Ezekiel 16

God’s Grace to Unfaithful Jerusalem

1Then the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to me, sayingH559, 2“SonH1121 of manH120, 1makeH3045 knownH3045 to JerusalemH3389 her abominationsH8441 3and sayH559, ‘ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH136 2GodH3068 to JerusalemH3389, “Your originH4351 and your birthH4138 are from the landH776 of the CanaaniteH3669, your fatherH1 was an AmoriteH567 and your motherH517 a HittiteH2850. 4As for your birthH4138, 3on the dayH3117 you were bornH3205 your navelH8270 cordH8270 was not cutH3772, norH3808 were you washedH7364 with waterH4325 for cleansingH4935; you were not rubbedH4414 with saltH4414 or even wrappedH2853 in clothsH2853. 5NoH3808 eyeH5869 lookedH2347 with pityH2347 on you to doH6213 anyH259 of theseH428 thingsH428 for you, to haveH2550 compassionH2550 on you. Rather you were thrownH7993 out into the 45openH6440 fieldH7704, 6for you were abhorredH1604 on the dayH3117 you were bornH3205.

6“When I passedH5674 by you and sawH7200 you squirmingH947 in your bloodH1818, I saidH559 to you while you were in your bloodH1818, ‘LiveH2421!’ Yes, I saidH559 to you while you were in your bloodH1818, ‘LiveH2421!’ 7I 7madeH5414 you 8numerousH7233 like plantsH6780 of the fieldH7704. Then you grewH7235 up, becameH1431 tallH1431 and reachedH935 the ageH935 for fineH5716 ornamentsH5716; your breastsH7699 were formedH3559 and your hairH8181 had grownH6779. Yet you were nakedH5903 and bareH6181.

8“Then I passedH5674 by you and sawH7200 you, and beholdH2009, 9you were at the timeH6256 for loveH1730; so I 10spreadH6566 My skirtH3671 overH5921 you and coveredH3680 your nakednessH6172. I also 11sworeH7650 to you and 12enteredH935 into a covenantH1285 with you so that you 13becameH1961 Mine,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068. 9“Then I bathedH7364 you with waterH4325, washedH7857 offH7857 your bloodH1818 from you and 14anointedH5480 you with oilH8081. 10I also clothedH3847 you with 15embroideredH7553 clothH7553 and putH5274 sandalsH5274 of porpoiseH8476 skinH8476 on your feet; and I wrappedH2280 you with fineH8336 linenH8336 and coveredH3680 you with silkH4897. 11I adornedH5710 you with ornamentsH5716, putH5414 16braceletsH6781 on your handsH3027 and a 17necklaceH7242 aroundH5921 your neckH1627. 12I also putH5414 a 18ringH5141 in your nostrilH639, earringsH5694 in your earsH241 and a 19beautifulH8597 crownH5850 on your headH7218. 13Thus you were adornedH5710 with 20goldH2091 and silverH3701, and your dressH4403 was of fineH8336 linenH8336, silkH4897 and embroideredH7553 clothH7553. You ateH398 fineH5560 flourH5560, honeyH1706 and oilH8081; so you were exceedinglyH3966 beautifulH3302 and advancedH6743 to 21royaltyH4410. 14Then your 22fameH8034 wentH3318 forthH3318 among the nationsH1471 on account of your beautyH3308, for it was 23perfectH3632 because of My splendorH1926 whichH834 I bestowedH7760 on you,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068.

15“But you 24trustedH982 in your beautyH3308 and 25playedH2181 the harlotH2181 becauseH5921 of your fameH8034, and you pouredH8210 out your harlotriesH8457 on everyH3605 passer-byH5674 26who might be willing. 16You tookH3947 someH4480 of your clothesH899, madeH6213 for yourself highH1116 placesH1116 of variousH2921 colorsH2921 and playedH2181 the harlotH2181 on them, 27which should neverH3808 comeH935 about norH3808 happenH1961. 17You also tookH3947 your beautifulH8597 2829jewelsH3627 made of My goldH2091 and of My silverH3701, whichH834 I had givenH5414 you, and madeH6213 for yourself maleH2145 imagesH6754 that you might playH2181 the harlotH2181 with them. 18Then you tookH3947 your embroideredH7553 clothH899 and coveredH3680 them, and offeredH5414 My oilH8081 and My incenseH7004 beforeH6440 them. 19Also 30My breadH3899 whichH834 I gaveH5414 you, fineH5560 flourH5560, oilH8081 and honeyH1706 with which I fedH398 you, 31you would offerH5414 beforeH6440 them for a soothingH5207 aromaH7381; so it happenedH1961,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068. 20“Moreover, you tookH3947 your sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323 whomH834 you had borneH3205 to 32Me and 33sacrificedH2076 them to 34idols to be devouredH398. Were your harlotriesH8457 soH4592 smallH4592 a matter? 21You slaughteredH7819 35My childrenH1121 and offeredH5414 them up to 36idols by 37causing them to passH5674 throughH5674 the fire. 22BesidesH854 allH3605 your abominationsH8441 and harlotriesH8457 you did not rememberH2142 the daysH3117 of 38your youthH5271, when you were nakedH5903 and bareH6181 and squirmingH947 in your bloodH1818.

23“Then it cameH1961 about afterH310 allH3605 your wickednessH7463 (‘WoeH188, woeH188 to you!’ declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068), 24that you builtH1129 yourself a 39shrineH1354 and madeH6213 yourself a 40highH7413 placeH7413 in everyH3605 squareH7339. 25You builtH1129 yourself a highH7413 placeH7413 at the topH7218 of 41everyH3605 streetH1870 and madeH8581 your beautyH3308 abominableH8581, and you spreadH6589 your legsH7272 to everyH3605 passer-byH5674 to multiplyH7235 your harlotryH8457. 26You also playedH2181 the harlotH2181 with the EgyptiansH4714, your 42lustfulH1320H1432 neighborsH7934, and multipliedH7235 your harlotryH8457 to 43makeH3707 Me angryH3707. 27BeholdH2009 now, I have stretchedH5186 out My handH3027 againstH5921 you and diminishedH1639 your rationsH2706. And I deliveredH5414 you up to the desireH5315 of those who hateH8130 you, the 44daughtersH1323 of the PhilistinesH6430, who are ashamedH3637 of your lewdH2154 conductH1870. 28Moreover, you playedH2181 the harlotH2181 with the 45AssyriansH804 becauseH4480 you were not satisfiedH7654; you playedH2181 the harlotH2181 with them and stillH1571 were not satisfiedH7646. 29You also multipliedH7235 your harlotryH8457 with the landH776 of merchantsH3667, ChaldeaH3778, yet evenH1571 with thisH2088 you were not satisfiedH7646.”’”

30“HowH4100 46languishingH535 is your heartH3826,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “while you doH6213 allH3605 theseH428 thingsH4639, the actionsH4639 of a 4748bold-facedH7989 harlotH2181. 31When you builtH1129 your shrineH1354 at the beginningH7218 of everyH3605 streetH1870 and madeH6213 your highH7413 placeH7413 in everyH3605 squareH7339, in 49disdainingH7046 moneyH868, you were not like a harlotH2181. 32You adulteressH5003 wifeH802, who takesH3947 strangersH2114 insteadH8478 of her husbandH376! 3350Men giveH5414 giftsH5078 to allH3605 harlotsH2181, but you 51giveH5414 your giftsH5083 to allH3605 your loversH157 to bribeH7809 them to comeH935 to you from everyH5439 directionH5439 for your harlotriesH8457. 34Thus you are differentH2016 from those womenH802 in your harlotriesH8457, in that noH3808 one playsH2181 the harlotH2181 52as you do, because you giveH5414 moneyH868 and noH3808 moneyH868 is givenH5414 you; thus you are differentH2016.”

35ThereforeH3651, O harlotH2181, hearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LordH3068. 36ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH136 GodH3068, “BecauseH3282 your lewdnessH5179 was pouredH8210 out and your nakednessH6172 uncoveredH1540 through your harlotriesH8457 with your loversH157 and with allH3605 your detestableH8441 53idolsH1544, and because of the bloodH1818 of your sonsH1121 whichH834 you gaveH5414 to 54idols, 37thereforeH3651, beholdH2009, I will 55gatherH6908 allH3605 your loversH157 with whomH834 you tookH6149 pleasureH6149, even allH3605 those whomH834 you lovedH157 and allH3605 those whomH834 you 56hatedH8130. So I will gatherH6908 them againstH5921 you from everyH5439 directionH5439 and 57exposeH1540 your nakednessH6172 to them that they may seeH7200 allH3605 your nakednessH6172. 38Thus I will 58judgeH8199 you like women who commitH5003 adulteryH5003 or shedH8210 bloodH1818 are judgedH4941; and I will bringH5414 on you the bloodH1818 of 59wrathH2534 and jealousyH7068. 39I will also giveH5414 you into 60the handsH3027 of your lovers, and they will tearH2040 downH2040 your shrinesH1354, demolishH5422 your highH7413 placesH7413, 61stripH6584 you of your clothingH899, takeH3947 away your 62jewelsH3627H8597, and will leaveH5117 you nakedH5903 and bareH6181. 40They will 63inciteH5927 a 64crowdH6951 againstH5921 you and they will stoneH7275 you and cutH1333 you to piecesH1333 with their swordsH2719. 41They will 65burnH8313 your housesH1004 with fireH784 and executeH6213 judgmentsH8201 on you in the sightH5869 of manyH7227 womenH802. Then I will 66stopH7673 you from playingH2181 the harlotH2181, and you will alsoH1571 noH3808 longerH5750 payH5414 67your loversH868. 42So I 68will calmH5117 My furyH2534 against you and My jealousyH7068 will departH5493 from you, and I will be pacifiedH8252 and angryH3707 69noH3808 moreH5750. 43BecauseH3282H834 you have 70not rememberedH2142 the daysH3117 of your youthH5271 but 71have 72enragedH7264 Me by allH3605 theseH428 thingsH428, beholdH1887, I in turnH1571 will 73bringH5414 your conductH1870 downH5414 on your own headH7218,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “so that you will not commitH6213 this lewdnessH2154 on topH5921 of allH3605 your other abominationsH8441.

44“BeholdH2009, everyoneH3605 who quotesH4911 74proverbsH4911 will quoteH4911 this proverbH4911 concerningH5921 you, sayingH559, ‘75Like motherH517, 76like daughterH1323.’ 45You are the daughterH1323 of your motherH517, who loathedH1602 her husbandH376 and childrenH1121. You are also the 77sisterH269 of your sistersH269, whoH834 78loathedH1602 their husbandsH376 and childrenH1121. Your motherH517 was a HittiteH2850 and your fatherH1 an AmoriteH567. 46Now your 79olderH1419 sisterH269 is SamariaH8111, who livesH3427 80northH8040 of you with her 81daughtersH1323; and your youngerH6996 sisterH269, who livesH3427 82southH3225 of you, is 83SodomH5467 with her 84daughtersH1323. 47Yet you have not merely walkedH1980 in their waysH1870 or doneH6213 according to their abominationsH8441; but, as if that were 85tooH6985 littleH4592, you actedH7843 86moreH4480 corruptlyH7843 in allH3605 your conductH1870 thanH4480 they. 48As I liveH2416,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “SodomH5467, your sisterH269 and her daughtersH1323 have 87not doneH6213 as you and your daughtersH1323 have doneH6213. 49BeholdH2009, thisH2088 was the guiltH5771 of your sisterH269 SodomH5467: she and her daughtersH1323 hadH1961 88arroganceH1347, 89abundantH7654 foodH3899 and 90carelessH8252 easeH7962, but she did not 91helpH2388H3027 the 92poorH6041 and needyH34. 50Thus they were haughtyH1361 and committedH6213 93abominationsH8441 beforeH6440 Me. Therefore I 94removedH5493 them 95whenH3512 I sawH7200 it. 51Furthermore, SamariaH8111 did not commitH2398 halfH2677 of your sinsH2403, for you have multipliedH7235 your abominationsH8441 moreH4480 thanH4480 they. Thus you have madeH6663 your sistersH269 appear 96righteousH6663 by allH3605 your abominationsH8441 whichH834 you have committedH6213. 52AlsoH1571 bearH5375 your disgraceH3639 in that you have 97madeH6419 judgmentH6419 favorableH6419 for your sistersH269. Because of your sinsH2403 in whichH834 you actedH8581 98moreH4480 abominablyH8581 thanH4480 they, they are moreH4480 in the rightH6663 thanH4480 you. YesH1571, be alsoH1571 ashamedH954 and bearH5375 your disgraceH3639, in that you madeH6663 your sistersH269 appear righteousH6663.

53“Nevertheless, I will restoreH7725 their captivityH7622, the captivityH7622 of SodomH5467 and her daughtersH1323, the captivityH7622 of SamariaH8111 and her daughtersH1323, and 99alongH8432 with them 100your ownH7622 captivityH7622, 54in orderH4616 that you may bearH5375 your humiliationH3639 and feelH3637 101ashamedH3637 for allH3605 that you have doneH6213 when you becomeH5162 102a consolationH5162 to them. 55Your sistersH269, SodomH5467 with her daughtersH1323 and SamariaH8111 with her daughtersH1323, 103will returnH7725 to their formerH6927 stateH6927, and you with your daughtersH1323 will also returnH7725 to your formerH6927 stateH6927. 56As the name of your sisterH269 SodomH5467 was not heardH8052 from your lipsH6310 in your dayH3117 of prideH1347, 57beforeH2962 your 104wickednessH7463 was uncoveredH1540, 105soH3644 nowH6256 you have become the 106reproachH2781 of the daughtersH1323 of 107EdomH112 and of allH3605 who are aroundH5439 her, of the daughtersH1323 of the PhilistinesH6430--those surroundingH5439 you who despiseH7751 you. 58You have 108borneH5375 the penalty of your lewdnessH2154 and abominationsH8441,” the LordH3068 declaresH5002. 59For thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH136 GodH3068, “I will also doH6213 with you as you have doneH6213, you whoH834 have 109despisedH959 the oathH423 by breakingH6565 the covenantH1285.

The Covenant Remembered

60“Nevertheless, I will rememberH2142 My covenantH1285 with you in the daysH3117 of your youthH5271, and I will establishH6965 an 110everlastingH5769 covenantH1285 with you. 61Then you will 111rememberH2142 your waysH1870 and be ashamedH3637 when you receiveH3947 your sistersH269, both your olderH1419 and your youngerH6996; and I will giveH5414 them to you as daughtersH1323, but not becauseH4480 of your covenantH1285. 62Thus I will 112establishH6965 My covenantH1285 with you, and you shall 113knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068, 63so that you may 114rememberH2142 and be ashamedH954 and 115neverH3808 openH6610 your mouthH6310 anymoreH5750 becauseH4480H6440 of your humiliationH3639, when I have 116forgivenH3722 you for allH3605 that you have doneH6213,” the LordH136 GodH3068 declaresH5002.