Ezekielchapter 16

A.A newborn cast out, washed, and crowned a queenvv. 1-14

1 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her abominations 3 and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4 On the day of your birth your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing. You were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. 5 No one cared enough for you to do even one of these things out of compassion for you. Instead, you were thrown out into the open field, because you were despised on the day of your birth. 6 Then I passed by and saw you wallowing in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’ There I said to you, ‘Live!’ 7 I made you thrive like a plant of the field. You grew up and matured and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, but you were naked and bare. 8 Then I passed by and saw you, and you were indeed old enough for love. So I spread My cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD. 9 Then I bathed you with water, rinsed off your blood, and anointed you with oil. 10 I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk. 11 I adorned you with jewelry, and I put bracelets on your wrists and a chain around your neck. 12 I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head. 13 So you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was made of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be queen. 14 Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect in the splendor I bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD.

B.A harlot who paid her lovers instead of taking hirevv. 15-34

15 But because of your fame, you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot. You lavished your favors on everyone who passed by, and your beauty was theirs for the asking. 16 You took some of your garments and made colorful high places for yourself, and on them you prostituted yourself. Such things should not have happened; never should they have occurred! 17 You also took the fine jewelry of gold and silver I had given you, and you made male idols with which to prostitute yourself. 18 You took your embroidered garments to cover them, and you set My oil and incense before them. 19 And you set before them as a pleasing aroma the food I had given you—the fine flour, oil, and honey that I had fed you. That is what happened, declares the Lord GOD. 20 You even took the sons and daughters you bore to Me and sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough? 21 You slaughtered My children and delivered them up through the fire to idols. 22 And in all your abominations and acts of prostitution, you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your own blood. 23 Woe! Woe to you, declares the Lord GOD. And in addition to all your other wickedness, 24 you built yourself a mound and made yourself a lofty shrine in every public square. 25 At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty. With increasing promiscuity, you spread your legs to all who passed by. 26 You prostituted yourself with your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, and increased your promiscuity to provoke Me to anger. 27 Therefore I stretched out My hand against you and reduced your portion. I gave you over to the desire of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd conduct. 28 Then you prostituted yourself with the Assyrians, because you were not yet satisfied. Even after that, you were still not satisfied. 29 So you extended your promiscuity to Chaldea, the land of merchants—but even with this you were not satisfied! 30 How weak-willed is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, while you do all these things, the acts of a shameless prostitute! 31 But when you built your mounds at the head of every street and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were not even like a prostitute, because you scorned payment. 32 You adulterous wife! You receive strangers instead of your own husband! 33 Men give gifts to all their prostitutes, but you gave gifts to all your lovers. You bribed them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors. 34 So your prostitution is the opposite of that of other women: No one solicited your favors, and you paid a fee instead of receiving one; so you are the very opposite!

C.Stripped bare before the lovers she gatheredvv. 35-43

35 Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of the LORD! 36 This is what the Lord GOD says: Because you poured out your wealth and exposed your nakedness in your promiscuity with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children which you gave to them, 37 therefore I will surely gather all the lovers with whom you found pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and expose you before them, and they will see you completely naked. 38 And I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and those who shed blood; so I will bring upon you the wrath of your bloodshed and jealousy. 39 Then I will deliver you into the hands of your lovers, and they will level your mounds and tear down your lofty shrines. They will strip off your clothes, take your fine jewelry, and leave you naked and bare. 40 They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. 41 Then they will burn down your houses and execute judgment against you in the sight of many women. I will put an end to your prostitution, and you will never again pay your lovers. 42 So I will lay to rest My wrath against you, and My jealousy will turn away from you. Then I will be calm and no longer angry. 43 Because you did not remember the days of your youth, but enraged Me with all these things, I will surely bring your deeds down upon your own head, declares the Lord GOD. Have you not committed this lewdness on top of all your other abominations?

D.Samaria and Sodom look righteous beside hervv. 44-52

44 Behold, all who speak in proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ 45 You are the daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and children. You are the sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46 Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to your north; and your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to your south. 47 And you not only walked in their ways and practiced their abominations, but soon you were more depraved than they were. 48 As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did as you and your daughters have done. 49 Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and complacent; they did not help the poor and needy. 50 Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them, as you have seen. 51 Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have multiplied your abominations beyond theirs, and all the abominations you have committed have made your sisters appear righteous. 52 So now you must bear your disgrace, since you have brought justification for your sisters. For they appear more righteous than you, because your sins were more vile than theirs. So you too must bear your shame and disgrace, since you have made your sisters appear righteous.

E.An everlasting covenant remembered, and shame that silencesvv. 53-63

53 But I will restore Sodom and her daughters from captivity, as well as Samaria and her daughters. And I will restore you along with them. 54 So you will bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you did to comfort them. 55 And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to their former state. You and your daughters will also return to your former state. 56 Did you not treat your sister Sodom as an object of scorn in the day of your pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered? Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom and all those around her, and by the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you. 58 You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the LORD. 59 For this is what the Lord GOD says: I will deal with you according to your deeds, since you have despised the oath by breaking the covenant. 60 But I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of My covenant with you. 62 So I will establish My covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD, 63 so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord GOD.”

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

← Back: Ezekiel 15 Continue: Ezekiel 17 →

Chapter summary

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴

Jerusalem as a foundling: born of Amorite and Hittite stock, cast out in the open field on the day she was born, unwashed and unpitied, and God passing by said, 'Live.' Grown, she is washed, anointed, clothed in broidered work and fine linen, decked with jewels and a crown, and her renown goes forth among the nations for her beauty. Then she spends the gifts on her lovers, builds high places of her garments, and passes her children through the fire, a harlot who pays hire instead of taking it. Her sisters are Samaria and Sodom, whose iniquity was 'pride, fulness of bread, and prosperous ease.' Yet the chapter ends in covenant: 'I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.'

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Prophecy · Ezekiel — Ezekiel overview

A. 1–14 A newborn cast out, washed, and crowned a queen
B. 15–34 A harlot who paid her lovers instead of taking hire
C. 35–43 Stripped bare before the lovers she gathered
D. 44–52 Samaria and Sodom look righteous beside her
E. 53–63 An everlasting covenant remembered, and shame that silences

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Ezekiel 1617 verses
- Ezekiel 16:8Then I passed by and saw you, and you were indeed old enough for love. So I spread My cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD.
- Ezekiel 16:13So you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was made of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be queen.
- Ezekiel 16:18You took your embroidered garments to cover them, and you set My oil and incense before them.
- Ezekiel 16:22And in all your abominations and acts of prostitution, you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your own blood.
- Ezekiel 16:24you built yourself a mound and made yourself a lofty shrine in every public square.
- Ezekiel 16:25At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty. With increasing promiscuity, you spread your legs to all who passed by.
- Read Ezekiel 16: 11 more there →
Ezekiel 2312 verses
- Ezekiel 23:4The older was named Oholah, and her sister was named Oholibah. They became Mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their identities, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.
- Ezekiel 23:8She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt, when men slept with her in her youth, caressed her virgin bosom, and poured out their lust upon her.
- Ezekiel 23:10They exposed her nakedness, seized her sons and daughters, and put her to the sword. Thus she became a byword among women, and they executed judgment against her.
- Ezekiel 23:14But Oholibah carried her prostitution even further. She saw the men portrayed on the wall, images of the Chaldeans, engraved in vermilion,
- Ezekiel 23:18When Oholibah openly prostituted herself and exposed her nakedness, I turned away from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.
- Ezekiel 23:19Yet she multiplied her promiscuity, remembering the days of her youth, when she had prostituted herself in the land of Egypt
- Read Ezekiel 23: 6 more there →
Jeremiah 25 verses
- Jeremiah 2:2“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
- Jeremiah 2:20“For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.
- Jeremiah 2:26As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets
- Jeremiah 2:28But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah.
- Jeremiah 2:36How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.
- Read Jeremiah 2 →
Hosea 24 verses
- Hosea 2:3Otherwise, I will strip her naked and expose her like the day of her birth. I will make her like a desert and turn her into a parched land, and I will let her die of thirst.
- Hosea 2:10And then I will expose her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and no one will deliver her out of My hands.
- Hosea 2:13I will punish her for the days of the Baals when she burned incense to them, when she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers. But Me she forgot,” declares the LORD.
- Hosea 2:19So I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in loving devotion and compassion.
- Read Hosea 2 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Isaiah 14 verses
- Isaiah 1:3The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand.”
- Isaiah 1:4Alas, O sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children of depravity! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.
- Isaiah 1:10Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
- Isaiah 1:21See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!
- Read Isaiah 1 →
Ezekiel 203 verses
- Ezekiel 20:4Will you judge them, will you judge them, son of man? Confront them with the abominations of their fathers
- Ezekiel 20:7And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’
- Ezekiel 20:26And I pronounced them unclean through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn in the fire—so that I might devastate them, in order that they would know that I am the LORD.
- Read Ezekiel 20 →
Isaiah 573 verses
- Isaiah 57:7On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices.
- Isaiah 57:8Behind the door and doorpost you have set up your memorial. Forsaking Me, you uncovered your bed; you climbed up and opened it wide. And you have made a pact with those whose bed you have loved; you have gazed upon their nakedness.
- Isaiah 57:9You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself.
- Read Isaiah 57 →
Jeremiah 33 verses
- Jeremiah 3:2“Lift up your eyes to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been violated? You sat beside the highways waiting for your lovers, like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness.
- Jeremiah 3:3Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen. Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to be ashamed.
- Jeremiah 3:8She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well.
- Read Jeremiah 3 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.