Ezekiel 23:37

35 “Therefore thus says the Lord God:
‘Because you ^ahave forgotten Me and ^bcast Me behind your back,
Therefore you shall bear the penalty
Of your lewdness and your harlotry.’ ”

Both Sisters Judged

36 The Lord also said to me: “Son of man, will you ^ajudge Oholah and Oholibah? Then ^bdeclare to them their abominations.

37 For they have committed adultery, and ^ablood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and even sacrificed their sons ^bwhom they bore to Me, passing them through the fire, to devour them.

38 Moreover they have done this to Me: They have ^adefiled My sanctuary on the same day and ^bprofaned My Sabbaths.

39 For after they had slain their children for their idols, on the same day they came into My sanctuary to profane it; and indeed ^athus they have done in the midst of My house.

40 “Furthermore you sent for men to come from afar, ^ato whom a messenger was sent; and there they came. And you ^bwashed yourself for them, ^cpainted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments.

41 You sat on a stately ^acouch, with a table prepared before it, ^bon which you had set My incense and My oil.

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

<< Ezekiel 23:36

Ezekiel 23:38 >>

What Does Ezekiel 23:37 Mean?

Ezekiel 23:36-39

What vile things these people were committing on God's holy Sabbath days! They worshipped idols, sacrificed their children, even burning them in the fire, and afterward, they presented themselves at the Temple services. That is horrifying! God specifically mentions that they did these things on the Sabbath—on His day. It shows how far idolatry will take a person, imposing its will on the actions of an individual.

We need to be very careful about this. These people were guilty of the common Israelitish sin of idolatry—syncretism, the blending of the world's way with God's way. God, of course, does not accept it as true worship. How could He? The Israelites would attend services, supposedly in honor and out of respect for the Creator God after killing their children in the fires of Molech!

In Ezekiel 20-23, where a brief overview of the relationship between God and Israel is presented, idolatry and profaning the Sabbath are specifically named nine times as the major reasons God drove Israel into captivity.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Sabbathkeeping (Part 1)

<< Ezekiel 23:36

Ezekiel 23:38 >>

Join 137,263+ readers

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning

Consistent Bible study is hard to start.

The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.

Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.

Both Sisters Judged

What Does Ezekiel 23:37 Mean?

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning