23 Then Yahweh gave me another message: 2 “Humanity’s child, once there was a woman who had two daughters 3 who as young women, prostituted themselves in Egypt. Their breasts were squeezed and their virgin nipples were fondled there. 4 The older one was Oholah (referring to Shomron or Samaria) and her younger sister was Oholibah (referring to Yerushalem). Then they became my wives and had sons and daughters.

The sin and punishment of Shomron/Samaria

5 But Oholah prostituted herself even when she was mine. She lusted for her lovers: for the Assyrian warriors, 6 princes and captains dressed in fine clothes. They were choice, young men riding their horses, 7 and she gave them sexual favours. They were all the best of Assyria’s men, and she defiled herself with everyone she lusted for, and with all their idols. 8 She hadn’t left her prostitute behaviour behind in Egypt, when they had slept with her when she in her youth—caressing her virgin nipples and pouring their lust out on her.

9 That’s why I handed her over to her lovers—those Assyrians that she lusted for. 10 They uncovered her nakedness, took her sons and daughters, and killed her with the sword. She had become notorious among women, so they executed judgement on her.

Yerushalem’s sin

11 Her sister Oholibah saw that, but she lusted more passionately and prostituted herself even more wildly than her sister. 12 She also lusted for the Assyrians, the governors and the dominating officials who rode horses and dressed impressively. All of them were strong, handsome men. 13 I saw that she had defiled herself just like her older sister.

14 Then she increased her prostitution even more. She saw men carved on walls, figures of Chaldeans painted in red, 15 wearing belts around their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads. All of them looked like chariot troop officers, similar to Babylonians (whose native land is Chaldea). 16 As soon as she saw those drawings, she lusted for those men, so she sent messengers out to them in Chaldea. 17 The Babylonians came to her and to her bed of lust, and they defiled her with their promiscuousness. Yes, she had defiled herself by what she’d done, so she turned herself away from them in disgust. 18 When she’d exposed her nakedness and openly been involved in prostitution, I turned away from her just like I’d turned away in disgust from her sister. 19 Then she increased her prostitution as she remembered when she was a young prostitute in Egypt 20 and she lusted for her lovers whose private parts were long like those of donkeys, and whose emissions of semen were huge like those of stallions. 21 That’s how you had committed those shameful acts of your youth, when the Egyptians fondled your nipples and squeezed your young breasts.

Yahweh’s judgement of Yerushalem

22 Therefore, Oholibah, the master Yahweh says this, ‘Listen, I’ll turn your lovers against you. I’ll bring those that you rejected against you from every side: 23 the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them—strong, handsome men, governors and commanders, all of them are officers and men of reputation, all of them riding on horses. 24 They’ll bring many people against you with weapons, as well as chariots and wagons. They will place units with large shields, small shields, and helmets all around against you. I’ll get them to punish you, and they’ll punish you with their actions. 25 I’ll direct my jealous anger at you, and they’ll deal with you in fury. They’ll cut off your noses and your ears, and even the survivors will fall by the sword. They’ll take away your sons and your daughters and the remainder will be burnt. 26 They’ll strip off your clothes and take away all your jewellery. 27 I will remove your shameful behaviour from you, and your acts of prostitution from Egypt. You’ll give up your longing looks towards them, and you won’t think about Egypt any more,’ 28 because the master Yahweh says this, Listen, I’ll hand you over to the ones you hate—back into the control of the ones that you had turned away from. 29 They’ll show their hate for you as they take all your possessions and abandon you naked and bare—yes, your nakedness will be uncovered just like when you engaged in promiscuity and prostitution. 30 These things will be done to you because of your acting like a prostitute—lusting after nations by which you became defiled with their idols.

31 You followed a similar path to that of your older sister, so I’ll give you the same punishment that I gave her.’ 32 The master Yahweh says this, ‘You’ll suffer the same extreme suffering that your sister suffered. You’ll become a laughingstock and a subject for derision—there’s a lot of pain coming your way. 33 You’ll be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, horror and devastation—the same suffering that your sister Shomron was made to drink. 34 You will drink that cup of suffering and drain it empty, then you’ll shatter it and tear your breasts with the pieces. That’s the master Yahweh’s declaration.’

35 So the master Yahweh says this, ‘Because you’ve forgotten me and thrown me away behind your back, so also you will bear the consequences of your shameful behaviour and your prostitution.’ ”

Revealing the disgusting deeds of the sisters

36 Yahweh said to me, “Humanity’s child, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Present them a list of their disgusting actions, 37 since they’ve committed adultery, and also have blood on their hands. They’ve committed adultery by worshipping their idols, and they have even caused their sons to pass through the fire to be considered as food for their idols. 38 Then on top of that, they defile my sanctuary, and at the same time, they disrespect my rest days. 39 When they’d slaughtered their children for their idols, then they came to my sanctuary on the same day to desecrate it. So listen, that’s what they’ve done right there in my residence.

40 You sent messengers to go and bring men from far away. Now look, they indeed came—those who you prepared for by bathing, painting your eyes, and adorning yourself with jewellery. 41 You sat on a lovely couch bed with a table arranged in front of you where you placed my incense and my olive oil. 42 Then the sound of a noisy crowd was around her as all kinds of men, even Sabeans were brought in from the wilderness, and they put bracelets on their hands and beautiful crowns on their heads. 43 Then I said about that experienced adulterer, ‘Now they’ll treat her as a prostitute, and she’ll fornicate with them.’ 44 They had sex with her like men do with a prostitute. In that way they had sex with the two immoral women, Oholah and Oholibah. 45 But righteous men will pass judgement and punish them as adulteresses, and they’ll punish them with the appropriate sentence for those who’ve shed blood, because they’re adulteresses plus they have blood on their hands.

46 So the master Yahweh says this: I’ll bring a company to attack Shomron and Yerushalem and give them up to be terrorized and plundered. 47 Then that company will stone them with stones and cut them down with their swords. They’ll kill their children and burn down their houses. 48 That’s how I’ll remove shameful behaviour from the land and discipline all the women so they’ll no longer act like prostitutes. 49 They’ll use your shameful behaviour against you. You’ll all bear the guilt of your sins with your idols, and in that way you’ll know that I am the master Yahweh.”