Ezekiel 23:46
For thus says the Lord GOD: “Bring up a vast host against them, and make them an object of terror and a plunder.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse reveals a subtle but powerful image: God declares He will "bring up a company" against them, which can also be translated as a "convocation" or "council." This isn't just about military invasion; it speaks to a formal, almost judicial, condemnation where the invaders act as instruments of God's judgment, carrying out the sentence of removal and plunder for their sins.
This verse concludes Ezekiel's powerful parable about two unfaithful sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, who represent Israel and Judah respectively. God has just detailed their spiritual adultery and the terrible judgment coming upon them, and now He declares the specific action He will take. This means the verses before describe their deep corruption, while the immediate aftermath will reveal the devastation of the Babylonian invasion as their cities are destroyed and their people taken captive.
Have you ever felt like judgment was coming, like a verdict was already passed? This verse speaks to the terrifying reality of God's judgment.
This verse isn't just a description of war; it's a divine verdict. The 'company' God brings up is the Babylonian army, but the language hints at a judicial proceeding. The Hebrew word for 'company' can also mean 'council of judges.'
This means the invasion and destruction are framed as an execution of a sentence. God, as the ultimate judge, is bringing a force to carry out His righteous judgment against sin and rebellion. The "removal" and "spoiling" are not random acts of violence, but the direct consequence of a decreed sentence.
Why would God orchestrate such devastation? This verse is a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from Him.
Ezekiel's prophecy is set against the backdrop of Judah's persistent idolatry and rebellion, symbolized by the sisters Oholah (Samaria) and Oholibah (Jerusalem) in the preceding chapters. Their spiritual adultery and corrupt practices have led them to this point.
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God's judgment, described here as bringing 'terror and plunder,' is a direct response to their deep-seated sin. The 'removal' signifies exile, a tearing away from their homeland, and 'spoiling' means their wealth and possessions will be seized. This isn't arbitrary cruelty; it's the painful, yet just, outcome of rejecting God's covenant and pursuing destructive paths.
Understand the original words
Adonai Yahweh · Hebrew Noun phrase
A title for God, typically combining 'Adonai' (Lord/Master) and 'Yahweh' (The LORD), emphasizing His absolute sovereignty, authority, and covenant relationship with His people.
zeva'ah · Hebrew Noun
Something or someone that evokes intense fear or awe; in a biblical context, it often refers to the manifestation of God’s judgment that leaves observers paralyzed with dread.
The 'company' God brings up is the Babylonian army, acting as agents of divine judgment. This verse speaks directly to the devastation of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile, a catastrophic event that shattered Judah's identity and hope.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel (Aholah) falls to the Neo-Assyrian Empire, marking the destruction of their unique religious practices and the exile of many Israelites. This event serves as a grim foreshadowing for Judah.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Judah and begins deporting skilled workers and members of the royal family, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the initial phase of Judah's subjugation.
597 BC— this verse
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Judah's elite, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, to Babylon. Jerusalem and the Temple are spared further destruction for a time.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
After a prolonged siege, Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy. The remaining population is largely deported to Babylon, fulfilling the prophecies of judgment.
This passage echoes Ezekiel's prophecy, describing the Chaldean army being brought against Jerusalem to execute God's judgment and bring about destruction and captivity, just as described for Aholibah.
Deuteronomy 28:48This verse from Deuteronomy outlines the curses for disobedience, directly mirroring the 'removal and spoiling' threatened in Ezekiel, including serving enemies in hunger, thirst, nakedness, and want of all things.
Isaiah 10:5-6This passage speaks of Assyria (and by extension, other conquering nations like Babylon) as God's 'rod' and 'axe' to punish nations, illustrating the concept of God raising up armies for judgment and destruction.
Ezekiel 16:40This verse, also from Ezekiel and referencing Jerusalem (Aholibah), directly states that foreign nations will participate in her 'lewdness' and, in judgment, will 'lift up' her houses and execute judgment upon her.
gillEzekiel 23:46: "For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled."
For thus saith the Lord God, I will bring up a company upon them,.... Or, "do thou bring up a company upon them" (m), or "against them". The Targum represents it as spoken to the prophet, thus, "prophesy that armies shall come up against them.'' Kimchi interprets it as we do, "I will bring up", &c. and so others (n). By this "company" is to be understood the Chaldean…
pooleEzekiel 23:46: "For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled."
A company; the Babylonian army. Upon them; against the Jews, the children of this Aholibah. Give them; the inhabitants of Judea, the citizens of Jerusalem, with princes and royal family. To be removed; to be carried away captive into the land of Chaldea. And spoiled, by the rapine of the soldiers in their own land, and by the cruelty of their masters to whom they shal…
This verse reveals a subtle but powerful image: God declares He will "bring up a company" against them, which can also be translated as a "convocation" or "council." This isn't just about military invasion; it speaks to a formal, almost judicial, condemnation where the invaders act as instruments of God's judgment, carrying out the sentence of removal and plunder for their sins.
This verse concludes Ezekiel's powerful parable about two unfaithful sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, who represent Israel and Judah respectively. God has just detailed their spiritual adultery and the terrible judgment coming upon them, and now He declares the specific action He will take. This means the verses before describe their deep corruption, while the immediate aftermath will reveal the devastation of the Babylonian invasion as their cities are destroyed and their people taken captive.
This verse concludes Ezekiel's powerful parable about two unfaithful sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, who represent Israel and Judah respectively. God has just detailed their spiritual adultery and the terrible judgment coming upon them, and now He declares the specific action He will take. This means the verses before describe their deep corruption, while the immediate aftermath will reveal the devastation of the Babylonian invasion as their cities are destroyed and their people taken captive.
"For thus says the Lord GOD: “Bring up a vast host against them, and make them an object of terror and a plunder." — This verse reveals a subtle but powerful image: God declares He will "bring up a company" against them, which can also be translated as a "convocation" or "council." This isn't just about military in…
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