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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Ezekiel 23 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/ezekiel/23.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/ezekiel/23-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Ezekiel 23</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../ezekiel/22.htm" title="Ezekiel 22">◄</a> Ezekiel 23 <a href="../ezekiel/24.htm" title="Ezekiel 24">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Two Sinful Sisters</h3><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_1"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.1" class="v26_23_1">1</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> said:</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_2"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.2" class="v26_23_2">2</span>Ezekiel, son of man, listen to this story about two sisters. </span><span class="v26_23_3"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.3" class="v26_23_3">3</span>While they were young and living in Egypt, they became prostitutes. </span><span class="v26_23_4"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.4" class="v26_23_4">4</span>The older one was named Oholah, which stands for Samaria; the younger one was Oholibah, which stands for Jerusalem.<a href="#fn" id="link_Ezek.23.4!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> They became my wives and gave birth to my children.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_5"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.5" class="v26_23_5">5</span>Even though Oholah was my wife, she continued to be a prostitute and chased after Assyrian lovers. </span><span class="v26_23_6"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.6" class="v26_23_6">6</span>She offered herself to soldiers in purple uniforms: handsome, high-ranking officers and cavalry troops. </span><span class="v26_23_7"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.7" class="v26_23_7">7</span>She had sex with all the important Assyrian officials and even worshiped their disgusting idols. </span><span class="v26_23_8"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.8" class="v26_23_8">8</span>Once she started doing these things in Egypt, she never stopped. Men slept with her, and she was always ready for sex.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_9"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.9" class="v26_23_9">9</span>So I gave Oholah to the Assyrian lovers she wanted so badly. </span><span class="v26_23_10"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.10" class="v26_23_10">10</span>They ripped off her clothes, then captured her children and killed her. Women everywhere talked about what had happened to Oholah.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_11"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.11" class="v26_23_11">11</span>Oholibah saw all this, but she was more sinful and wanted sex more than her sister Oholah ever did. </span><span class="v26_23_12"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.12" class="v26_23_12">12</span>Oholibah also chased after good-looking Assyrian officers, uniformed soldiers, and cavalry troops. </span><span class="v26_23_13"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.13" class="v26_23_13">13</span>Just like her sister, she did vulgar things.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_14"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.14" class="v26_23_14">14</span>But Oholibah behaved worse than her sister. Oholibah saw images of Babylonian men carved into walls and painted red. </span><span class="v26_23_15"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.15" class="v26_23_15">15</span>They had belts around their waists and large turbans on their heads, and they reminded her of Babylonian cavalry officers. </span><span class="v26_23_16"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.16" class="v26_23_16">16</span>As soon as she looked at them, she wanted to have sex with them. And so, she sent messengers to bring them to her. </span><span class="v26_23_17"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.17" class="v26_23_17">17</span>Men from Babylonia came and had sex with her so many times that she got disgusted with them. </span><span class="v26_23_18"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.18" class="v26_23_18">18</span>She let everyone see her naked body and didn't care if they knew she was a prostitute. That's why I turned my back on her, just as I had done with her older sister.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_19"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.19" class="v26_23_19">19</span>Oholibah didn't stop there, but became even more immoral and acted as she had back in Egypt. </span><span class="v26_23_20"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.20" class="v26_23_20">20</span>She eagerly wanted to go to bed with Egyptian men, who were famous for their sexual powers. </span><span class="v26_23_21"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.21" class="v26_23_21">21</span>And she longed for the days when she was a young prostitute, when men enjoyed caressing her body.</span></p><h3 class="s1">The <span class="nd">Lord</span> Will Punish Oholibah</h3><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_22"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.22" class="v26_23_22">22</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> God said:</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_22">Oholibah,<a href="#fn" id="link_Ezek.23.22!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> though you no longer want to be around your lovers, they will surround you like enemies, when I turn them against you. </span><span class="v26_23_23"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.23" class="v26_23_23">23</span>I will gather all the handsome young officials and the high-ranking cavalry officers from Babylonia and Assyria, as well as from the Chaldean tribes of Pekod, Shoa, and Koa. </span><span class="v26_23_24"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.24" class="v26_23_24">24</span>Their large armies will come from the north<a href="#fn" id="link_Ezek.23.24!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> with chariots and wagons carrying weapons. They will wear shields and helmets and will surround you, and I will let them judge and sentence you according to their own laws. </span><span class="v26_23_25"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.25" class="v26_23_25">25</span>I am angry with you, so I will let them be very cruel. They will cut off your nose and ears; they will kill your children and burn alive anyone in your family who survives. </span><span class="v26_23_26"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.26" class="v26_23_26">26</span>Your clothes and jewelry will be torn off. </span><span class="v26_23_27"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.27" class="v26_23_27">27</span>I will stop your wickedness and the prostitution you started back in Egypt. You will never want to think about those days again.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_28"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.28" class="v26_23_28">28</span>I, the <span class="nd">Lord</span> God, am ready to hand you over to those hateful enemies that you find so disgusting. </span><span class="v26_23_29"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.29" class="v26_23_29">29</span>They will cruelly take away everything you have worked for and strip you naked. Then everyone will see you for the prostitute you really are. Your own vulgar sins </span><span class="v26_23_30"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.30" class="v26_23_30">30</span>have led to this. You were the one determined to have sex with men from other nations and to worship their idols. </span><span class="v26_23_31"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.31" class="v26_23_31">31</span>You have turned out no better than your older sister, and now you must drink from the cup filled with my anger.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_32"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.32" class="v26_23_32">32</span>I, the <span class="nd">Lord</span> God, gave your sister a large, deep cup filled with my anger. And when you drink from that cup, you will be mocked and insulted. </span><span class="v26_23_33"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.33" class="v26_23_33">33</span>You will end up drunk and devastated, because that cup is filled with horror and ruin. </span><span class="v26_23_34"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.34" class="v26_23_34">34</span>But you must drink every drop! Then smash the cup and chew on its broken pieces. Use them to cut your breasts in sorrow. I, the <span class="nd">Lord</span> God, have spoken.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_35"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.35" class="v26_23_35">35</span>You have completely rejected me, and so I promise that you will be punished for the disgusting things you did as a prostitute.</span></p><h3 class="s1">The Two Sisters Are Condemned</h3><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_36"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.36" class="v26_23_36">36</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> said:</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_36">Ezekiel, son of man, it's time for you to tell Oholah and Oholibah<a href="#fn" id="link_Ezek.23.36!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> that they are guilty. Remind them of their evil ways! </span><span class="v26_23_37"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.37" class="v26_23_37">37</span>They have been unfaithful by worshiping idols, and they have committed murder by sacrificing my own children as offerings to idols. </span><span class="v26_23_38"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.38-Ezek.23.39" class="v26_23_38">38-39</span>They came into my temple that same day, and that made it unfit as a place to worship me. They have even stopped respecting the Sabbath.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_40"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.40" class="v26_23_40">40</span>They sent messengers to attract men from far away. When those men arrived, the two sisters bathed themselves and put on eye shadow and jewelry. </span><span class="v26_23_41"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.41" class="v26_23_41">41</span>They sat on a fancy couch, and in front of them was a table for the olive oil and incense that had belonged to me. </span><span class="v26_23_42"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.42" class="v26_23_42">42</span>Their room was always filled with a noisy crowd of drunkards brought in from the desert. These men gave the women bracelets and beautiful crowns, </span><span class="v26_23_43"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.43" class="v26_23_43">43</span>and I noticed that the men were eager to have sex with these women, though they were exhausted from being prostitutes.<a href="#fn" id="link_Ezek.23.43!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v26_23_44"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.44" class="v26_23_44">44</span>In fact, the men had sex over and over with Oholah and Oholibah, the two sinful sisters. </span><span class="v26_23_45"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.45" class="v26_23_45">45</span>But honest judges will someday accuse those two of murder and of being unfaithful, because they are certainly guilty.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v26_23_46"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.46" class="v26_23_46">46</span>So I, the <span class="nd">Lord</span> God, now say to these sisters:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v26_23_46">I will call together an angry mob that will abuse and rob you. </span><span class="v26_23_47"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.47" class="v26_23_47">47</span>They will stone you to death and cut you to pieces; they will kill your children and burn down your houses. </span><span class="v26_23_48"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.48" class="v26_23_48">48</span>I will get rid of sinful prostitution in this country, so that women everywhere will be warned not to act as you have. </span><span class="v26_23_49"><span class="reftext" id="Ezek.23.49" class="v26_23_49">49</span>You will be punished for becoming prostitutes and for worshiping idols. Then you will know that I am the <span class="nd">Lord</span> God.</span></p></div> </div> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">23.4 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Samaria … Jerusalem: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">After the nation of Israel was divided, the northern kingdom was called “Israel,” and the southern kingdom was called “Judah.” Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom, and Jerusalem was the capital of the southern kingdom.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">23.22 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Oholibah: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">That is, Jerusalem (see verse 4).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">23.24 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">from the north: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One ancient translation; Hebrew “with weapons.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">23.36 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Oholah and Oholibah: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">That is, Samaria and Jerusalem (see verse 4).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">23.43 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">prostitutes: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 43.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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