Keraia
Ezekiel 16

Ezekiel 16:45

Judgment on Jerusalem · Ezekiel 16:35–58
Read Ezekiel 16

Translations

Modern
You are the daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and children. You are the sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.
Traditional
Thou art thy mother’s daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite.
Literal
You are the daughter of your mother, loathing her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters, those who loathed their husbands and children! Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.
Latin
Filia matris tuæ es tu, quæ projecit virum suum et filios suos: et soror sororum tuarum es tu, quæ projecerunt viros suos et filios suos: mater vestra Cethæa, et pater vester Amorrhæus.

Original

Hebrew
English
You are the daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and children. You are the sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.

Notes

Ezekiel 16:44–45

Jerusalem’s “parents” were a Hittite and an Amorite. Hittites and Amorites were previous occupants of Canaan who were cut off from the land because of their sins (compare Genesis 15:16). The pagan city of Jerusalem was captured and became part of Israel during David's time (2 Samuel 5:6–10). Jerusalem’s later actions matched her family background. She behaved in a way that fit her heredity (family line and ancestry).

In other words, her conduct was consistent with where she came from. Her actions reflected the character of her origins.

Ezekiel 16:1–63

In 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 wanted the people to feel how terrible their sin was in God’s sight. The shocking description helped them understand that God’s judgment was not unfair.

If Ezekiel had used softer words, the people might not have understood the full seriousness of their sin. The strong picture was necessary to show why God’s judgment was justified (that is, right and fair).

Ezekiel 15:1–24:14

This section includes eight metaphors, each showing from a different angle the certainty of Jerusalem's upcoming judgment. The images are of:

  1. a worthless vine (Ezekiel 15);

  2. a faithless wife (Ezekiel 16);

  3. a vine and two eagles (Ezekiel 17);

  4. Sour grapes (Ezekiel 18);

  5. a lion and her cubs (Ezekiel 19);

  6. a sword (Ezekiel 21);

  7. two corrupt sisters (Ezekiel 23); and

  8. a cooking pot (Ezekiel 24).

Events

People

Amorites: Canaanite people group, enemies of Israel Heth: Son of Canaan and ancestor of the Hittites

Glossary

Adultery Amorites Bride of Christ Ezekiel, Book of Hittites Sexual Immorality

Topics

Lasciviousness: Figurative