Lexical Summary Oholah: Oholah Original Word: אָהֱלָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Aholah In form a feminine of 'ohel, but in fact for.Oholahh {o-hol-aw'}; from 'ohel; her tent (i.e. Idolatrous sanctuary); Oholah, a symbol. Name for Samaria -- Aholah. see HEBREW 'ohel see HEBREW 'ohel NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as ohel Definition "she who has a tent," a symbolic name for Samaria NASB Translation Oholah (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs אָהֳלָה proper name, feminine Ohola (for אָהֳלָהּ she who has a tent, tent-woman, i.e. worshipper at tent-shrine, see Sm) of Samaria, adultress with Assyria Ezekiel 23:4 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 23:5,36,44. Topical Lexicon Name and Symbolism Oholah means “her tent,” picturing a self-made sanctuary that stands in contrast to the God-ordained temple in Jerusalem. The name is given by the Lord to personify Samaria, capital of the Northern Kingdom, in Ezekiel 23. By calling Samaria “her tent,” the Spirit exposes the nation’s autonomous religion—worship centers established by Jeroboam at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12:26-33)—and the illicit alliances that grew out of that self-willed worship. Occurrences in Ezekiel 23 • Ezekiel 23:4 twice introduces the figure: “The older one was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah… Oholah is Samaria and Oholibah is Jerusalem”. Every mention is strategic: each step of the oracle unfolds Samaria’s unfaithfulness, climaxing in divine judgment. Historical Background After the division of the kingdom (circa 931 B.C.), Samaria pursued political security through foreign treaties and religious syncretism. Hosea rebuked the calf worship; Amos warned of impending discipline; yet the nation persisted. Assyria eventually carried Israel away in 722 B.C. Ezekiel, prophesying in exile more than a century later, revisits that history so that Judah might heed the warning. Theological Themes 1. Spiritual Adultery: Idolatry is not merely forbidden practice; it is treachery against a covenant Husband (Exodus 34:15-16; James 4:4). Prophetic Implications Oholah’s fate becomes a prophetic template. Judah (Oholibah) exceeded her sister’s guilt; therefore the Babylonian conquest was inevitable (Ezekiel 23:11). In eschatological perspective, the imagery anticipates Revelation 17, where a global “Babylon” embodies the same pattern of apostate luxury and fornication with the kings of the earth. Ministry Applications • Guard against syncretism: modern believers must resist blending gospel truth with cultural idols (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Key Passages for Study and Teaching Ezekiel 23 (the entire chapter) 2 Kings 17:7-23 – Historical record of Samaria’s sins Hosea 2:13-23 – Promise of restoration after adultery 1 Peter 2:9-11 – The contrast between chosen people and worldly lusts Summary Oholah stands as a sobering monument to the peril of self-made worship and political entanglement. Her account confirms that God’s covenant love is jealous, His warnings are just, and His judgments are designed to bring His people back to exclusive devotion. Forms and Transliterations אָֽהֳלָה֙ אָהֳלָ֔ה אָהֳלָ֖ה אָהֳלָ֤ה אהלה ’ā·ho·lāh ’āholāh ohoLahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 23:4 HEB: וּשְׁמוֹתָ֗ן אָהֳלָ֤ה הַגְּדוֹלָה֙ וְאָהֳלִיבָ֣ה NAS: Their names were Oholah the elder KJV: And the names of them [were] Aholah the elder, INT: their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah Ezekiel 23:4 Ezekiel 23:5 Ezekiel 23:36 Ezekiel 23:44 5 Occurrences |
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