Ezekiel 16:49
in Ezekiel 16Now 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, fulness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
KJV
Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
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This verse in Ezekiel 16
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThis was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom - If we are to take this place literally, Sodom was guilty of other crimes besides that for which she appears to have been especially punished; in addition to her unnatural crime, She is charged with pride, luxury, idleness, and uncharitableness; and these were sufficient to sink any city to the bottomless pit.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
To know that sins are unequal you only have to look at the teaching of the Scriptures, which will leave you in no doubt.
Often having a fullness and an abundance of bread is the cause of arrogance. But often the sin of pride also arises over spiritual gifts, and discernment is needed to distinguish the one from the other.
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony · Written before 523.
proposed
And again, through meat and luxuries the Sodomites also were polluted with an unclean matter, and pleasures and the love of the belly brought them unto that limitless wickedness, even as the prophet of God maketh known concerning them, "This was the iniquity of thy …
A commentator
John ChrysostomHOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 6:9 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
But for all this, some are of so senseless a disposition, as even after these words to say, "Nay, far be it from me to weep at any time, but may God grant me to laugh and to play all my days." And what can be more childish than this mind? For it is not God that grants to play, but the devil. At least hear, what was the portion of them that played. "The people," it is said, "sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Such were they at Sodom, such were they at the time of the deluge. For touching them of Sodom likewise it is said, that "in pride, and in plenty, and in fullness of bread, they waxed wanton." And they who were in Noah's time, seeing the ark a preparing for so many years, lived on in senseless mirth, foreseeing nought of what was coming. For this cause also the flood came and swept them all away, and wrought in that instant the common shipwreck of the world. Ask not then of God these things, which thou receivest of the devil. For it is God's part to give a contrite and humbled heart, sober, self-possessed, and awestruck, full of repentance and compunction. These are His gifts, forasmuch as it is also of these things that we are most in need.
(Verse 48, 49) I live, says the Lord, that Sodom, your sister herself and her daughters did not do as you and your daughters have done. Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, abundance, and idleness of herself and her daughters; and they did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abominations before me, and I took them away as you saw.
3 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
What then is the sin most great of all sins? It is the one for which the devil fell.… Pride is greater than all sins, and the principal sin of the devil.… Often the reason for pride is for him who disregards having an ecclesiastical dignity.
The Medieval Church1 voice
The soul … that devotes herself to the recollection of profitable things finds rest in her freedom; her cares are small, and she repents of nothing. She takes forethought for virtue, she bridles the passions, she keeps guard upon excellence, and thus she enjoys growth …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom,....
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הִנֵּה־ | hineh- | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| זֶ֣ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| הָיָ֔ה | hayah | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עֲוֹ֖ן | ʾavon | [the] iniquity of | H5771 → | 233 times |
| סְדֹ֣ם | sedom | Sodom | H5467 → | 39 times |
| אֲחוֹתֵ֑ךְ | ʾachotekh | sister your | H269 → | 114 times |
| גָּא֨וֹן | gaon | pride | H1347 → | 49 times |
| שִׂבְעַת־ | sivat- | surfeit of | H7653 → | |
| לֶ֜חֶם | lechem | food | H3899 → | 298 times |
| וְשַׁלְוַ֣ת | veshalvat | and ease of | H7962 → | |
| הַשְׁקֵ֗ט | hashket | quietness | H8252 → | 41 times |
| הָ֤יָה | hayah | it belonged | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לָהּ֙ | lah | to her | ||
| וְלִבְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ | velivnoteiha | and to daughters her | H1323 → | 588 times |
| וְיַד־ | veyad- | and [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| עָנִ֥י | ʾani | [the] poor | H6041 → | 73 times |
| וְאֶבְי֖וֹן | veevyon | and [the] needy | H34 → | 61 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הֶחֱזִֽיקָה׃ | hechezikah | she strengthened | H2388 → | 291 times |
הִנֵּה־here!
hineh-H2009 →843 times
זֶ֣הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
הָיָ֔הit was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
עֲוֹ֖ן[the] iniquity of
ʾavonH5771 →233 times
סְדֹ֣םSodom
sedomH5467 →39 times
אֲחוֹתֵ֑ךְsister your
ʾachotekhH269 →114 times
גָּא֨וֹןpride
gaonH1347 →49 times
שִׂבְעַת־surfeit of
sivat-H7653 →
לֶ֜חֶםfood
lechemH3899 →298 times
וְשַׁלְוַ֣תand ease of
veshalvatH7962 →
הַשְׁקֵ֗טquietness
hashketH8252 →41 times
הָ֤יָהit belonged
hayahH1961 →3559 times
לָהּ֙to her
lah
וְלִבְנוֹתֶ֔יהָand to daughters her
velivnoteihaH1323 →588 times
וְיַד־and [the] hand of
veyad-H3027 →1618 times
עָנִ֥י[the] poor
ʾaniH6041 →73 times
וְאֶבְי֖וֹןand [the] needy
veevyonH34 →61 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
הֶחֱזִֽיקָה׃she strengthened
hechezikahH2388 →291 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 138:6Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
it leads to
- Psalms 113:5–6
Who is like the LORD our God, the One enthroned on high?
- 1 Samuel 2:7–8
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.
- Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit,…
- Proverbs 3:34
He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.
- James 4:6
But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Psalms 113:5–6
Through
Ezekiel 28:2“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 28:9
Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who slay you? You will be only a man, not a god, in the hands of those who wound you.
- Ezekiel 28:9
Through
Genesis 13:10And Lot looked out and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar, was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 34:3
the Negev, and the region from the Valley of Jericho (the City of Palms) all the way to Zoar.
- Deuteronomy 34:3
Through
Daniel 5:23Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised…
it leads to
- Job 12:10
The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.
- Job 12:10
Where this verse is studied
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About Ezekiel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Isaac of Nineveh, ASCETICAL HOMILIES 40; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 6:9; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 9:2; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 9:5 and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony.