Ezekiel 16:23 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 16:23 mean?

Ezekiel 16:23 is a warning from God, spoken through the prophet Ezekiel, expressing deep sorrow and alarm over Jerusalem’s many acts of wickedness. The verse interrupts the narrative with a strong exclamation—“woe, woe unto thee!”—showing God’s grief and outrage at the city’s behavior after all it has done wrong.

In this chapter, God is speaking to Jerusalem, comparing the city to an unfaithful woman who has repeatedly turned away from Him. The verse comes after a long list of the city’s wrongdoings, and the double “woe” signals the seriousness of their actions and the pain it causes God. This outburst highlights how shocking and grievous Jerusalem’s continued sins are in God’s eyes.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 16:23

• “after” (אַחַר, ’achar): This word marks a turning point, meaning “after” or “following” all the previous acts of wickedness. It signals that what comes next is a result of a long history of wrongdoing.
• “wickedness” (רָעָה, ra‘ah): This word means evil, harm, or wickedness, emphasizing the seriousness and moral weight of Jerusalem’s actions.
• “woe” (הוֹי, hoy): This is an exclamation of distress or lament, often used by prophets to express grief, alarm, or impending judgment. The repetition (“woe, woe”) intensifies the emotion, showing how deeply God is affected.
• “saith” (נְאֻם, ne’um): This is a formal declaration, often used in prophetic speech to underline that the message comes directly from God, not just the prophet’s own words.
• “Lord” (אֲדֹנָי, ’Adonai) and “GOD” (יְהוִה, YHWH): These names together stress both God’s authority (’Adonai, meaning “Lord” or “Master”) and His covenant name (YHWH), making clear that the speaker is the one true God.

Why Ezekiel 16:23 matters

• The verse highlights God’s emotional response to sin, not just His judgment—His repeated “woe” shows sorrow and alarm, not only anger.
• By interrupting the narrative with this exclamation, Ezekiel 16:23 draws attention to the seriousness of Jerusalem’s actions and the breaking point they have reached.
• This verse connects the earlier description of Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness to the coming consequences, marking a shift from recounting past sins to announcing God’s response.