And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.

EZEKIEL 23:3KJV
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Ezekiel 23:3 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 23:3 mean?

Ezekiel 23:3 describes how the two symbolic sisters, representing Samaria and Jerusalem, engaged in unfaithfulness to God while they were still in Egypt, using vivid language about their early experiences of idolatry and spiritual betrayal. The verse uses physical imagery to communicate that their unfaithfulness began in their youth, long before they entered the Promised Land.

In this passage, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the people of Israel, using the story of two sisters (Oholah and Oholibah) as a metaphor for the northern and southern kingdoms. The verse highlights that Israel's pattern of turning away from God started early, during their time in Egypt, and continued throughout their history. The strong imagery emphasizes the depth and long-standing nature of their spiritual unfaithfulness.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 23:3

  • "whoredoms" (זָנָה, zanah): This word means sexual immorality or prostitution, but in the prophets it often refers to spiritual unfaithfulness or idolatry. Here, it underscores that Israel's betrayal of God was not just a later development but began early.
  • "youth" (נְעוּרִים, ne'urim): This word points to the early stage of Israel's national life, suggesting that their tendency toward idolatry started when they were a young nation, even before leaving Egypt.
  • "breasts" (שַׁד, shad) and "teats" (דַּד, dad): These words are used as part of the metaphor, symbolizing innocence and vulnerability, but also the place where corruption began.
  • "pressed" (מָעַךְ, ma'akh) and "bruised" (עָשָׂה, asah): These verbs paint a picture of being taken advantage of or corrupted, reinforcing the idea that Israel's faithfulness was damaged from the start.

Why Ezekiel 23:3 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Israel's spiritual problems did not begin in the land of Canaan but were rooted in their earliest experiences as a people, even in Egypt.
  • The strong, physical imagery is meant to shock the audience and drive home the seriousness of their unfaithfulness, making it clear that this is not just about ritual mistakes but deep, ongoing betrayal.
  • Understanding this verse helps explain the rest of Ezekiel 23, where the consequences of this long-standing unfaithfulness are described in detail, showing why judgment is coming.

Where else these words appear

“pressed” Hebrew H4600 · used in 3 verses

  • Leviticus 22:24 Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.
  • 1 Samuel 26:7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

“teats” Hebrew H1717 · used in 4 verses

  • Proverbs 5:19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
  • Ezekiel 23:8 Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her.
  • Ezekiel 23:21 Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth.

“virginity” Hebrew H1331 · used in 9 verses

  • Leviticus 21:13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
  • Deuteronomy 22:15 Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate:
  • Judges 11:37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.

“breasts” Hebrew H7699 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
  • Song of Solomon 7:7 This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.
  • Isaiah 66:11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.