Keraia
Ezekiel 16

Ezekiel 16:46

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

Translations

Modern
Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to your north; and your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to your south.
Traditional
And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.
Literal
And your elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters, dwelling to the north of you; and your younger sister, dwelling toyour south, is Sodom and her daughters.
Latin
Et soror tua major, Samaria, ipsa et filiæ ejus, quæ habitant ad sinistram tuam: soror autem tua minor te, quæ habitat a dextris tuis, Sodoma, et filiæ ejus.

Original

Hebrew
English
Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to your north; and your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to your south.

Notes

Ezekiel 16:46–50

  • Samaria, Jerusalem’s older (or larger) sister, engaged in improper worship since Jeroboam introduced golden calves at the national shrines in Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12:28–33).

  • Sodom, Jerusalem’s younger (or smaller) sister, became known for sexual sin (Genesis 19:4–9) and for pride, gluttony, laziness, and neglect of the poor and needy.

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

Places

Samaria: Capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel; Samaritan inhabitants Sodom: Wicked city destroyed by God for its sins

Glossary

Adultery Bride of Christ Cities of the Plain Ezekiel, Book of Sexual Immorality

Topics

Ancient Samaria: People of Characterised as Corrupt and Wicked Ancient Samaria: The Whole Kingdom of Israel Sometimes Called Lasciviousness: Figurative Sodom of Wickedness Sodom: Wickedness of the Inhabitants of