EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ezekiel 16:31
31You built places to worship your idols on every street. You offered yourself to people, like a prostitute. But you did not want them to pay you anything, as a prostitute would do.
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
29You also had sex with the traders from Babylon. Like a prostitute, you sold yourself to more and more people. But they could still not make you happy. 30The Almighty Lord says this: Your mind no longer knows what is right. You do disgusting things, like a prostitute who is not ashamed. You built places to worship your idols on every street. You offered yourself to people, like a prostitute. But you did not want them to pay you anything, as a prostitute would do. 32You are like a wife who is not faithful. You want to have sex with strangers more than with your own husband! 33Prostitutes receive money when they have sex with someone. Instead, you give gifts to all the men who have sex with you. You pay them to come from many different places to have sex with you.
Read all of Ezekiel 16Ezekiel 16:31 word by word
בִּבְנוֹתַ֤יִךְ גַּבֵּךְ֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ כָּל־דֶּ֔רֶךְ וְרָמָתֵ֥ךְ עָשִׂ֖ית בְּכָל־רְח֑וֹב וְלֹא־הָיִ֥ית כַּזּוֹנָ֖ה לְקַלֵּ֥ס אֶתְנָֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- In that thou buildestבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- thine eminent placeגַּבgab · back/rim/browH1354
- in the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of every wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- and makestעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- thine high placeרָמָהrâmâh · high placeH7413
- in every streetרְחוֹבrechôb rechôb · street/plazaH7339
- and hast not been as an harlotזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
- in that thou scornestקָלַסqâlas · to mockH7046
- hireאֶתְנַן'ethnan · wagesH868
Cross-references for Ezekiel 16:31
- Ezekiel 16:24In the public places of every town you built huts to worship your idols.
- Ezekiel 16:25You built these high places at the end of every street. There you made your beauty a disgusting thing. You offered your body to anyone who went past. Everyone knew that you were a prostitute.
- Hosea 12:11The people in Gilead do wicked things. They will become as useless as their idols. At Gilgal, the people offer bulls as sacrifices on their altars. Those altars will be like heaps of stones in a farmer's field.’
- Ezekiel 16:33Prostitutes receive money when they have sex with someone. Instead, you give gifts to all the men who have sex with you. You pay them to come from many different places to have sex with you.
- Isaiah 52:3This is what the Lord says to you: ‘I received no money when I sold you. And I will not pay anything to make you free again.’
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
In the dictionaries
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
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