Ezekiel 16:35-43

D. The Punishment of the Harlot 16:35-43

TRANSLATION

(35) Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD! (36) Thus says the Lord GOD: Because your filthiness was poured out, and your nakedness revealed through your harlotry with your lovers; and because of all the idols of your abominations, and for the blood of your sons which you gave to them, (37) therefore, behold I am about to gather your lovers unto whom You have been pleasant, and all whom you have loved, along with all whom you hate; I will gather them against you round about, and I will reveal your nakedness unto them, that they may see all your nakedness. (38) And I will judge you with the judgments accorded adulteresses and those who shed blood; and I will bring upon you the blood of fury and jealousy. (39) And I will give you into their hand; and they shall throw down your eminent places, and break down your lofty places; and they shall strip you of your garments, and take your fair jewels; and they shall leave you naked and bare. (40) And they shall bring up an assembly against you, and they will pelt you with stones, and shall thrust you through with swords. (41) And they shall burn your daughters with fire, and they shall execute judgments against you in the sight of many women; and I will cause you to cease from being a harlot, and also the wages of prostitution you shall not give anymore. (42) So I will cause My wrath against you to rest, and My jealousy will turn from you, and I will be quiet and will no more be vexed. (43) Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, and you have made Me angry with all of these things; therefore also behold I will bring your way on your head (oracle of the Lord GOD); or have you not done this lewdness above all your abominations?

COMMENTS

The allegory continues as the punishment of Judah is described in terms of the punishment of an adulteress. An adulteress was executed publicly. Accusers would start the bloody work and others would then join in (cf. Deuteronomy 13:10). So Judah's lovers would summon other nations to join in the attack upon her. Stoning was the penalty for adultery (Leviticus 20:10), and so Judah would be bombarded by the missiles of the enemies as well as thrust through by their swords (Ezekiel 16:40). Houses and public buildings would be burned. Many women, i.e., neighboring nations, would witness the execution and hopefully learn a lesson from it.[322] With the destruction of political Israel God would bring the harlotry of the nation to an abrupt end. NO longer would Judah be in a position to bribe neighbors for their friendship (Ezekiel 16:41). Divine justice must punish such unfaithfulness as Israel manifested. Only after the wrath and jealousy (zeal) of God had been satisfied could there be hope of reconciliation (Ezekiel 16:42). But these calamities would befall them because they had forgotten their past; they were ungrateful for what God had done for them (Ezekiel 16:43).

[322] There seems to hale been a practice of making other women witness the execution of an adulteress as a warning.