Ezekiel 23:31

Eze 23:31 Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.

Ver. 31. Therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.] An allusion to the manner of feasts, whereat the symposiarch or governor gave every guest his cup fitly tempered. God is the great Modimperator.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 23:31-35. Therefore will I give her cup, &c. — I will make thee drink the same bitter draught, or experience the same calamity that has fallen upon her. God’s judgments are often compared to a cup of intoxicating liquors, because they astonish men, and bereave them of common judgment and discretion, and likewise expose them to the scorn and contempt of their enemies. Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out — There shall be no punishment which thou shalt not partake of. Thou shalt drink of the cup of calamity even to the dregs; that which is the very worst and most bitter: see notes on Psa 75:8. and Isa 51:17. Thou shalt break the sherds thereof — People who are quite intoxicated, often in their drunken madness break the cups out of which they had drunk; therefore by this expression here is meant, that the Jewish people should be, as it were, driven to madness by the grievous judgments that should fall upon them. And pluck off thine own breasts — “Thou shalt tear away thy breasts with the sharp pieces of the broken cup, through grief and madness.” — Bishop Newcome. Or, Thou shalt be in a fury with thyself for having by thine own sins brought such grievous calamities upon thyself. Her breasts are mentioned as the parts which had a principal share in her guilt, according to the allegorical description here given of her idolatries. Because thou hast forgotten me — Because thou hast not only forsaken my worship, but hast showed the utmost contempt of and aversion from me. Therefore bear thou also thy lewdness — Therefore thou shalt suffer the punishment of thy wickedness and idolatry.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23:31-34 your sister’s cup of terror: Jerusalem would have to drink from this bitter cup of judgment, as Samaria had. The pain of that judgment would cause her to beat (or tear at) her breast in anguish.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

I will execute the same judgments and vengeance against thee, and that with greater severity.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

her cup--of punishment (Psa 11:6; Psa 75:8; Jer 25:15, &c.). Thy guilt and that of Israel being alike, your punishment shall be alike.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

31. her cup] That which she drank, Isa_51:22-23; Jer_25:15-16.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister,.... Samaria, or the ten tribes of Israel; followed them in their idolatrous practices, were guilty of the same:

therefore will I give her cup into thine hand; the cup of her vengeance, as the Targum; inflict the same punishment on the two tribes as on the ten, and suffer them to be carried captive as they had been.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Cup. Thou shalt be punished like Samaria, dreadfully, 4 Kings xvii. 4. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Thou, O Jerusalem and Judah,

hast walked; hast run into the same sinful enormities.

Thy sister; Samaria and the ten tribes, both great idolatresses.

Her cup of judgments and sorrow, expressed frequently by a cup, Psa 75:8; Jer 25:15; I will punish thee with punishments like hers, since thou hast made thyself in sins like her.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

31, 32. Her cup — See Jer_25:15; Mat_20:22; Mat_26:39. Every inhabitant of Jerusalem would admit that Samaria’s cup of sin and folly and punishment was deep and large (Eze_23:32).

It containeth much — Or, thou shalt be had in derision to the uttermost.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 31-33I will give her cup into thine hand. (For the image of the cup as the symbol of good or evil fortune, see Psa_23:5; Isa_51:17; Jer_25:15; Mat_20:22 Mat_26:39) The cup, in this case, was to be deep and large as that of Samaria. The adulteress was to be "drunk, but not with wine". (Isa_29:9) And that "cup," over and above the laughter and derision, would contain much of unknown calamities, the astonishment and desolation of Ver.

33.

A bad example.

Judah followed the bad example of her sister Israel; consequently, she was to share the fate of Israel We see here an instance of the evil influence of a bad example, and of its fatal consequences.

I THE EVIL INFLUENCE OF A BAD EXAMPLE. Consider how this fell power is exerted.

1. By the fascination of suggestion. The path is made by the pioneer, and the follower has only to walk in it. The sight of a predecessor indicates the road, calls attention to it, suggests the idea of walking in it. The publications of the details of a horrible crime in the newspaper exerts a most deleterious influence in this way by filling the minds of people with thoughts of a kindred character. Hence the common occurrence of an epidemic of similar crimes.

2. By the attraction of sympathy. Judah is drawn to follow her sister Israel When Israel goes wrong, Judah accompanies her and goes wrong in a similar manner. Affection is fatal when it induces us to copy the vices of those whom we love. Even sisters must part when one chooses an evil way, if the other would not also choose sin. But it is hard to resist the charms of affection.

3. By the delusion of a false excuse. Judah pleads the example of her sister as an excuse. What others are doing seems to be justified by their action. Instead of measuring our conduct by the Law of God, we are tempted to test it by the corresponding conduct of others.

II THE SIN OF FOLLOWING A BAD EXAMPLE. Judah is blamed for following the bad example of Israel. It is not for one moment supposed that the misconduct of her sister could be pleaded as a justification for her own repetition of it. We cannot be excused in our own sin on the ground that we are simply treading in the footsteps of predecessors. See how this sin is inexcusable.

1. Because the evil of the way is known. The foolish follower is not deceived. Judah knows that Israel has taken an evil course. Bad examples may ensnare the careless, but those who have minds to think for themselves cannot be blind to the wrong character of the example before them.

2. Because of the freedom of the will. A bad example is a temptation to evil; but it is not a force compelling men to follow. Its attraction can only work through the will, never contrary to it. Therefore one must consent voluntarily to follow the evil pattern before doing so, and this free consent destroys the excuse that the example is to blame rather than the man who imitates it.

3. Because of ones own advantages. Judah might plead that she was sorely tempted by her sister"s example. But then she possessed higher privileges than Israel. She was Aholibah, while her sister was only Aholah. She had the temple of God in her midst, while Israel was left to her own resources. Christians are doubly guilty in following the bad example of godless men. They sin in spite of higher influences which should suffice to keep them in the right path.

III THE FATAL CONSEQUENCES OF FOLLOWING A BAD EXAMPLE. Judah was walking in the way of her sister; therefore she must drink of her sister"s cup. Companions in guilt will be companions in doom. It is impossible to walk in the same path as another without going towards the same goal. Moreover, if higher religious privileges do not keep us from following the sinful practices of worldly men, most certainly they will not protect us from sharing their fate. He who treads the sinner"s flowery path will drink of the sinner"s bitter cup.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.