Ezekiel - Chapter 16

Ezekiel 16.1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Ezekiel 16.2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, Ezekiel 16.3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. Ezekiel 16.4 And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. Ezekiel 16.5 None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. Ezekiel 16.6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. Ezekiel 16.7 I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. Ezekiel 16.8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. Ezekiel 16.9 Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. Ezekiel 16.10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. Ezekiel 16.11 I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. Ezekiel 16.12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Ezekiel 16.13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. Ezekiel 16.14 And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 16.15 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. Ezekiel 16.16 And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so. Ezekiel 16.17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, Ezekiel 16.18 And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them. Ezekiel 16.19 My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 16.20 Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, Ezekiel 16.21 That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them? Ezekiel 16.22 And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood. Ezekiel 16.23 And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saith the LORD GOD;) Ezekiel 16.24 That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street. Ezekiel 16.25 Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms. Ezekiel 16.26 Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger. Ezekiel 16.27 Behold, therefore I have stretched out my hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way.

Ezekiel : Chapter 16

Reflection on Ezekiel 16: The Allegory of Infidelity Ezekiel chapter 16 immerses us in a profound allegory of marital infidelity, illustrating the relationship between God and Jerusalem. This powerful text expresses God's unwavering love for Israel, the nation's infidelity, and the severe judgment that followed. Through this narrative, we discover crucial themes such as divine grace, human ingratitude, and the tragic consequences of spiritual apostasy. Despite the judgment inflicted, a promise of future restoration is offered, revealing God's mercy and desire to restore His people. Let's explore together five biblical passages that resonate with the themes of covenant and redemption present in this powerful chapter.

Related Bible Passages

Hosea 2:15

"There I will restore her vineyards and turn the valley of affliction into a gate of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she left Egypt." This verse echoes the theme of Ezekiel 16 on the covenant relationship between God and Israel, highlighting the metaphor of marriage and the desire for divine restoration.

Jeremiah 2:2

"Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the Lord: I remember you, the faithfulness of your youth, how you loved me like a bride and followed me through the wilderness, through a land that has not been sown.'" Like Ezekiel 16, Jeremiah also uses the metaphor of marriage to evoke Israel's early relationship with God, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness.

Isaiah 54:6

"The Lord will call you to remembrance as though you were a wife forsaken and deeply sad, a bride who married young and was rejected, says your God." This verse echoes the theme of Ezekiel 16, highlighting the abandonment and promise of restoration of Jerusalem.

Ephesians 5:25-27

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her, to sanctify her, cleansing her with the washing of water and the word, and to present her to himself a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, but holy and blameless." Here, Paul takes up the metaphor of marriage, connecting it to the sacred relationship between Christ and the Church, just as Ezekiel 16 does for God and his people.

Revelation 19:7-8

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give glory to him! For the time has come for the marriage of the Lamb, and now his bride is prepared. She was given fine linen, clean and bright. The fine linen represents the good deeds of the saints." This passage uses the metaphor of marriage to describe the relationship between Christ and the Church, resonating with the themes of Ezekiel 16 and emphasizing the importance of preparation and purity.

As we meditate on these sacred writings, we are called to reflect on our own relationship with God, recognize His promises of grace and restoration, and renew our commitment to Him.