23:11 “Her sister Oholibah watched this, 3 but she became more corrupt in her lust than her sister had been, and her acts of prostitution were more numerous than those of her sister.
23:22 “Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look here, 4 I am about to stir up against you the lovers with whom you were disgusted; I will bring them against you from every side:
23:36 The Lord said to me: “Son of man, are you willing to pronounce judgment 5 on Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominable deeds!
1 tn The names Oholah and Oholibah are both derived from the word meaning “tent.” The meaning of Oholah is “her tent,” while Oholibah means “my tent is in her.”
2 sn In this allegory the Lord is depicted as being the husband of two wives. The OT law prohibited a man from marrying sisters (Lev 18:18), but the practice is attested in the OT (cf. Jacob). The metaphor is utilized here for illustrative purposes and does not mean that the Lord condoned such a practice or bigamy in general.
3 tn The word “this” is not in the original text.
4 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.
5 tn Heb “will you judge.” Here the imperfect form of the verb is probably used with a desiderative nuance. Addressed to the prophet, “judge” means to warn of or pronounce God’s impending judgment. See 20:4; 22:2.
6 tn Heb “and they came to her.”