Ezekiel Chapter 23 verse 5 Holy Bible
And Oholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians `her' neighbors,
read chapter 23 in ASV
And Oholah was untrue to me when she was mine; she was full of desire for her lovers, even for the Assyrians, her neighbours,
read chapter 23 in BBE
And Oholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she lusted after her lovers, after the Assyrians [her] neighbours,
read chapter 23 in DARBY
And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,
read chapter 23 in KJV
read chapter 23 in WBT
Oholah played the prostitute when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians [her] neighbors,
read chapter 23 in WEB
And go a-whoring doth Aholah under Me, And she doteth on her lovers, On the neighbouring Assyrians,
read chapter 23 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 5. - The history of both the sisters passes from the time of the Exodus to that of their separate existence, and starts, in fact, from their first intercourse with the great monarchies of Asia. So far it is less a survey of their successive stages of degradation, like that of Ezekiel 16, than a retrospect of their political alliances. Aholah played the harlot. The lovers, as in Ezekiel 16:33, are the nations with which the kings of Israel were in alliance, and of these the Assyrians are named as pre-eminent. The word neighbors, which in its literal sense is hardly applicable, is probably to be taken of spiritual affinity, or may be taken as "come near" is in Genesis 20:4; Ezekiel 18:6; Leviticus 20:16. The Assyrians were those who, in that sense, came near to the harlot city. We have in 2 Kings 15:20 the fact that Menahem paid tribute to Pul. Hosea 5:13 and Hosea 7:11 speak generally of such alliances. The black obelisk of Shalmaneser records the fact that Jehu paid tribute to him ('Records of the Past,' 5:41). In the last-named case the tribute consisted chiefly of vessels of gold, bowls, goblets, etc.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) The Assyrians her neighbours.--Or, the Assyrians drawing near. They are described in Ezekiel 23:40 as those who "come from far." The nearness here spoken of is to be understood not locally, but spiritually, of sympathy in idolatry. Of the earlier connection between Israel and Assyria there is little remaining record. In 2Kings 15:19-20, it is said that Pul exacted tribute of Menahem, and the mention seems to imply a still earlier intercourse. According to the Assyrian records, Jehu was tributary to Shalmaneser; Assyria, as representing the great northern power, in contrast to Egypt on the south, is probably used here in a sense broad enough to include also Syria.
