and they shall deal with you in hatred and take away all the fruit of your labor and leave you naked and bare, and the nakedness of your whoring shall be uncovered. Your lewdness and your whoring
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just say their "labor" will be taken; it emphasizes "all the fruit of your labor," meaning every single reward and comfort they worked for will be gone. This stripping away isn't just about possessions; it's the exposure of their "whoredoms" and "lewdness," showing how their spiritual infidelity led directly to this utter humiliation and disgrace.
and they shall deal with you in hatred and take away all the fruit of your labor and leave you naked and bare, and the nakedness of your whoring shall be uncovered. Your lewdness and your whoring
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse continues Ezekiel's harsh prophecy about Jerusalem and Judah, personified as Oholibah, detailing the horrific judgment that will come upon them. After describing their betrayals and unfaithfulness to God, like a scorned lover, God declares He will turn them over to their enemies who will treat them with utter hatred, stripping them of all their wealth and leaving them in utter disgrace, exposing the shame of their idolatry.
When God's people turn away, the very people they sought favor with can end up treating them with intense hatred. This verse shows how that betrayal exposes their deepest shame.
Ezekiel uses stark imagery here. The 'hatred' mentioned isn't just anger; it's a deep-seated animosity that leads to brutal treatment. The invaders will 'deal with you hatefully,' stripping away everything, leaving them 'naked and bare.'
This nakedness is not just physical; it's the exposure of their spiritual adultery – their idolatry and disobedience. The 'nakedness of your whoring' means their sinful practices, their pursuit of other gods and alliances, will be laid open for all to see, bringing ultimate disgrace.
What does it mean for all your 'labor' to be taken away? This isn't just about losing your job; it's about the forfeiture of life's meaningful work.
The phrase 'take away all the fruit of your labor' speaks to a devastating loss. It signifies not just the plunder of wealth or possessions, but the destruction of the very things people worked hard for and relied on for security and comfort.
In the context of Ezekiel's prophecy, this meant that all the efforts Israel and Judah put into building their kingdoms, forming alliances, and pursuing their own prosperity would be rendered worthless by the invading armies. Their labor would become the property of their enemies, leaving them with nothing but the bitter realization that their trust was misplaced.
Understand the original words
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ervah · Hebrew Noun
Often used in a state of shame or vulnerability in the Bible, it signifies the removal of protection, loss of status, and the public exposure of one's sins or spiritual condition before God and humanity.
This prophecy paints a vivid picture of the brutal consequences of Judah's unfaithfulness, which culminated in the utter destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its people by the Babylonians. The 'nakedness' speaks not just of literal exposure but of the profound disgrace and loss of all they held dear, a direct result of their turning away from God.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) falls to the Assyrian Empire, marking the end of its independent existence and the scattering of many of its people.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah, initiating the first wave of exiles to Babylon, including members of the royal family and skilled individuals.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following further rebellion, Babylon deports more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, intensifying the exile.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylonian forces completely destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, with the remaining population (except the poorest) exiled to Babylon. This event is the direct backdrop for Ezekiel's prophecy.
c. 580 BC
Ezekiel's Prophecy of Judgment
Ezekiel, in exile, delivers prophecies of judgment against Judah and Jerusalem, likening their unfaithfulness to the nations to spiritual adultery.
This passage echoes the consequences of spiritual adultery, where God will strip away the 'gifts' and 'spoils' that Israel wrongly attributed to Baal, revealing their utter dependence on God alone.
Jeremiah 22:24-26Similar to Ezekiel's prophecy, Jeremiah foretells the humiliation of Jehoiachin, predicting that his 'lovers' (Babylon) would take away all his possessions and he would be exposed and shamed in exile.
Isaiah 47:1-3This chapter graphically describes the downfall of Babylon, depicting her being stripped bare, her nakedness revealed, and her shame exposed, mirroring the fate described for Judah in Ezekiel.
Revelation 17:16This New Testament passage speaks of the 'ten horns' and the 'beast' ultimately hating the 'harlot' (symbolic of corrupted systems), turning against her, stripping her, and consuming her flesh, reflecting the brutal judgment of God against spiritual unfaithfulness.
gillEzekiel 23:29: "And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms."
And they shall deal with thee hatefully,.... The Chaldeans should hate the Jews as much as before they loved them, when they came into the bed of love to them, Ezekiel 23:17 and as much as the Jews hated them; which they showed by their severe and rigorous usage of them, put…
pulpitEzekiel 23:29: "And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms."
Verse 29. - All thy labor; sc. all the results of labor, all thy wealth.
The verse doesn't just say their "labor" will be taken; it emphasizes "all the fruit of your labor," meaning every single reward and comfort they worked for will be gone. This stripping away isn't just about possessions; it's the exposure of their "whoredoms" and "lewdness," showing how their spiritual infidelity led directly to this utter humiliation and disgrace.
This verse continues Ezekiel's harsh prophecy about Jerusalem and Judah, personified as Oholibah, detailing the horrific judgment that will come upon them. After describing their betrayals and unfaithfulness to God, like a scorned lover, God declares He will turn them over to their enemies who will treat them with utter hatred, stripping them of all their wealth and leaving them in utter disgrace, exposing the shame of their idolatry.
This verse continues Ezekiel's harsh prophecy about Jerusalem and Judah, personified as Oholibah, detailing the horrific judgment that will come upon them. After describing their betrayals and unfaithfulness to God, like a scorned lover, God declares He will turn them over to their enemies who will treat them with utter hatred, stripping them of all their wealth and leaving them in utter disgrace, exposing the shame of their idolatry.
"and they shall deal with you in hatred and take away all the fruit of your labor and leave you naked and bare, and the nakedness of your whoring shall be uncovered. Your lewdness and your whoring" — The verse doesn't just say their "labor" will be taken; it emphasizes "all the fruit of your labor," meaning every single reward and comfort they worked for will be gone. This stripping away isn't ju…
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Last reviewed October 2026