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) 3} They 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) 4} The 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) 6} clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen. ⁷ She 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) 8} She 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) 10} They 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)

³⁶ The Lord said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront^(A) them with their detestable practices,^{(B) 37} for 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.^{(C) 38} They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary^(D) and desecrated my Sabbaths.^{(E) 39} On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated^(F) it. That is what they did in my house.^(G)

⁴⁰ “They even sent messengers for men who came from far away,^(H) and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, applied eye makeup^(I) and put on your jewelry.^{(J) 41} You sat on an elegant couch,^(K) with a table^(L) spread before it on which you had placed the incense^(M) and olive oil that belonged to me.^(N)

⁴² “The noise of a carefree^(O) crowd was around her; drunkards^(P) were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble, and they put bracelets^(Q) on the wrists of the woman and her sister and beautiful crowns on their heads.^{(R) 43} Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute,^(S) for that is all she is.’ ⁴⁴ And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah. ⁴⁵ But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood,^(T) because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.^(U)

⁴⁶ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring a mob^(V) against them and give them over to terror and plunder.^{(W) 47} The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters^(X) and burn^(Y) down their houses.^(Z)

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