Ezekiel 16:31

Ezekiel 16:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire;
• New International Version (NIV)When you built your mounds at every street corner and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were unlike a prostitute, because you scorned payment.
• English Standard Version (ESV)building your vaulted chamber at the head of every street, and making your lofty place in every square. Yet you were not like a prostitute, because you scorned payment.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“You erected your shrine at the head of every road, and built your high place in every street. Yet you were not like a harlot, because you scorned payment.

Context of Ezekiel 16:31

29So you extended your promiscuity to Chaldea, the land of merchants—but even with this you were not satisfied! 30How weak-willed is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, while you do all these things, the acts of a shameless prostitute! 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. 32You adulterous wife! You receive strangers instead of your own husband! 33Men 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.

Ezekiel 16:31 word by word

בִּבְנוֹתַ֤יִךְ גַּבֵּךְ֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ כָּל־דֶּ֔רֶךְ וְרָמָתֵ֥ךְ עָשִׂ֖ית בְּכָל־רְח֑וֹב וְלֹא־הָיִ֥ית כַּזּוֹנָ֖ה לְקַלֵּ֥ס אֶתְנָֽן׃Read the interlinear

• But when you builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• your moundsגַּבgab · back/rim/browH1354
• at the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• of everyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• streetדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• and madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• your lofty shrinesרָמָהrâmâh · high placeH7413
• public squareרְחוֹבrechôb rechôb · street/plazaH7339
• you wereהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• not even likeלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• a prostituteזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
• because you scornedקָלַסqâlas · to mockH7046
• paymentאֶתְנַן'ethnan · wagesH868

Cross-references for Ezekiel 16:31

• 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.
• Hosea 12:11Is there iniquity in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field.
• Ezekiel 16:33Men 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.
• Isaiah 52:3For this is what the LORD says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.”

Commentaries on Ezekiel 16:31

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31Rather, didst build - didst make - wast not - scornest. In the marginal rendering, “thy daughters” must mean “thy smaller cities or villages.”Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-63In Ezekiel 16, Jerusalem is described as an unfaithful wife and a prostitute. This language is very strong. Even in English, the chapter can be difficult to read. In its ancient setting, it would have sounded even more shocking. Ezekiel used graphic language to show how serious Judah’s sin was. He did not try to make his message softer or more polite. He spoke in a direct and forceful way. This strong language is the main point of the chapter. Ezekiel…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. Repetition of Eze 16:24. not ... as ... harlot ... thou scornest hire--Unlike an ordinary harlot thou dost prostitute thy person gratis, merely to satisfy thy lust. Jerome translates, "Thou hast not been as a harlot in scorning (that is, who ordinarily scorns) a hire offered," in order to get a larger one: nay, thou hast offered hire thyself to thy lovers (Eze 16:33, 34). But these verses show English Version to be preferable, for they state that…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 16:31

• High Places
• Lasciviousness

In the dictionaries

• High place
• Confound
• Eminent
• Equal
• Fornication
• Gird
• Harlot
• Justify
• Rest
• Solomon, Song of

Commentaries on Ezekiel 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings