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

29You added to your lovers by embracing Babylonia, the land of merchants, but you still weren’t satisfied. 30“What a sick heart you have, says the Sovereign Lord, to do such things as these, acting like a shameless prostitute. You build your pagan shrines on every street corner and your altars to idols in every square. In fact, you have been worse than a prostitute, so eager for sin that you have not even demanded payment. 32Yes, you are an adulterous wife who takes in strangers instead of her own husband. 33Prostitutes charge for their services—but not you! You give gifts to your lovers, bribing them to come and have sex with you.

Ezekiel 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 16:24you built a pagan shrine and put altars to idols in every town square.
• Ezekiel 16:25On every street corner you defiled your beauty, offering your body to every passerby in an endless stream of prostitution.
• Hosea 12:11But the people of Gilead are worthless because of their idol worship. And in Gilgal, too, they sacrifice bulls; their altars are lined up like the heaps of stone along the edges of a plowed field.
• Ezekiel 16:33Prostitutes charge for their services—but not you! You give gifts to your lovers, bribing them to come and have sex with you.
• Isaiah 52:3For this is what the Lord says: “When I sold you into exile, I received no payment. Now I can redeem you without having to pay for you.”

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