Ezekiel 23 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Two women — Judah, and Israel, two kingdoms.

Whoredoms — Idolatry.

Aholah — That is, his own tabernacle; for Israel falling off from the house of David, fell off from the tabernacle, or temple of God; so that all the temple they had was of their own making. The elder — Greater for number of tribes, and for power, wealth, and for multitudes of people. Aholibah — That is, my tabernacle in her: the two tribes had the temple of God with them. Mine — By solemn marriage — covenant. Bare sons — Were fruitful and brought forth children to me; they increased in numbers of people; and among these, some there were that were children of God by faith, love, and obedience.

Played the harlot — United in idolatry, with the Assyrians. Mine — When under my government, and protection.

Horsemen — Skillful in riding, and well furnished with choice horses.

With all — Other nations, with whom she had commerce.

Discovered — Stript her naked, and exposed her to shame. Took her sons — Captives. Slew her — The kingdom of Israel, under Hoshea, was by Salmanesar utterly destroyed. They — The Assyrians, had executed God's just displeasure upon her.

Girded — With soldiers belts, which includes the rest of the habit of soldiers. In dyed attire — Both rich, comely, large, and of divers colours. Princes — Of princely aspect and majesty.

Alienated — She grew weary of the Chaldeans.

Discovered — Made it appear to all, far and near.

By — Remembering her idolatries in Egypt, her alliance with it in days past, which she now resolved to act over again.

Paramours — The nations, that were confederate with the Egyptians.

Pekod — Pekod is the province between Tigris, and Lycus; in this was old Nineveh. Shoa — Either Sia in Armenia, or the Sohia, among which were the Adiabeni, and this contained the middle part of the kingdom of Babylon. Koa — This bordered upon Media, the inhabitants were called Kohai, and dwelt about Arbela. And all — All subjects of the Assyrian monarchy.

And wheels — Lest in their march the carriage wheels should break, a store of these were provided. An assembly — A mighty confluence of people. I will set — Give them a power in right of conquest over their rebels, as well as mine, and I will give them a spirit of judgment to discern the greatness of this people's sins. Judge — Condemn, and execute sentence upon thee. According — To their will, power, wrath, and custom, against rebels; for these are their rules of judgment.

I will set my jealousy — As a jealous provoked husband, I will be as much against thee as they are. Thy residue — Either the people, who hid themselves in vaults and cellars, or what the Chaldeans cannot carry away, all this shall be devoured by fire.

Take away — Deprive thee of the comfortable use of all thy labour, which they will exact of thee in captivity.

It — Is large, and contains what will last many years, even 'till the seventy years be expired.

Thou — Shalt stagger with sorrows, that shall intoxicate, and astonish. Suck it out — The dregs shalt thou drink, and multiply thine own sorrows. Break the sheards — To suck out what remains. And pluck — Revenging thyself upon thyself.

Bear thou — The guilt, I will impute it, the punishment, I will not pardon it.

In the same day — When they had newly polluted themselves with idolatry and murder, they thrust into the temple.

My house — Nay, these things have been in my house.

Wash thyself — After the manner of harlots.

Sattest — Prepared to feast them. A stately bed — A magnificent bed, on which women sat to feast, when men leaned on their sides. Incense — Offered to their idols.

A voice — A shout for joy, that there was a treaty of peace between the Jews, and the Chaldeans.

Righteous men — Men that keep the law of their God.

Upon them — Against the Jews, the children of this Aholibah.

The company — The Babylonian army.

Lewdness — Idolatry. And indeed we do not read of any after their return out of this captivity.

They — The Babylonians. The sins — The guilt of worshipping idols; and you shall bear the punishment of idolaters.