Ezekiel 23:35 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 23:35 mean?

Ezekiel 23:35 records God declaring that because the people have forgotten Him and deliberately turned away, they must now face the consequences of their immoral and unfaithful actions. The verse makes clear that their neglect of God and pursuit of other desires will result in them bearing the shame and results of their choices.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the people of Jerusalem, using strong language to confront their spiritual unfaithfulness. The context is a larger passage where God compares Jerusalem and Samaria to two sisters who have been unfaithful to Him. The verse emphasizes personal responsibility: forgetting God and turning away (casting Him "behind thy back") leads to living with the results of that decision.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 23:35

• "forgotten" (שָׁכַח, shakach): This word means more than a simple lapse of memory; it often implies willful neglect or ignoring someone on purpose. Here, it highlights that the people have intentionally set God aside.
• "cast" (שָׁלַךְ, shalak): This verb means to throw or hurl something away. The image is not just of forgetting, but of actively putting God out of sight and mind, showing deliberate rejection.
• "behind" (אַחַר, achar) and "back" (גֵּו, gev): Together, these words paint a picture of turning one's back on someone, making the rejection personal and intentional.
• "bear" (נָשָׂא, nasa): This word means to carry or endure something. Here, it stresses that the people must now carry the burden or consequences of their actions.
• "lewdness" (זִמָּה, zimmah) and "whoredoms" (תַּעֲנוּפָה, ta'anufah): These words refer to immoral and unfaithful behavior, often used in the prophets to describe both literal and spiritual unfaithfulness.

Why Ezekiel 23:35 matters

• This verse clarifies that forgetting God is not accidental but a deliberate act with real consequences, challenging the idea that spiritual drift is harmless.
• The language of "casting behind thy back" underscores the personal nature of the people's rejection of God, making it clear that this is not just a passive mistake.
• Ezekiel 23:35 fits into a larger warning against unfaithfulness in the book, showing that God's judgment is not arbitrary but a direct response to the people's choices and actions.