20 She doted on their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
She doted upon their paramours - פלגשיהם pillagsheyhem, their harlots or concubines. Anciently harlot meant in our language either the male or female prostitute.
Whose flesh is as the flesh of asses - See on Ezekiel 16:25 (note).
For she doted upon their paramours,.... Or "concubines" (z); the neighbouring nations and allies of the Egyptians, whose friendship the Jews courted, and whose idols they served: the Septuagint and Arabic versions wrongly read the Chaldeans:
whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses; by "flesh" is meant the "membrum virile", which in asses is very large, and therefore dedicated to Priapus by the Heathens; and vast is the profusion of seed in coitus by horses, to which the flesh and issue of the Egyptian paramours are compared; who were very libidinous, and therefore desirable to insatiable women; all which serves to express the eagerness of the people of the Jews after idolatry.
(z) "equecubinas eorum", Vatablus, so Junius & Tremellius, Polanus; "concubitores", Munster, Tigurine version; "cinaedos", Castalio; and, as Ben Melech observes, these were men, and not women.
their paramours--that is, her paramours among them (the Egyptians); she doted upon their persons as her paramours (Ezekiel 23:5, Ezekiel 23:12, Ezekiel 23:16).
flesh--the membrum virile (very large in the ass). Compare Leviticus 15:2, Margin; Ezekiel 16:26.
issue of horses--the seminal issue. The horse was made by the Egyptians the hieroglyphic for a lustful person.
Paramours - The nations, that were confederate with the Egyptians.
*More commentary available at chapter level.