Ezekiel 23:47
And the host shall stone them and cut them down with their swords. They shall kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse vividly portrays the utter devastation of judgment, where the invaders don't just conquer but mimic the very punishment for adultery – stoning – with the stones from their siege engines. This detail highlights how the judgment reflects the sin itself, bringing a brutal, symbolic end to the unfaithful city.
Ezekiel has been using a powerful parable about two unfaithful sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, representing Samaria and Jerusalem. This passage describes the brutal, final judgment upon Aholibah (Jerusalem) and her people for their persistent spiritual adultery and idolatry. The verse depicts the complete destruction of the city and its inhabitants by the invading Babylonian army, a consequence for their covenant unfaithfulness.
How does the brutal judgment described in Ezekiel's vision connect to the sins of Aholah and Aholibah? It's a chilling parallel that reveals God's deep sorrow.
Ezekiel's prophecy doesn't just describe destruction; it shows how the punishment directly reflects the sins committed.
The Crime of Adultery
God uses the metaphor of adultery to describe Israel's and Judah's unfaithfulness to Him. They chased after other gods and nations, breaking their covenant vows.
The Penalty of Adultery
Under the Law given to Moses, adultery was punishable by death, often by stoning (Leviticus 20:10). This verse mentions stoning, not just as a literal act, but as a symbolic representation of the severe judgment God brought through the Babylonian army. The stones from siege engines smashing into the city echo this legal penalty.
The Fullness of Destruction
Beyond stoning, the text speaks of being cut down by swords, sons and daughters being slain, and houses being burned. This signifies a total annihilation of their way of life, a complete removal of the corrupt community, mirroring the utter devastation that infidelity brings to relationships and lives.
Who is this 'company' that carries out such horrific destruction? Understanding their role reveals God's sovereignty even in judgment.
The 'company' in Ezekiel 23:47 refers to the Babylonian army, the instrument God used to enact His judgment.
God's Instruments
While the Babylonians were brutal and acted with their own ambitions, the prophetic text makes it clear they were acting as God's 'sword' or 'rod' (Isaiah 10:5-7). God, in His justice, raised them up to punish the unfaithfulness of His own people.
Sovereignty in Suffering
This doesn't excuse the cruelty of the Babylonians, but it highlights God's ultimate control over history. Even when His people stray far from Him, He can use pagan nations to bring about His righteous judgment. It’s a sobering reminder that God’s justice is not to be trifled with.
Ezekiel's vivid imagery of stoning, swords, and burning homes directly reflects the horrific reality of Jerusalem's final destruction by the Babylonians, portraying it as a legal and brutal consequence of the nation's spiritual adultery and rebellion.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The northern kingdom of Israel (referred to as 'Samaria' and 'Aholah' in Ezekiel's allegory) falls to the Assyrian Empire, marking a significant exile and loss of national identity.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens of Judah are exiled to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar II. This marks the beginning of Judah's Babylonian captivity.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar II's forces conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and deport most of the remaining population to Babylon. This event is the direct backdrop for Ezekiel's prophecy.
c. 586 BC
Post-Destruction Israel
Following the destruction of Jerusalem, the land is left in ruins, and the remaining population is scattered or taken into exile. The prophecy describes the brutal and total judgment that befell the city and its people.
This passage describes stoning as the punishment for adultery, directly connecting to the symbolic and actual stoning mentioned in Ezekiel as a consequence of spiritual adultery with idols.
Deuteronomy 22:22Similar to Leviticus, this verse details the punishment of death by stoning for adultery, reinforcing the legal and societal consequences implied by Ezekiel's imagery of judgment.
John 8:5In this New Testament account, the accusers suggest stoning Jesus's accusers, showing how stoning was a recognized form of punishment in ancient Jewish law, even if Jesus subverted its application.
Jeremiah 52:13This historical account of Jerusalem's fall provides the brutal reality behind Ezekiel's prophecy, detailing how the Babylonians burned the temple and houses, fulfilling the judgment described.
Ezekiel 16:40Ezekiel himself connects the punishment of stoning and being given over to the sword and the burning of houses to the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness, broadening the context of this specific judgment.
clarkeEzekiel 23:47: "And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire."
Shall stone them with stones - As they did adulteresses under the law. See Leviticus 20:10 ; Deuteronomy 22:22 , compared with John 8:3 .
ellicottEzekiel 23:47: "And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire."
(47) With stones . . . with swords. —The figure and the reality are here designedly mixed. Stoning was the legal punishment of adultery, but the actual overthrow of Jerusalem was by the sword.
This verse vividly portrays the utter devastation of judgment, where the invaders don't just conquer but mimic the very punishment for adultery – stoning – with the stones from their siege engines. This detail highlights how the judgment reflects the sin itself, bringing a brutal, symbolic end to the unfaithful city.
Ezekiel has been using a powerful parable about two unfaithful sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, representing Samaria and Jerusalem. This passage describes the brutal, final judgment upon Aholibah (Jerusalem) and her people for their persistent spiritual adultery and idolatry. The verse depicts the complete destruction of the city and its inhabitants by the invading Babylonian army, a consequence for their covenant unfaithfulness.
Ezekiel has been using a powerful parable about two unfaithful sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, representing Samaria and Jerusalem. This passage describes the brutal, final judgment upon Aholibah (Jerusalem) and her people for their persistent spiritual adultery and idolatry. The verse depicts the complete destruction of the city and its inhabitants by the invading Babylonian army, a consequence for their covenant unfaithfulness.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Ezekiel 23:47 is available in the Sola app.
"And the host shall stone them and cut them down with their swords. They shall kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses." — This verse vividly portrays the utter devastation of judgment, where the invaders don't just conquer but mimic the very punishment for adultery – stoning – with the stones from their siege engines. T…
