OOLLA and OOLIBA. – Symbolic names chosen by Ezekiel (ch. 23) to denote Samaria and Jerusalem. Both are transcriptions of the Hebrew ‘Oholâh = “her own tent” or “she who has her own tent”; ‘Oholîbah = “my tent in her” or “she in whom is my tent” (it is the Lord who speaks); from ‘ôhel = “tent.”
The kingdom of Samaria, separated from Judah, had established two sanctuaries at Bethel and Dan (1 Kgs 12:28 ff.), thus erecting “her own tent,” in opposition to the sanctuary of Jerusalem; it was severely punished for its infidelities. Judah, however, carries within it the Temple, the tent of the Most High; this privilege aggravates its responsibility, since it has sinned more than its “sister” Samaria (Ez 16:44–52; 23); it must therefore be punished at least as severely as she.