Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

EZEKIEL 23:34KJV
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Ezekiel 23:34 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 23:34 mean?

Ezekiel 23:34 describes a harsh judgment where the people must fully experience the consequences of their actions, symbolized by drinking a bitter cup to the last drop, breaking the cup, and suffering personal loss. The verse uses vivid imagery to show that nothing will be held back from them—they must face the full result of their choices because God has declared it.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to Jerusalem and Samaria, represented as two unfaithful sisters. The "cup" is a common symbol in the Bible for judgment or punishment. The actions described—drinking, breaking the sherds, and tearing at their own bodies—emphasize the totality and pain of the judgment that is coming as a result of their unfaithfulness.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 23:34

  • "Drink" (שָׁתָה, shatah, H8354) means to drink, often used for taking in something fully. Here, it stresses that the people cannot avoid or lessen the judgment—they must take it all in.
  • "Sherds" (חֶרֶשׂ, cheres, H2789) refers to broken pieces of pottery. The image of breaking and even trying to consume the sherds shows desperation and the completeness of their punishment.
  • "Pluck off" (נָתַשׁ, natash, H5423) means to tear away or pull off. The verse uses this strong word to highlight the self-inflicted pain and humiliation that will come with judgment.
  • "Breasts" (שַׁד, shad, H7699) is a direct reference to the body, often symbolizing nurturing or identity. Here, it shows the depth of personal loss and shame involved.

Why Ezekiel 23:34 matters

  • This verse clears up that the judgment described is not partial or symbolic—it is total and deeply personal, affecting every aspect of those involved.
  • The strong imagery connects to the wider passage, where God uses the metaphor of two sisters to show the seriousness of unfaithfulness and the certainty of consequences.
  • Understanding the original Hebrew words helps reveal just how intense and complete the judgment is meant to be, going beyond surface-level punishment to deep personal suffering.

Where else these words appear

“break” Hebrew H1633 · used in 3 verses

  • Numbers 24:8 God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
  • Zephaniah 3:3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

“out” Hebrew H4680 · used in 7 verses

  • Leviticus 1:15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:
  • Judges 6:38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
  • Psalms 75:8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.

“sherds” Hebrew H2789 · used in 16 verses

  • Leviticus 6:28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water.
  • Numbers 5:17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:
  • Isaiah 30:14 And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit.

“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.