This verse serves as a vivid reminder that persistent unfaithfulness results in severe judgment.
In Ezekiel 23, the prophet vividly portrays the two symbolic sisters—representing Samaria and Jerusalem—who have committed spiritual harlotry against the LORD. This context sets the stage for God’s judgment as declared in verse 47: “Let the assembly stone them with stones and cut them down with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters and burn their houses with fire.” (v.47) In Ezekiel’s day, Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (destroyed by the Assyrian Empire in 722 BC) and Jerusalem was the capital of the Southern Kingdom of Judah (destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC). By referencing such severe punishment, God emphasizes the seriousness of their unfaithfulness and idolatry, showing that their distance from Him has led to dreadful consequences.
When the verse says, “Let the assembly stone them with stones and cut them down with their swords…” (v.47), it conveys the imagery of communal judgment and highlights the gravity of the sisters’ offense. Their punishment includes the loss of family, as indicated by the phrase, “they shall slay their sons and their daughters” (v.47), a grim reminder that sin can have devastating impacts on future generations (Exodus 20:5). The harshness of this penalty underscores that the people persisted in rebellious alliances and idol worship, ignoring the warnings of previous prophets, and thus faced the natural outworking of their disobedience. The destruction of their homes, “…and burn their houses with fire” (v.47), symbolizes the complete rupture of the covenant relationship they once enjoyed with God, reflecting how sin ultimately consumes all that was meant for good.
Ezekiel himself lived during the 6th century BC, around the time the Southern Kingdom of Judah was taken into Babylonian exile. He received these visions and prophecies to warn the exiles—and all future generations—of the high cost of rejecting God’s moral and covenantal standards. In the New Testament, believers are urged to remain faithful to the covenant God has now fulfilled in Jesus (see Hebrews 10:26-27). The severity of Ezekiel’s words poignantly invites every reader to examine spiritual faithfulness and heed God’s call to repentance.
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Ezekiel 23:47 meaning
In Ezekiel 23, the prophet vividly portrays the two symbolic sisters—representing Samaria and Jerusalem—who have committed spiritual harlotry against the LORD. This context sets the stage for God’s judgment as declared in verse 47: “Let the assembly stone them with stones and cut them down with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters and burn their houses with fire.” (v.47) In Ezekiel’s day, Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (destroyed by the Assyrian Empire in 722 BC) and Jerusalem was the capital of the Southern Kingdom of Judah (destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC). By referencing such severe punishment, God emphasizes the seriousness of their unfaithfulness and idolatry, showing that their distance from Him has led to dreadful consequences.
When the verse says, “Let the assembly stone them with stones and cut them down with their swords…” (v.47), it conveys the imagery of communal judgment and highlights the gravity of the sisters’ offense. Their punishment includes the loss of family, as indicated by the phrase, “they shall slay their sons and their daughters” (v.47), a grim reminder that sin can have devastating impacts on future generations (Exodus 20:5). The harshness of this penalty underscores that the people persisted in rebellious alliances and idol worship, ignoring the warnings of previous prophets, and thus faced the natural outworking of their disobedience. The destruction of their homes, “…and burn their houses with fire” (v.47), symbolizes the complete rupture of the covenant relationship they once enjoyed with God, reflecting how sin ultimately consumes all that was meant for good.
Ezekiel himself lived during the 6th century BC, around the time the Southern Kingdom of Judah was taken into Babylonian exile. He received these visions and prophecies to warn the exiles—and all future generations—of the high cost of rejecting God’s moral and covenantal standards. In the New Testament, believers are urged to remain faithful to the covenant God has now fulfilled in Jesus (see Hebrews 10:26-27). The severity of Ezekiel’s words poignantly invites every reader to examine spiritual faithfulness and heed God’s call to repentance.