BW) spread before it on which you had placed the incense^(BX) and olive oil that belonged to me.^(BY)

⁴²“The noise of a carefree^(BZ) crowd was around her; drunkards^(CA) were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble, and they put bracelets^(CB) on the wrists of the woman and her sister and beautiful crowns on their heads.^(CC) ⁴³Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute,^(CD) for that is all she is.’ ⁴⁴And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah. ⁴⁵But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood,^(CE) because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.^(CF)

⁴⁶“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring a mob^(CG) against them and give them over to terror and plunder.^(CH) ⁴⁷The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters^(CI) and burn^(CJ) down their houses.^(CK)

⁴⁸“So I will put an end^(CL) to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you.^(CM) ⁴⁹You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry.^(CN) Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.^(CO)”

Footnotes

Ezekiel 23:14 Or Babylonians
Ezekiel 23:15 Or Babylonia; also in verse 16
Ezekiel 23:21 Syriac (see also verse 3); Hebrew caressed because of your young breasts
Ezekiel 23:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

Jeremiah 48-49

New International Version

A Message About Moab^(A)

48 Concerning Moab:^(B)

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says:

“Woe to Nebo,^(C) for it will be ruined.
    Kiriathaim^(D) will be disgraced and captured;
    the stronghold^[a] will be disgraced and shattered.
²Moab will be praised^(E) no more;
    in Heshbon^[b]^(F) people will plot her downfall:
    ‘Come, let us put an end to that nation.’^(G)
You, the people of Madmen,^[c] will also be silenced;
    the sword will pursue you.
³Cries of anguish arise from Horonaim,^(H)
    cries of great havoc and destruction.
⁴Moab will be broken;
    her little ones will cry out.^[d]
⁵They go up the hill to Luhith,^(I)
    weeping bitterly as they go;
on the road down to Horonaim^(J)
    anguished cries over the destruction are heard.
⁶Flee!^(K) Run for your lives;
    become like a bush^[e] in the desert.^(L)
⁷Since you trust in your deeds and riches,^(M)
    you too will be taken captive,
and Chemosh^(N) will go into exile,^(O)
    together with his priests and officials.^(P)
⁸The destroyer^(Q) will come against every town,
    and not a town will escape.
The valley will be ruined
    and the plateau^(R) destroyed,
    because the Lord has spoken.
⁹Put salt^(S) on Moab,
    for she will be laid waste^[f];^(T)
her towns will become desolate,
    with no one to live in them.

¹⁰“A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!
A curse on anyone who keeps their sword^(U) from bloodshed!^(V)

¹¹“Moab has been at rest^(W) from youth,
    like wine left on its dregs,^(X)
not poured from one jar to another—
    she has not gone into exile.
So she tastes as she did,
    and her aroma is unchanged.
¹²But days are coming,”
    declares the Lord,
“when I will send men who pour from pitchers,
    and they will pour her out;
they will empty her pitchers
    and smash her jars.
¹³Then Moab will be ashamed^(Y) of Chemosh,^(Z)
    as Israel was ashamed
    when they trusted in Bethel.^(AA)

¹⁴“How can you say, ‘We are warriors,^(AB)
    men valiant in battle’?
¹⁵Moab will be destroyed and her towns invaded;
    her finest young men^(AC) will go down in the slaughter,^(AD)”
    declares the King,^(AE) whose name is the Lord Almighty.^(AF)
¹⁶“The fall of Moab is at hand;^(AG)
    her calamity will come quickly.
¹⁷Mourn for her, all who live around her,
    all who know her fame;^(AH)
say, ‘How broken is the mighty scepter,^(AI)
    how broken the glorious staff!’

¹⁸“Come down from your glory
    and sit on the parched ground,^(AJ)
    you inhabitants of Daughter Dibon,^(AK)
for the one who destroys Moab
    will come up against you
    and ruin your fortified cities.^(AL)
¹⁹Stand by the road and watch,
    you who live in Aroer.^(AM)
Ask the man fleeing and the woman escaping,
    ask them, ‘What has happened?’
²⁰Moab is disgraced, for she is shattered.
    Wail^(AN) and cry out!
Announce by the Arnon^(AO)
    that Moab is destroyed.
²¹Judgment has come to the plateau^(AP)—
    to Holon,^(AQ) Jahzah^(AR) and Mephaath,^(AS)
²²    to Dibon,^(AT) Nebo^(AU) and Beth Diblathaim,
²³    to Kiriathaim,^(AV) Beth Gamul and Beth Meon,^(AW)
²⁴    to Kerioth^(AX) and Bozrah^(AY)—
    to all the towns^(AZ) of Moab, far and near.
²⁵Moab’s horn^[g]^(BA) is cut off;
    her arm^(BB) is broken,”
declares the Lord.

²⁶“Make her drunk,^(BC)
    for she has defied^(BD) the Lord.
Let Moab wallow in her vomit;^(BE)
    let her be an object of ridicule.^(BF)
²⁷Was not Israel the object of your ridicule?^(BG)
    Was she caught among thieves,^(BH)
that you shake your head^(BI) in scorn^(BJ)
    whenever you speak of her?
²⁸Abandon your towns and dwell among the rocks,
    you who live in Moab.
Be like a dove^(BK) that makes its nest
    at the mouth of a cave.^(BL)

²⁹“We have heard of Moab’s pride^(BM)—
    how great is her arrogance!—
of her insolence, her pride, her conceit
    and the haughtiness^(BN) of her heart.
³⁰I know her insolence but it is futile,”
declares the Lord,
    “and her boasts^(BO) accomplish nothing.
³¹Therefore I wail^(BP) over Moab,
    for all Moab I cry out,
    I moan for the people of Kir Hareseth.^(BQ)
³²I weep for you, as Jazer^(BR) weeps,
    you vines of Sibmah.^(BS)
Your branches spread as far as the sea^[h];
    they reached as far as^[i] Jazer.
The destroyer has fallen
    on your ripened fruit and grapes.
³³Joy and gladness are gone
    from the orchards and fields of Moab.
I have stopped the flow of wine^(BT) from the presses;
    no one treads them with shouts of joy.^(BU)
Although there are shouts,
    they are not shouts of joy.

³⁴“The sound of their cry rises
    from Heshbon^(BV) to Elealeh^(BW) and Jahaz,^(BX)
from Zoar^(BY) as far as Horonaim^(BZ) and Eglath Shelishiyah,
    for even the waters of Nimrim are dried up.^(CA)
³⁵In Moab I will put an end
    to those who make offerings on the high places^(CB)
    and burn incense^(CC) to their gods,”
declares the Lord.
³⁶“So my heart laments^(CD) for Moab like the music of a pipe;
    it laments like a pipe for the people of Kir Hareseth.^(CE)
    The wealth they acquired^(CF) is gone.
³⁷Every head is shaved^(CG)
    and every beard^(CH) cut off;
every hand is slashed
    and every waist is covered with sackcloth.^(CI)
³⁸On all the roofs in Moab
    and in the public squares^(CJ)
there is nothing but mourning,
    for I have broken Moab
    like a jar^(CK) that no one wants,”
declares the Lord.
³⁹“How shattered^(CL) she is! How they wail!
    How Moab turns her back in shame!
Moab has become an object of ridicule,^(CM)
    an object of horror to all those around her.”

⁴⁰This is what the Lord says:

“Look! An eagle is swooping^(CN) down,
    spreading its wings^(CO) over Moab.
⁴¹Kerioth^[j]^(CP) will be captured
    and the strongholds taken.
In that day the hearts of Moab’s warriors^(CQ)
    will be like the heart of a woman in labor.^(CR)
⁴²Moab will be destroyed^(CS) as a nation^(CT)
    because she defied^(CU) the Lord.
⁴³Terror^(CV) and pit and snare^(CW) await you,
    you people of Moab,”
declares the Lord.
⁴⁴“Whoever flees^(CX) from the terror
    will fall into a pit,
whoever climbs out of the pit
    will be caught in a snare;
for I will bring on Moab
    the year^(CY) of her punishment,”
declares the Lord.

⁴⁵“In the shadow of Heshbon
    the fugitives stand helpless,
for a fire has gone out from Heshbon,
    a blaze from the midst of Sihon;^(CZ)
it burns the foreheads of Moab,
    the skulls^(DA) of the noisy boasters.
⁴⁶Woe to you, Moab!^(DB)
    The people of Chemosh are destroyed;
your sons are taken into exile
    and your daughters into captivity.

⁴⁷“Yet I will restore^(DC) the fortunes of Moab
in days to come,”
declares the Lord.

Here ends the judgment on Moab.

A Message About Ammon

49 Concerning the Ammonites:^(DD)

This is what the Lord says:

“Has Israel no sons?
    Has Israel no heir?
Why then has Molek^[k]^(DE) taken possession of Gad?^(DF)
    Why do his people live in its towns?
²But the days are coming,”
    declares the Lord,
“when I will sound the battle cry^(DG)
    against Rabbah^(DH) of the Ammonites;
it will become a mound of ruins,^(DI)
    and its surrounding villages will be set on fire.
Then Israel will drive out
    those who drove her out,^(DJ)”
says the Lord.
³“Wail, Heshbon,^(DK) for Ai^(DL) is destroyed!
    Cry out, you inhabitants of Rabbah!
Put on sackcloth^(DM) and mourn;
    rush here and there inside the walls,
for Molek^(DN) will go into exile,^(DO)
    together with his priests and officials.
⁴Why do you boast of your valleys,
    boast of your valleys so fruitful?
Unfaithful Daughter Ammon,^(DP)
    you trust in your riches^(DQ) and say,
    ‘Who will attack me?’^(DR)
⁵I will bring terror on you
    from all those around you,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
“Every one of you will be driven away,
    and no one will gather the fugitives.^(DS)

⁶“Yet afterward, I will restore^(DT) the fortunes of the Ammonites,”
declares the Lord.

A Message About Edom^(DU)^(DV)

⁷Concerning Edom:^(DW)

This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?^(DX)
    Has counsel perished from the prudent?
    Has their wisdom decayed?
⁸Turn and flee, hide in deep caves,^(DY)
    you who live in Dedan,^(DZ)
for I will bring disaster on Esau
    at the time when I punish him.
⁹If grape pickers came to you,
    would they not leave a few grapes?
If thieves came during the night,
    would they not steal only as much as they wanted?
¹⁰But I will strip Esau bare;
    I will uncover his hiding places,^(EA)
    so that he cannot conceal himself.
His armed men are destroyed,
    also his allies and neighbors,
    so there is no one^(EB) to say,
¹¹‘Leave your fatherless children;^(EC) I will keep them alive.
    Your widows^(ED) too can depend on me.’”

¹²This is what the Lord says: “If those who do not deserve to drink the cup^(EE) must drink it, why should you go unpunished?^(EF) You will not go unpunished, but must drink it. ¹³I swear^(EG) by myself,” declares the Lord, “that Bozrah^(EH) will become a ruin and a curse,^[l] an object of horror^(EI) and reproach;^(EJ) and all its towns will be in ruins forever.”^(EK)

¹⁴I have heard a message from the Lord;
an envoy was sent to the nations to say,
“Assemble yourselves to attack it!
Rise up for battle!”

¹⁵“Now I will make you small among the nations,
    despised by mankind.
¹⁶The terror you inspire
    and the pride^(EL) of your heart have deceived you,
you who live in the clefts of the rocks,^(EM)
    who occupy the heights of the hill.
Though you build your nest^(EN) as high as the eagle’s,
    from there I will bring you down,”
declares the Lord.
¹⁷“Edom will become an object of horror;^(EO)
    all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff
    because of all its wounds.^(EP)
¹⁸As Sodom^(EQ) and Gomorrah^(ER) were overthrown,
    along with their neighboring towns,”
says the Lord,
“so no one will live there;
    no people will dwell^(ES) in it.

¹⁹“Like a lion^(ET) coming up from Jordan’s thickets^(EU)
    to a rich pastureland,
I will chase Edom from its land in an instant.
    Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this?
Who is like^(EV) me and who can challenge me?^(EW)
    And what shepherd^(EX) can stand against me?”

²⁰Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Edom,^(EY)
    what he has purposed^(EZ) against those who live in Teman:^(FA)
The young of the flock^(FB) will be dragged away;
    their pasture will be appalled at their fate.^(FC)
²¹At the sound of their fall the earth will tremble;^(FD)
    their cry^(FE) will resound to the Red Sea.^[m]
²²Look! An eagle will soar and swoop^(FF) down,
    spreading its wings over Bozrah.^(FG)
In that day the hearts of Edom’s warriors^(FH)
    will be like the heart of a woman in labor.^(FI)

A Message About Damascus

²³Concerning Damascus:^(FJ)

“Hamath^(FK) and Arpad^(FL) are dismayed,
    for they have heard bad news.
They are disheartened,
    troubled like^[n] the restless sea.^(FM)
²⁴Damascus has become feeble,
    she has turned to flee
    and panic has gripped her;
anguish and pain have seized her,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.^(FN)
²⁵Why has the city of renown not been abandoned,
    the town in which I delight?
²⁶Surely, her young men^(FO) will fall in the streets;
    all her soldiers will be silenced^(FP) in that day,”
declares the Lord Almighty.
²⁷“I will set fire^(FQ) to the walls of Damascus;^(FR)
    it will consume^(FS) the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.^(FT)”

A Message About Kedar and Hazor

²⁸Concerning Kedar^(FU) and the kingdoms of Hazor,^(FV) which Nebuchadnezzar^(FW) king of Babylon attacked:

This is what the Lord says:

“Arise, and attack Kedar
    and destroy the people of the East.^(FX)
²⁹Their tents and their flocks^(FY) will be taken;
    their shelters will be carried off
    with all their goods and camels.
People will shout to them,
    ‘Terror^(FZ) on every side!’

³⁰“Flee quickly away!
Stay in deep caves,^(GA) you who live in Hazor,^(GB)”
declares the Lord.
“Nebuchadnezzar^(GC) king of Babylon has plotted against you;
he has devised a plan against you.

³¹“Arise and attack a nation at ease,
    which lives in confidence,”
declares the Lord,
“a nation that has neither gates nor bars;^(GD)
    its people live far from danger.
³²Their camels^(GE) will become plunder,
    and their large herds^(GF) will be spoils of war.
I will scatter to the winds^(GG) those who are in distant places^[o]^(GH)
    and will bring disaster on them from every side,”
declares the Lord.
³³“Hazor^(GI) will become a haunt of jackals,^(GJ)
    a desolate^(GK) place forever.
No one will live there;
    no people will dwell^(GL) in it.”

A Message About Elam

³⁴This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam,^(GM) early in the reign of Zedekiah^(GN) king of Judah:

³⁵This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“See, I will break the bow^(GO) of Elam,
    the mainstay of their might.
³⁶I will bring against Elam the four winds^(GP)
    from the four quarters of heaven;^(GQ)
I will scatter them to the four winds,
    and there will not be a nation
    where Elam’s exiles do not go.
³⁷I will shatter Elam before their foes,
    before those who want to kill them;
I will bring disaster on them,
    even my fierce anger,”^(GR)
declares the Lord.
“I will pursue them with the sword^(GS)
    until I have made an end of them.
³⁸I will set my throne in Elam
    and destroy her king and officials,”
declares the Lord.

³⁹“Yet I will restore^(GT) the fortunes of Elam
in days to come,”
declares the Lord.

Footnotes

Jeremiah 48:1 Or captured; / Misgab
Jeremiah 48:2 The Hebrew for Heshbon sounds like the Hebrew for plot.
Jeremiah 48:2 The name of the Moabite town Madmen sounds like the Hebrew for be silenced.
Jeremiah 48:4 Hebrew; Septuagint / proclaim it to Zoar
Jeremiah 48:6 Or like Aroer
Jeremiah 48:9 Or Give wings to Moab, / for she will fly away
Jeremiah 48:25 Horn here symbolizes strength.
Jeremiah 48:32 Probably the Dead Sea
Jeremiah 48:32 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts as far as the Sea of
Jeremiah 48:41 Or The cities
Jeremiah 49:1 Or their king; also in verse 3
Jeremiah 49:13 That is, its name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that it is cursed.
Jeremiah 49:21 Or the Sea of Reeds
Jeremiah 49:23 Hebrew on or by
Jeremiah 49:32 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads