How does the prophet say they are daughters of one mother in Ezekiel 23:2?

Question

Ezekiel 23:1-2 NASB

The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, 2 “Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother;

It is clear in the above text that the prophet is referring to Israel and Judah as the two daughters of one mother who are symbolized as Oholah and Oholibah.

Ezekiel 23:4 NASB

4 Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah

But historically we understand that Israel and Judah(twelve tribes) were conceived by four different woman namely Leah,Rachel,Zilphah and Bilhah with one husband Jacob.

Genesis 29:31-35

Genesis 30:1-24

How does the prophet then say they were two daughters of one woman?

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Answer 1

Oholah = Samaria = Northern Kingdom = collective names of 10 tribes Oholibah = Judah = Southern Kingdom = collective names of 2 tribes

They have the same mother, meaning they have the same origin and before the kingdom divided, the united kingdom was called Israel. So Israel was the mother.

The names were metaphor to collective terms and they are not specific to a person.

Answer 2

This could refer to the once-unified Israel having been divided into 2 different kingdoms. (The result being Judah was its own kingdom under David).

1 Kings 12:20 (KJV)

And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

Answer 3

Ezekiel 23:4 NASB

4 Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah

Oholah referred to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Oholibah referred to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Together, they represented the descendants of Abraham and Sarah.

How does the prophet say they are daughters of one mother in Ezekiel 23:2?

The one mother was Sarah.