prostitute oneself / play the prostitute

The Hebrew that is translated as “prostitute oneself” or “play the prostitute” in English is translated in Vidunda as “(practice) sexual immorality.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Ezekiel 16:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 16:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “But since that was not enough for you, you accepted to work together with the idol of the Assyrians but that did not finish your desire either.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘You also committed-fornication with the ones-who-are-from- Asiria for you were never still not satisfied. And after that, you still not satisfied.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “It was as though you had sex with soldiers from Assyria, too, because you always wanted more sex. And after that, you still were not satisfied.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 16:28

You played the harlot also with the Assyrians: See verse 26 on the use of prostitution as an image for Judah’s political alliances. The Assyrians were the nation that defeated the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C. and took the ten northern tribes into exile.

Because you were insatiable means the people of Judah could not be satisfied, they were always looking for more sex. They made so many treaties with their neighbors that God compares them with a promiscuous woman who is always wanting more sex. Contemporary English Version says “You couldn’t get enough sex.” Good News Translation places this clause before the previous one, saying “Because you were not satisfied by the others, you went running after the Assyrians.” Another model that does this is “You could not be satisfied by the others, so you acted like a prostitute with the Assyrians.”

Yea, you played the harlot with them, and still you were not satisfied: In this second half of the verse God repeats the claim that the people of Judah acted as a prostitute with the Assyrians, but adds that they still … were not satisfied, that is, they still wanted to have more sex. This sentence may be rendered “That’s right, you acted like a prostitute with them and still you wanted to do it more.”

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .