Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed. New Living Translation They became prostitutes in Egypt. Even as young girls, they allowed men to fondle their breasts. English Standard Version They played the whore in Egypt; they played the whore in their youth; there their breasts were pressed and their virgin bosoms handled. Berean Standard Bible and they played in Egypt, prostituting themselves from their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin bosoms caressed. Berean Literal Bible And they acted as prostitutes in Egypt; in their youth they were prostitutes; there were squeezed their breasts, and there were pressed the nipples of their virginity. King James Bible And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity. New King James Version They committed harlotry in Egypt, They committed harlotry in their youth; Their breasts were there embraced, Their virgin bosom was there pressed. New American Standard Bible and they prostituted themselves in Egypt. They prostituted themselves in their youth; there their breasts were squeezed and there their virgin breasts were handled. NASB 1995 and they played the harlot in Egypt. They played the harlot in their youth; there their breasts were pressed and there their virgin bosom was handled. NASB 1977 and they played the harlot in Egypt. They played the harlot in their youth; there their breasts were pressed, and there their virgin bosom was handled. Legacy Standard Bible and they played the harlot in Egypt. They played the harlot in their youth; there their breasts were pressed, and there their virgin bosom was handled. Amplified Bible and they prostituted themselves in Egypt. From their youth they were grossly immoral; in that place their breasts were embraced and their virgin bosom was grasped. Berean Annotated Bible and they played in Egypt (land of bondage), prostituting themselves from their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin bosoms caressed. Christian Standard Bible who acted like prostitutes in Egypt, behaving promiscuously in their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin nipples caressed. Holman Christian Standard Bible who acted like prostitutes in Egypt, behaving promiscuously in their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin nipples caressed. American Standard Version and they played the harlot in Egypt; they played the harlot in their youth; there were their breasts pressed, and there was handled the bosom of their virginity. Contemporary English Version While they were young and living in Egypt, they became prostitutes. English Revised Version and they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity. GOD'S WORD® Translation They became prostitutes in Egypt when they were young. There men fondled and caressed their breasts. Good News Translation When they were young, living in Egypt, they lost their virginity and became prostitutes. International Standard Version They committed sexual immorality in Egypt. They did this in their youth. There, their breasts were caressed. Their virgin breasts were fondled. NET Bible They engaged in prostitution in Egypt; in their youth they engaged in prostitution. Their breasts were squeezed there; lovers fondled their virgin nipples there. New Heart English Bible and they played the prostitute in Egypt; they played the prostitute in their youth; there were their breasts pressed, and there was handled the bosom of their virginity. Webster's Bible Translation And they committed lewd deeds in Egypt; they committed lewd deeds in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they were first corrupted. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Bibleand they played in Egypt, prostituting themselves from their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin bosoms caressed. World English Bible They played the prostitute in Egypt. They played the prostitute in their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their youthful nipples were caressed there. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd they go whoring in Egypt, "" They have gone whoring in their youth, "" There they have bruised their breasts, "" And there they have dealt with the loves of their virginity. Berean Literal Bible And they acted as prostitutes in Egypt; in their youth they were prostitutes; there were squeezed their breasts, and there were pressed the nipples of their virginity. Young's Literal Translation And they go a-whoring in Egypt, In their youth they have gone a-whoring, There they have bruised their breasts, And there they have dealt with the loves of their virginity. Smith's Literal Translation And they will commit fornication in Egypt; in their youth they committal fornication: there were their breasts pressed, and the breasts of their virginity fell away. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd they committed fornication in Egypt, in their youth they committed fornication: there were their breasts pressed down, and the teats of their virginity were bruised. Catholic Public Domain Version and they fornicated in Egypt; they committed fornication in their youth. In that place, their breasts were conquered; the breasts of their adolescence were subdued. New American Bible Even as young girls, they were prostitutes, serving as prostitutes in Egypt. There the Egyptians fondled their breasts and caressed their virgin nipples. New Revised Standard Version they played the whore in Egypt; they played the whore in their youth; their breasts were caressed there, and their virgin bosoms were fondled. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd they committed whoredom in Egypt in their youth; there were their breasts fondled, there was their virginity broken. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And they committed fornication in Egypt in their youth. There they bruised their breasts and there they lost virginity OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917and they committed harlotries in Egypt; they committed harlotries in their youth; there were their bosoms pressed, and there their virgin breasts were bruised. Brenton Septuagint Translation and they went a-whoring in Egypt in their youth: there their breasts fell, there they lost their virginity. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Adultery of Oholah and Oholibah…2“Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother, 3and they played in Egypt, prostituting themselves from their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin bosoms caressed. 4The older was named Oholah, and her sister was named Oholibah. They became Mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their identities, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.… Cross References and they played in Egypt, Ezekiel 20:8 But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the land of Egypt. Jeremiah 44:8-10 Why are you provoking Me to anger by the work of your hands by burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you have gone to reside? As a result, you will be cut off and will become an object of cursing and reproach among all the nations of the earth. / Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers and of the kings of Judah and their wives, as well as the wickedness that you and your wives committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? / To this day they have not humbled themselves or shown reverence, nor have they followed My instruction or the statutes that I set before you and your fathers. Joshua 24:14 Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. prostituting themselves from their youth. Ezekiel 16:22 And in all your abominations and acts of prostitution, you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your own blood. Jeremiah 22:21 I warned you when you were secure. You said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from youth, that you have not obeyed My voice. Hosea 2:15 There I will give back her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor into a gateway of hope. There she will respond as she did in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. Their breasts were fondled there, Ezekiel 16:7-8 I made you thrive like a plant of the field. You grew up and matured and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, but you were naked and bare. / Then I passed by and saw you, and you were indeed old enough for love. So I spread My cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD. Songs 4:5 Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle grazing among the lilies. Songs 7:3 Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. and their virgin bosoms caressed. Deuteronomy 22:15-17 Then the young woman’s father and mother shall bring the proof of her virginity to the city elders at the gate / and say to the elders, “I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he has come to hate her. / And now he has accused her of shameful conduct, saying, ‘I discovered that your daughter was not a virgin.’ But here is the proof of her virginity.” And they shall spread out the cloth before the city elders. Genesis 24:16 Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again. Proverbs 5:18-19 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth: / A loving doe, a graceful fawn—may her breasts satisfy you always; may you be captivated by her love forever. Jeremiah 3:6-9 Now in the days of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every green tree to prostitute herself there. / I thought that after she had done all these things, she would return to Me. But she did not return, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. / She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well. … Hosea 2:2-5 Rebuke your mother, rebuke her, for she is not My wife, and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adultery from her face and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts. / Otherwise, I will strip her naked and expose her like the day of her birth. I will make her like a desert and turn her into a parched land, and I will let her die of thirst. / I will have no compassion on her children, because they are the children of adultery. … 2 Kings 17:7-18 All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods / and walked in the customs of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites, as well as in the practices introduced by the kings of Israel. / The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities. … Jeremiah 2:20 “For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute. Treasury of Scripture And they committed prostitutions in Egypt; they committed prostitutions in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity. in Egypt Ezekiel 20:8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. Leviticus 17:7 And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations. Deuteronomy 29:16 (For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; in their Ezekiel 23:8,19,21 Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her… Ezekiel 16:22 And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood. Hosea 2:15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. Jump to Previous Acting Behaviour Bosom Breasts Bruised Caressed Committed Corrupted Crushed Deeds Egypt Engaging First Fondled Handled Harlot Harlotries Lewd Played Pressed Prostitute Prostitutes Prostitution Teats Virgin Virginity Whoredom Whoredoms Women Young YouthJump to Next Acting Behaviour Bosom Breasts Bruised Caressed Committed Corrupted Crushed Deeds Egypt Engaging First Fondled Handled Harlot Harlotries Lewd Played Pressed Prostitute Prostitutes Prostitution Teats Virgin Virginity Whoredom Whoredoms Women Young YouthEzekiel 23 1. The unfaithfulness of Aholah and Aholibah23. Aholibah is to be plagued by her lovers 36. The prophet reproves the adulteries of them both 45. and shows their judgments and they played in Egypt This phrase refers to the Israelites' time in Egypt, which is often depicted as a period of spiritual infidelity. Egypt, in biblical symbolism, represents a place of bondage and idolatry. The Israelites' "playing" suggests engaging in idolatrous practices, which were prevalent in Egyptian culture. This period is significant as it sets the stage for Israel's recurring struggle with idolatry, even after their deliverance from Egypt. The imagery of playing can be linked to the Israelites' later worship of the golden calf (Exodus 32), showing a pattern of spiritual unfaithfulness. prostituting themselves from their youth Their breasts were fondled there and their virgin bosoms caressed Persons / Places / Events 1. Oholah and OholibahThese are symbolic names given to Samaria and Jerusalem, respectively, representing the Northern and Southern Kingdoms of Israel. They are depicted as sisters who engaged in spiritual adultery. 2. Egypt A place of bondage and idolatry for the Israelites. It represents the origin of Israel's unfaithfulness and idolatrous practices. 3. Prostitution Used metaphorically to describe Israel's unfaithfulness to God through idolatry and alliances with pagan nations. Teaching Points Spiritual AdulteryJust as Israel was unfaithful to God by turning to idols, Christians today must guard against allowing anything to take the place of God in their hearts. The Consequences of Idolatry The passage warns of the spiritual and moral decay that results from turning away from God. Believers are called to remain faithful and avoid compromising their values. God's Call to Repentance Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God continually calls His people to return to Him. This is a reminder of God's grace and the opportunity for repentance. The Danger of Returning to Old Ways The reference to Egypt highlights the danger of returning to past sins or lifestyles. Christians are encouraged to move forward in their faith journey. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Ezekiel 23:3?2. How does Ezekiel 23:3 illustrate the consequences of spiritual unfaithfulness to God? 3. What lessons can we learn from the sisters' actions in Ezekiel 23:3? 4. How does Ezekiel 23:3 connect with the theme of idolatry in Exodus 20:3? 5. In what ways can we guard against spiritual infidelity in our lives today? 6. How can Ezekiel 23:3 inspire us to remain faithful to God's commandments? 7. What does Ezekiel 23:3 reveal about the nature of spiritual infidelity? 8. How does Ezekiel 23:3 reflect the historical context of Israel's idolatry? 9. What is the significance of the metaphor used in Ezekiel 23:3? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Ezekiel 23? 11. How can the graphic sexual imagery in Ezekiel 23:3 and 20 be reconciled with the holiness and purity usually attributed to Scripture? 12. Who were Oholah and Oholibah in the Bible? 13. What explains the apparent inconsistency between God's merciful nature elsewhere and the violent retribution depicted in Ezekiel 23:22-27? 14. How do we reconcile the command in Exodus 23:9 to treat foreigners kindly with other Old Testament passages that demand harsh treatment of certain groups? What Does Ezekiel 23:3 Mean and they played in Egypt“They prostituted themselves in Egypt” (Ezekiel 23:3). • Ezekiel pictures Samaria and Jerusalem as two sisters who “played” the harlot while still in Egypt (Ezekiel 23:2). • The word “played” paints deliberate, repeated action—it wasn’t an accident but a chosen lifestyle. • While Israel groaned under slavery, many adopted Egyptian gods and practices (Exodus 32:1–6; Joshua 24:14). • The verse affirms that spiritual compromise begins when God’s people flirt with the world’s idols (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15–16). prostituting themselves from their youth “engaging in prostitution from their youth” (23:3). • The problem started early. Even before the Exodus, Israel’s heart was divided (Ezekiel 20:7–8; Isaiah 63:8–10). • Youthful patterns harden into adult habits; Israel carried Egyptian idolatry into the wilderness and later into the Promised Land (Numbers 11:4–6; 2 Kings 17:7–17). • God had called them “out of Egypt” to be a holy nation (Exodus 19:5–6), yet they kept looking back, like Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32). Their breasts were fondled there “In that land their breasts were fondled” (23:3). • The imagery is blunt—Ezekiel wants listeners to feel the shame of intimate betrayal (Ezekiel 16:26–34). • Idolatry is not a harmless flirtation; it is a violation of covenant love (Hosea 2:5–13). • Egypt’s “fondling” shows how the world will exploit God’s people when they yield to its allure (Proverbs 7:21–23; Revelation 17:1–2). and their virgin bosoms caressed “and their virgin bosoms caressed” (23:3). • Israel was intended to be a pure bride for the Lord (Jeremiah 2:2; 31:3). • By surrendering their “virgin bosoms” to Egypt, they forfeited the innocence that should have belonged exclusively to God (2 Corinthians 11:2). • The verse underscores that sin always costs more than advertised; it robs God’s people of the freshness of first love (Revelation 2:4). summary Ezekiel 23:3 confronts us with Israel’s earliest compromises in Egypt—deliberate, persistent, intimate acts of spiritual adultery that began in youth, deepened over time, and robbed God’s people of covenant purity. The passage warns that unfaithfulness, no matter how small or early, invites bondage and exploitation, but it also calls us back to the exclusive, wholehearted devotion the Lord has always desired for His people. (3) In Egypt.--The idolatries of Israel in Egypt have already been spoken of in the Note to Ezekiel 20:8. (See also Ezekiel 23:19 below.)Hebrew and they playedוַתִּזְנֶ֣ינָה (wat·tiz·ne·nāh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural Strong's 2181: To commit adultery, to commit idolatry in Egypt, בְמִצְרַ֔יִם (ḇə·miṣ·ra·yim) Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa prostituting themselves זָנ֑וּ (zā·nū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 2181: To commit adultery, to commit idolatry from their youth. בִּנְעוּרֵיהֶ֖ן (bin·‘ū·rê·hen) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine plural Strong's 5271: Youth, the state, the persons Their breasts שְׁדֵיהֶ֔ן (šə·ḏê·hen) Noun - mdc | third person feminine plural Strong's 7699: The breast of a, woman, animal were fondled מֹעֲכ֣וּ (mō·‘ă·ḵū) Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 4600: To press, to pierce, emasculate, handle there, שָׁ֚מָּה (māh) Adverb | third person feminine singular Strong's 8033: There, then, thither and their virgin בְּתוּלֵיהֶֽן׃ (bə·ṯū·lê·hen) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine plural Strong's 1331: Virginity, the tokens of it bosoms דַּדֵּ֖י (dad·dê) Noun - mdc Strong's 1717: Breast, teat, nipple caressed. עִשּׂ֔וּ (‘iś·śū) Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 6213: To do, make Links Ezekiel 23:3 NIVEzekiel 23:3 NLT Ezekiel 23:3 ESV Ezekiel 23:3 NASB Ezekiel 23:3 KJV Ezekiel 23:3 BibleApps.com Ezekiel 23:3 Biblia Paralela Ezekiel 23:3 Chinese Bible Ezekiel 23:3 French Bible Ezekiel 23:3 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Ezekiel 23:3 And they played the prostitute in Egypt (Ezek. Eze Ezk) |
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