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)

⁹ “Therefore I delivered her into the hands^(A) of her lovers,^(B) the Assyrians, for whom she lusted.^{(C) 10} They stripped^(D) her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women,^(E) and punishment was inflicted^(F) on her.^(G)

¹¹ “Her sister Oholibah saw this,^(H) yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister.^(I)

¹⁸ When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body,^(A) I turned away^(B) from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.^(C)

²² “Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stir up your lovers^(A) against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side^(B)— ²³ the Babylonians^(C) and all the Chaldeans,^(D) the men of Pekod^(E) 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.^{(F) 24} They will come against you with weapons,^[a] chariots and wagons^(G) 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,^(H) and they will punish you according to their standards. ²⁵ I will direct my jealous anger^(I) 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,^(J) and those of you who are left will be consumed by fire.^(K)

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