Ezekiel 23:4
New International Version
The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

New Living Translation
The older girl was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. I married them, and they bore me sons and daughters. I am speaking of Samaria and Jerusalem, for Oholah is Samaria and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

English Standard Version
Oholah was the name of the elder and Oholibah the name of her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

Berean Standard Bible
The older was named Oholah, and her sister was named Oholibah. They became Mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their identities, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

King James Bible
And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.

New King James Version
Their names: Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister; They were Mine, And they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

New American Standard Bible
Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

NASB 1995
“Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

NASB 1977
“And their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

Legacy Standard Bible
Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

Amplified Bible
Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister, and they became Mine and they gave birth to sons and daughters. And as for [the identity of] their names, Oholah is Samaria (capital city of Israel) and Oholibah is Jerusalem (capital city of Judah).

Christian Standard Bible
The older one was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They became mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their names, Oholah represents Samaria and Oholibah represents Jerusalem.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The older one was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They became Mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their names, Oholah represents Samaria and Oholibah represents Jerusalem.”

American Standard Version
And the names of them were Oholah the elder, and Oholibah her sister: and they became mine, and they bare sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The name of the elder was Ahlah and the name of the other, Ahlyabah, and they were mine, and gave birth to sons and daughters, the name of Samaria is Ahlah, and of Jerusalem Ahlyabah

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And their names were Oola the elder, and Ooliba her sister: and they were mine, and bore sons and daughters: and as for their names, Samaria was Oola, and Jerusalem was Ooliba.

Contemporary English Version
The older one was named Oholah, which stands for Samaria; the younger one was Oholibah, which stands for Jerusalem. They became my wives and gave birth to my children.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And their names were Oolla the elder, and Ooliba her younger sister: and I took them, and they bore sons and daughters. Now for their names, Samaria is Oolla, and Jerusalem is Ooliba.

English Revised Version
And the names of them were Oholah the elder, and Oholibah her sister: and they became mine, and they bare sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"The older girl was named Oholah, and the younger girl was named Oholibah. I married them, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah represents Samaria, and Oholibah represents Jerusalem.

Good News Translation
The older one was named Oholah (she represents Samaria), and the younger one was named Oholibah (she represents Jerusalem). I married both of them, and they bore me children.

International Standard Version
The older one was named Oholah and her sister was named Oholibah. They belonged to me and gave birth to sons and daughters. Now as to their real identities, Oholah refers to Samaria and Oholibah to Jerusalem."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the names of them were Oholah the elder, and Oholibah her sister; and they became Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah.

Literal Standard Version
And their names [are] Aholah the older, | And Aholibah her sister, | And they are Mine, and bear sons and daughters. As for their names—Samaria [is] Aholah, | And Jerusalem [is] Aholibah.

Majority Standard Bible
The older was named Oholah, and her sister was named Oholibah. They became Mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their identities, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

New American Bible
Oholah was the name of the elder, and the name of her sister was Oholibah. They became mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their names: Samaria was Oholah and Jerusalem, Oholibah.

NET Bible
Oholah was the name of the older and Oholibah the name of her younger sister. They became mine, and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

New Revised Standard Version
Oholah was the name of the elder and Oholibah the name of her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

New Heart English Bible
Their names were Oholah the elder, and Oholibah her sister: and they became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bore sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.

World English Bible
Their names were Oholah the elder, and Oholibah her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah.

Young's Literal Translation
And their names are Aholah the elder, And Aholibah her sister, And they are Mine, and bear sons and daughters. As to their names -- Samaria is Aholah, And Jerusalem is Aholibah.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Adultery of Oholah and Oholibah
3and they played in Egypt, prostituting themselves from their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin bosoms caressed. 4The older was named Oholah, and her sister was named Oholibah. They became Mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their identities, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem. 5Oholah prostituted herself while she was still Mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians—warriors…

Cross References
Jeremiah 3:6
Now in the days of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, "Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every green tree to prostitute herself there.

Ezekiel 16:46
Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to your north; and your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to your south.

Ezekiel 23:3
and they played in Egypt, prostituting themselves from their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin bosoms caressed.

Ezekiel 23:5
Oholah prostituted herself while she was still Mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians--warriors

Ezekiel 23:36
Then the LORD said to me: "Son of man, will you pass judgment against Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.

Ezekiel 23:44
And they slept with her as with a prostitute; they slept with Oholah and Oholibah, those lewd women.

Hosea 1:3
So Hosea went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.


Treasury of Scripture

And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bore sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.

the names

the elder

Ezekiel 16:40
They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.

1 Kings 12:20
And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

they were

Ezekiel 16:8,20
Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine…

Exodus 19:5,6
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: …

Psalm 45:11-16
So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him…

Aholah.

1 Kings 12:26-33
And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: …

John 4:22
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Aholibah.

1 Kings 8:29
That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.

Psalm 76:2
In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

Psalm 132:13,14
For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation…

Jump to Previous
Aholah Aholibah Bare Bear Birth Bore Daughters Elder Jerusalem Names Oholah Oho'lah Oholibah Ohol'ibah Older Samaria Sama'ria Sister
Jump to Next
Aholah Aholibah Bare Bear Birth Bore Daughters Elder Jerusalem Names Oholah Oho'lah Oholibah Ohol'ibah Older Samaria Sama'ria Sister
Ezekiel 23
1. The unfaithfulness of Aholah and Aholibah
23. Aholibah is to be plagued by her lovers
36. The prophet reproves the adulteries of them both
45. and shows their judgments














(4) Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.--Samaria, as the capital, is put for the northern kingdom, and is called Aholah = her own tabernacle, because she set up her own worship instead of resorting to the Temple; while the southern kingdom, represented by Jerusalem, is called Aholibah = my tabernacle is in her, because she still contained the sanctuary of the Lord. The word "elder" should be translated greater, as in Ezekiel 16:46. (See Note there.)

Verse 4. - The occurrence of proper names is almost unique in the parables of the Bible, the Lazarus of Luke 16:20 being the only other instance. Their meaning is sufficiently clear. Aholah (but both names should begin with O rather than A) means "Her tent;" Aholibah, "My tent is in her." A parallel, which may have suggested the names, is found in the Aholibamah (equivalent to "My tent is in the high place") of Genesis 36:2, and another in the use of Ohel as a proper name in 1 Chronicles 3:20. The common element of the two names is the word that is commonly used for the sacred tent or tabernacle in the Pentateuch and elsewhere. The distinctive element of each points to the fact that the worship in Samaria was unauthorized. Her "tent" was hers, not Jehovah's. Of Jerusalem with its temple Jehovah could say, "My tent is in her," and this, as magnifying her privilege, also aggravated her guilt. Keil and others take the adjective here, as in Ezekiel 16:46, as meaning "greater" rather than "older." The former adjective is, of course, applicable to the greater power of the kingdom of the Ten Tribes, and, even if we retain the renderings of the Authorized Version, is probably the explanation of Samaria being named as the elder of the two.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The older
הַגְּדוֹלָה֙ (hag·gə·ḏō·w·lāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

was named
וּשְׁמוֹתָ֗ן (ū·šə·mō·w·ṯān)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine plural
Strong's 8034: A name

Oholah,
אָהֳלָ֤ה (’ā·ho·lāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 170: Oholah -- 'she who has a tent', a symbolic name for Samaria

and her sister
אֲחוֹתָ֔הּ (’ă·ḥō·w·ṯāh)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 269: Sister -- a sister

was Oholibah.
וְאָהֳלִיבָ֣ה (wə·’ā·ho·lî·ḇāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 172: Oholibah -- 'tent in her', a symbolic name for Jerusalem

They became
וַתִּֽהְיֶ֣ינָה (wat·tih·ye·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

Mine
לִ֔י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

and gave birth to
וַתֵּלַ֖דְנָה (wat·tê·laḏ·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

sons
בָּנִ֣ים (bā·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1121: A son

and daughters.
וּבָנ֑וֹת (ū·ḇā·nō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1323: A daughter

[As] [for] their identities,
וּשְׁמוֹתָ֕ן (ū·šə·mō·w·ṯān)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine plural
Strong's 8034: A name

Oholah
אָהֳלָ֔ה (’ā·ho·lāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 170: Oholah -- 'she who has a tent', a symbolic name for Samaria

[is] Samaria,
שֹׁמְר֣וֹן (šō·mə·rō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 8111: Samaria -- capital of northern kingdom of Israel

and Oholibah
אָהֳלִיבָֽה׃ (’ā·ho·lî·ḇāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 172: Oholibah -- 'tent in her', a symbolic name for Jerusalem

is Jerusalem.
וִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם (wî·rū·šā·lim)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel


Links
Ezekiel 23:4 NIV
Ezekiel 23:4 NLT
Ezekiel 23:4 ESV
Ezekiel 23:4 NASB
Ezekiel 23:4 KJV

Ezekiel 23:4 BibleApps.com
Ezekiel 23:4 Biblia Paralela
Ezekiel 23:4 Chinese Bible
Ezekiel 23:4 French Bible
Ezekiel 23:4 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Ezekiel 23:4 The names of them were Oholah (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 23:3
Top of Page
Top of Page