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Ezekiel 23:20

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Ezekiel 23:20 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
Ezekiel 23:20 — American Standard Version

Context — Ezekiel 23

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
17And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her soul was alienated from them.
18So she uncovered her whoredoms, and uncovered her nakedness: then my soul was alienated from her, like as my soul was alienated from her sister.
19Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, remembering the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
20And she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
21Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in the handling of thy bosom by the Egyptians for the breasts of thy youth.
22Therefore, O Oholibah, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy soul is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side:
23the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa, [and] all the Assyrians with them; desirable young men, governors and rulers all of them, princes and men of renown, all of them riding upon horses.
← Ezekiel 23:19Ezekiel 23:21 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“For she doted upon their paramours, &c.] Or “concubines”f356; the neighbouring nations and allies of the Egyptians, whose friendship the Jews courted, and whose idols they served: the Septuagint and Arabic versions wrongly read the Chaldeans: whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses; by “flesh” is meant the “membrum virile”, which in asses is very large, and therefore dedicated to Priapus by the Heathens; and vast is the profusion of seed in coitus by horses, to which the flesh and issue of the Egyptian paramours are compared; who were very libidinous, and therefore desirable to insatiable women; all which serves to express the eagerness of the people…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“their paramours--that is, her paramours among them (the Egyptians); she doted upon their persons as her paramours (Eze 23:5, Eze 23:12, Eze 23:16). flesh--the membrum virile (very large in the ass). Compare Lev 15:2, Margin; Eze 16:26. issue of horses--the seminal issue. The horse was made by the Egyptians the hieroglyphic for a lustful person.”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Paramours - The nations, that were confederate with the Egyptians. Ezekiel 23:23”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Eze 16:20, Eze 16:26; Eze 17:15; Jer 5:8 Ezekiel 23:22”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification