What is the meaning of Ezekiel 23:20? Context Ezekiel 23 presents two sisters—Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem)—whose repeated spiritual adultery illustrates Israel’s and Judah’s covenant unfaithfulness. Earlier, the prophet describes how they “defiled themselves with the idols of Egypt” (v. 7) and “committed harlotry with the Assyrians” (v. 5). By verse 20, God employs shocking, earthy imagery to expose the depth of their sin and the intensity of their cravings (cf. Ezekiel 16:26–29; Hosea 2:13; Jeremiah 3:6-10). and lusted after their lovers • “Lovers” points to the foreign nations and their gods with whom Judah eagerly allied herself—trusting political power and pagan worship instead of the LORD (Isaiah 30:1-2; 31:1). • Jeremiah 3:1-2 echoes the same charge: “You have lived as a prostitute with many lovers… you have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness.” • The verb “lusted” highlights a deliberate, passionate pursuit, not a momentary slip. Judah’s sin was persistent, willful, and heart-driven (Hosea 4:12; Ezekiel 6:9). whose genitals were like those of donkeys • Donkeys were notorious for their size; the comparison underscores how brazen and shameless Judah’s idolatry had become. The nation sought partners noted for their worldly power and sensual appeal, not for righteousness (Ezekiel 16:26; Isaiah 57:8). • The image also mocks Judah’s discernment: what seemed impressive was, in truth, animal-like and unclean (Psalm 106:39; Romans 1:22-23). • God’s use of startling language cuts through religious pretense, forcing His people to see their sin for what it truly is—bestial, degrading, and spiritually destructive. and whose emission was like that of stallions • Stallions are famed for vigorous breeding; the phrase paints Judah’s alliances as prolific and unchecked (Jeremiah 5:8: “They were well-fed lusty stallions, each neighing after his neighbor’s wife”). • Judah multiplied idols and treaties, pouring energy into every new opportunity for compromise (Ezekiel 16:29; 23:30). • The resulting “emission” suggests both the overwhelming flood of corruption poured into the land and the inevitable defilement that followed (2 Kings 17:10-17; James 1:15). summary Ezekiel 23:20 employs vivid, jarring metaphors to expose Judah’s relentless craving for idolatrous relationships. By likening foreign lovers to donkeys and stallions, God reveals how His people traded covenant purity for animal-like passions, embracing alliances that promised power but delivered defilement. The verse is a sober reminder that any pursuit—political, cultural, or personal—that replaces trust in the Lord is spiritual adultery, inevitably leading to shame and judgment. God’s graphic language is love’s severe mercy, calling His people to recognize sin’s ugliness and return to exclusive faithfulness to Him. |
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