Ezekiel 23:20 Please Explain??

Been reading bits and pieces of Ezekiel and although i do know that this book has to do a lot with prophecy that verse doesn't make sense to me. Can some one please care to explain if in the context of prophecy what does it mean or if not what does it mean, either way?

Ezekiel 23:20 : 20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses. _ NIV

The KJV seems a lot less spared with the details :)

Ezekiel 23:20:
20For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses. - KJV

Thanks for any help here...
 
Hi Jake and God's blessings to you! If you like the folowing commentary, you can use it for whatever Scripture you choose:

For she doted upon their paramours,.... Or "concubines" {z}; the neighbouring nations and allies of the Egyptians, whose friendship the Jews courted, and whose idols they served: the Septuagint and Arabic versions wrongly read the Chaldeans:

whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses; by "flesh" is meant the "membrum virile," which in asses is very large, and therefore dedicated to Priapus by the Heathens; and vast is the profusion of seed in coitus by horses, to which the flesh and issue of the Egyptian paramours are compared; who were very libidinous, and therefore desirable to insatiable women; all which serves to express the eagerness of the people of the Jews after idolatry.

{z} Mhyvglp "equecubinas eorum," Vatablus, so Junius & Tremellius, Polanus; "concubitores," Munster, Tigurine version; "cinaedos," Castalio; and, as Ben Melech observes, these were men, and not women.
BibleClassics.com
 
Been reading bits and pieces of Ezekiel and although i do know that this book has to do a lot with prophecy that verse doesn't make sense to me. Can some one please care to explain if in the context of prophecy what does it mean or if not what does it mean, either way?

Ezekiel 23:20 : 20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses. _ NIV

The KJV seems a lot less spared with the details :)

Ezekiel 23:20:
20For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses. - KJV

Thanks for any help here...


It’s pretty obvious from the outset that Ezek. 23 is a parable which uses the “whorish” behaviour of a pair of women as a metaphor for the unfaithful and ungodly behaviours of Israelites from two nations; “Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.”

I believe that the biblical interpretation would tell us that the message of Ezekiel 23 is as a warning to the nations of Earth to not be godless in our actions toward other nations, or God will give permission for the other nations to kill the former.
 
Thanks for the replies netchaplain and Major, although a still bit bedazzled here :)

So the women mentioned there were metaphors, what about the rest of the scripture? What i want to know is this completely metaphorically speaking or did this really happen?

I ask this because i thought Ezekiel was a prophetical book...

Sorry for the confusion..
 
Hello Jake, if I may chime in here?
The only thing I might have added to what Major said would have been 'It’s pretty obvious from the outset that Ezek. 23 is a parable' + "with a prophetic sting".
So to your question: While the two women are metaphors for Jerusalem and Syria, the idolatry and spiritual whoredom were actual sins committed by those people of Jerusalem and Syria as listed. The reference to Egypt looks back to the time of the Egyptian captivity before the Exodus and during that trek through the wilderness.. Even then they lusted after the treasures and luxuries of Egypt. But after they were settled in their own land they played the harlot with Assyria Hence the prophetic indictment of their harlotry.
Hope this helps.
blessings,
calvin
 
Hello Jake, if I may chime in here?
The only thing I might have added to what Major said would have been 'It’s pretty obvious from the outset that Ezek. 23 is a parable' + "with a prophetic sting".
So to your question: While the two women are metaphors for Jerusalem and Syria, the idolatry and spiritual whoredom were actual sins committed by those people of Jerusalem and Syria as listed. The reference to Egypt looks back to the time of the Egyptian captivity before the Exodus and during that trek through the wilderness.. Even then they lusted after the treasures and luxuries of Egypt. But after they were settled in their own land they played the harlot with Assyria Hence the prophetic indictment of their harlotry.
Hope this helps.
blessings,
calvin

Yes....that is an excellant explination.
 
Hello Jake, if I may chime in here?
The only thing I might have added to what Major said would have been 'It’s pretty obvious from the outset that Ezek. 23 is a parable' + "with a prophetic sting".
So to your question: While the two women are metaphors for Jerusalem and Syria, the idolatry and spiritual whoredom were actual sins committed by those people of Jerusalem and Syria as listed. The reference to Egypt looks back to the time of the Egyptian captivity before the Exodus and during that trek through the wilderness.. Even then they lusted after the treasures and luxuries of Egypt. But after they were settled in their own land they played the harlot with Assyria Hence the prophetic indictment of their harlotry.
Hope this helps.
blessings,
calvin

Thanks Calvin, that helped with the explanation :)

Cheers
 
Hello Jake, if I may chime in here?
The only thing I might have added to what Major said would have been 'It’s pretty obvious from the outset that Ezek. 23 is a parable' + "with a prophetic sting".
So to your question: While the two women are metaphors for Jerusalem and Syria, the idolatry and spiritual whoredom were actual sins committed by those people of Jerusalem and Syria as listed. The reference to Egypt looks back to the time of the Egyptian captivity before the Exodus and during that trek through the wilderness.. Even then they lusted after the treasures and luxuries of Egypt. But after they were settled in their own land they played the harlot with Assyria Hence the prophetic indictment of their harlotry.
Hope this helps.
blessings,
calvin
may God Bless you All in jesus name i just want to say bro Calvin that the city name is Samaria
 
One thing to keep in mind...

The actual original Hebrew of the Old Testament is pretty graphic.... REALLY graphic....

The King James translators were aware that their copy would be read from the pulpit in church - in the common language - and that women and children would be present.... and so in many verses - they went out of their way to "Soften" and to use metaphors to gently obscure the original...

Just think -
Mom: "Johnny, where did you learn language like THAT?"
Johnny: "We talked about Ezekiel in Sunday School Mom!"
 
One thing to keep in mind...

The actual original Hebrew of the Old Testament is pretty graphic.... REALLY graphic....

The King James translators were aware that their copy would be read from the pulpit in church - in the common language - and that women and children would be present.... and so in many verses - they went out of their way to "Soften" and to use metaphors to gently obscure the original...

Just think -
Mom: "Johnny, where did you learn language like THAT?"
Johnny: "We talked about Ezekiel in Sunday School Mom!"
every body know it's not real & it's about what Israel did by leaving God & Committed adultery & this what they realy did
 
One thing to keep in mind...

The actual original Hebrew of the Old Testament is pretty graphic.... REALLY graphic....

The King James translators were aware that their copy would be read from the pulpit in church - in the common language - and that women and children would be present.... and so in many verses - they went out of their way to "Soften" and to use metaphors to gently obscure the original...

Just think -
Mom: "Johnny, where did you learn language like THAT?"
Johnny: "We talked about Ezekiel in Sunday School Mom!"
 
other important thing that the Jews they deserve to know what exactly they really are as last warning for them before the wrath of God pour on them God didn't cheat them he told them what they really are
 
One thing to keep in mind...

The actual original Hebrew of the Old Testament is pretty graphic.... REALLY graphic....

The King James translators were aware that their copy would be read from the pulpit in church - in the common language - and that women and children would be present.... and so in many verses - they went out of their way to "Soften" and to use metaphors to gently obscure the original...

Just think -
Mom: "Johnny, where did you learn language like THAT?"
Johnny: "We talked about Ezekiel in Sunday School Mom!"

These verses not directed to women or children in any way it is directed to israelite as last warning that \s it it told just to know why God at certain time Punish the israelite men only can tell in their language why to women and children in short israelite for their Lust to Idols God punish them .
 
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