Keraia
Ezekiel 16

Ezekiel 16:57

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

Translations

Modern
…before your wickedness was uncovered? Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom and all those around her, and by the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you.
Traditional
Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about.
Literal
…before your wickedness was uncovered? It is like the time of scorn by the daughters of Edom, and all those around her, and the daughters of the Philistines—those despising you from all around.
Latin
…antequam revelaretur malitia tua, sicut hoc tempore in opprobrium filiarum Syriæ, et cunctarum in circuitu tuo filiarum Palæstinarum quæ ambiunt te per gyrum.

Original

Hebrew
English
…before your wickedness was uncovered? Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom and all those around her, and by the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you.

Notes

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

Philistia: An ancient people and region in Canaan Syria: Ancient region north of Israel, often in conflict

Glossary

Adultery Bride of Christ Ezekiel, Book of Hell Sexual Immorality

Topics

Lasciviousness: Figurative