Texts in Conversation
Isaiah 1 and Ezekiel 22 both use a common image of cheapened, leftover silver to describe moral decay, portraying a once-pure substance now mixed with worthless material. Ezekiel expands on this metaphor more fully, turning it into an extended critique of Jerusalem’s leaders.
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Isaiah 1:22
Hebrew Bible
21 How tragic that the once-faithful city has become a prostitute! She was once a center of justice; fairness resided in her—but now only murderers! 22 Your silver has become scum, your beer is diluted with water. 23 Your officials are rebels, they associate with thieves. All of them love bribery, and look for payoffs. They do not take up the cause of the orphan or defend the rights of the widow.
Date: 7th-5th Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Ezekiel 22:18
Hebrew Bible
17 The Lord’s message came to me: 18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has become slag to me. All of them are like bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the furnace; they are the worthless slag of silver. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because all of you have become slag, look out! I am about to gather you in the middle of Jerusalem.
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... What follows might possibly be an elaborated allusion to Isaiah 1:22, “your silver has turned to dross.” In any case, it exemplifies Ezekiel’s penchant for adopting quasipoetic strategies in his prose prophecies. The metaphor of silver cheapened by dross is extended through verse 21. ..."
Alter, Robert
The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary
(p. 3584) W. W. Norton & Company, 2018
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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