In verses 32-34 God’s judgment of Oholibah is repeated again in different words, but this time in poetic form.

Thus says the Lord GOD: As usual in an important position like this, the traditional prophetic formula introduces the words of God (compare verses 22 and 28).

You shall drink your sister’s cup means Oholibah will be punished in the same way as her sister was (see verse 31). Most translations will have something similar to New Century Version, which says “You will drink the same cup your sister did.” In those languages where it is unnatural to speak of “drinking a cup,” it will be necessary to focus on the contents of the cup by saying “You will drink the strong liquor in the cup that your sister did” or “You will drink the same cup of punishment that your sister did.”

Which is deep and large means it is a large cup and it holds a great deal of God’s anger, so the punishment will be severe.

You shall be laughed at and held in derision is literally “it will be for laughter and derision.” The contents of the cup of God’s anger are usually described in terms of an intoxicating drink that makes the person who drinks it act like a drunken person, unable to stand or control himself. That is why the spectators will laugh at Oholibah and mock her. Contemporary English Version says “you will be mocked and insulted.” Many languages will replace the passive verbs here with active ones by saying “People will laugh at you and mock you.” New Century Version has “Everyone will make fun of you.”

For it contains much repeats the idea of the second line of the verse, namely, that it was a large cup and it was full (so Good News Translation). By drinking a large amount of the intoxicating liquid, Oholibah will become very drunk.

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 .