Ezekiel 23:36-44

The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;

A summing up of the sins of the two sisters, especially those of Judah. A summing up of the sins of the two sisters, especially those of Judah.

Verse 36. Wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? - that is, wilt thou not judge them (note, Ezekiel 20:4).

Verse 38. They have defiled my sanctuary in the same day - on the very day that they had burned their children to Moloch in the valley of Gehenna, they shamelessly and hypocritically presented themselves as worshippers in Yahweh's temple, thereby 'defiling' it (Jeremiah 7:9).

Verse 40. Ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent - namely, by Judah (Ezekiel 23:16; Isaiah 57:9).

Paintedst thine eyes - (2 Kings 9:30, margin, 'Jezebel put her eyes in painting;' Jeremiah 4:30, margin, 'thou rentest thy eyes with painting'). Black paint was spread on the eyelids of beauties to make the white of the eye more attractive by the contrast; so Judah left no seductive art untried.

Verse 41. Satest upon a stately bed - divan. While men reclined at table, women sat, as it seemed indelicate for them to lie down (Amos 6:4). (Grotius.)

And a table prepared before it - i:e., the idolatrous altar.

Whereupon thou hast set mine incense - which I had given thee, and which thou oughtest to have offered to me (Ezekiel 16:18; Hosea 2:8: cf. Proverbs 7:17).

Verse 42. With the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans - not content with the princely, handsome Assyrians, the sisters brought to themselves the rude robber hordes of Sabeans (Job 1:15). The Qeri', or Masoretic margin, reads as the English version; but the Kethibh, or text, reads 'drunkards' [cowbª'iym, instead of Caabaa'iym (H5436)].

Which put bracelets upon their hands - upon the hands of the sisters; i:e., they allured Samaria and Judah to worship their gods.

Verse 43. Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them? - Is it possible that paramours will desire any longer to commit whoredoms with so worn-out an "old" adulteress?