יחזקאל, פרק כ״ג, פסוק ב׳

The deep and exclusive bond between God and the Israelites is understood as a marriage between a husband and wife. Because of this commitment, turning to idol worship is viewed as a devastating betrayal, much like a wife committing adultery against her husband [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].

Through this lens, the prophet introduces the imagery of two women to represent two distinct states: the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Ephraim. They are depicted as daughters born to a single mother, a detail that highlights their shared origin. Originally, these two kingdoms were a single, united nation. The mother represents the complete, undivided community of Israel, while the two daughters represent the fractured kingdoms that eventually emerged [רד״ק].

The roots of this original unity trace back to their time in Egypt, where the Israelites lived as a single community of brothers descended from one father. They maintained this cohesive national identity for generations. It was only later, during the reign of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, that the nation split into two separate kingdoms [רש״י, רד״ק, אברבנאל].