The Church Fathers on this verse

Ezekiel 23:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And she discovered her fornications, and discovered her disgrace: and my soul was alienated from her, as my soul was alienated from her sister.

Douay-Rheims

וַתְּגַל֙ תַּזְנוּתֶ֔יהָ וַתְּגַ֖ל אֶת־עֶרְוָתָ֑הּ וַתֵּ֤קַע נַפְשִׁי֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יהָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר נָקְעָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י מֵעַ֥ל אֲחוֹתָֽהּ׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Theodoret of Cyrus

5th centuryChurch Father

And My spirit separates from her, just as My spirit departs from her sibling; this signifies that when I witnessed the magnitude of her wickedness, I withdrew My intention for her. Once more, He employs the term spirit in a figurative sense, not because the Divine Essence is partitioned into spirit and body, but because He is immaterial and indivisible. Rather, He communicates in a manner relatable to humanity, employing common expressions to accommodate human frailty. Thus, it is evident that God had been addressing the Prophet until this moment, and now, seemingly in response to the actions Jerusalem had dared to undertake, He finally directs His words to him, saying:

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.