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 23:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 23:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “Young men from Egypt repeatedly touched their breasts while they were still small so that they became prostitutes in that country.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When they were still young, they sell their bodies in Egipto. They just let- the men -be-satisfied with their bodies.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They lived in Egypt. And from the time that they were young women, they became prostitutes. In that land, men fondled their breasts and caressed their bosoms.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 23:3

They played the harlot in Egypt; they played the harlot in their youth: The Hebrew verb rendered played the harlot refers to prostitution and sexual intercourse outside marriage, and in this chapter it is a picture of the Israelites’ unfaithfulness to God (see 16.15). Translators may say “acted like prostitutes” or “became prostitutes” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). In Egypt refers to the time before the Exodus; in their youth is a metaphorical reference to the same time. It is possible to combine these two clauses by saying “While they were young, they became prostitutes in Egypt.”

There their breasts were pressed and their virgin bosoms handled refers to sexual activity. In many languages translators will use active verbs instead of passive ones; for example, New Century Version has “They let men touch and hold their breasts.” Another possible model is “Men fondled and caressed their breasts.” Although it is not explicit, this no doubt included sexual intercourse. Bosoms is another word for “breasts,” but here it translates the Hebrew word for “nipples” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Virgin refers to a person who has never had sex. This word is used here to show that the two women first had sex when they were very young. Some translators will not want to offend their readers and will render this sentence as “Men played with their bodies.” But translators must be careful not to reduce the confronting and shocking tone of God’s words too much, or they will lose the emotional impact of the message.

Models for this verse are:

• They started having sex when they were still very young. In Egypt they started being prostitutes. There they allowed men to play with their breasts and nipples, and they were with a man for the first time.

• While they were young, they became prostitutes in Egypt. There they allowed men to touch their breasts and caress their nipples for the first time.

• While they were young, they became prostitutes in Egypt. There they allowed men to play with their bodies for the first time.

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 .