You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will put her cup in your hand.’
Parallel translations
- WEB You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore will I give her cup into your hand.’
- KJV Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.
- BSB Because you have followed the path of your sister, I will put her cup into your hand.’
- NASB You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will put her cup in your hand.’
- NLT Because you have followed in your sister’s footsteps, I will force you to drink the same cup of terror she drank.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Because Judah followed Samaria's sinful path, she will share Samaria's fate, drinking the same cup of judgment. It warns that imitating others' sin invites their punishment.
Overview
The 'cup' is a frequent biblical image for God's appointed portion of wrath. Since Judah 'walked in the way of her sister' Israel, she will receive 'her sister's cup' of divine judgment. The verse teaches the sobering truth that observing another's downfall is no protection if one repeats the same rebellion; only repentance changes the outcome.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 2 Kgs 21:13I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of Ahab’s house; and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.
- Jer 7:14–15therefore will I do to the house which is called by my name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh.
- Jer 25:15For Yahweh, the God of Israel, says to me: “take this cup of the wine of wrath at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.
- Dan 9:12He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us, and against our judges who judged us, by bringing on us a great evil; for under the whole sky, such has not been done as has been done to Jerusalem.
- Ezek 16:47–51Yet you have not walked in their ways, nor done after their abominations; but, soon you were more corrupt than they in all your ways.
- Ezek 23:13I saw that she was defiled. They both went the same way.
- Jer 3:8–11I saw when, for this very cause, that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorce, yet treacherous Judah, her sister, had no fear; but she also went and played the prostitute.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 23:31 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.