Ezekiel 16

1 Again the word [message, utterance] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] came [was given, existed] to me, saying [to speak, to command], word study 2 “Son [descendant, human] of man [Adam, humanity], confront [cause to know, make aware of] Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Palestine] with her abominations [disgusting practices, idolatrous ways, things that provoke God’s displeasure] word study 3 and tell her that this is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah] says to Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah]: Your origin [birthplace, ancestral roots] and your birth [nativity, lineage] were in the land [territory, region] of the Canaanites [merchants, traders]. Your father [paternal ancestor] was an Amorite [a member of a Canaanite tribe] and your mother [maternal ancestor] a Hittite [a descendant of Heth]. word study 4 On the day [in the moment, at the instant] of your birth [nativity, the circumstances of your origin] your cord [umbilical cord] was not cut [severed, separated from the mother], nor were you washed [bathed, cleansed] with water [the liquid of purification] for cleansing [purification, ritual purity]. You were not rubbed [anointed, smeared] with salt [to preserve, to flavor] or wrapped [swaddled, entwined] in cloths [swaddling clothes, strips of fabric]. word study 5 No one [no eye] cared enough for you to do even one of these things [to have compassion upon thee, to show kindness] out of compassion [to spare, to have pity] for you. Instead, you were thrown out [cast away, abandoned] into the open field [to the loathing of thy person, in a state of abhorrence], because you were despised [abhorred, hated] on the day of your birth [in the day that thou wast born, from the moment of thy birth]. word study 6 Then I passed by [went past, crossed over] and saw you wallowing [kicking, trampled] in your blood [the liquid that flows through the body], and as you lay there in your blood [helpless, lifeless] I said to you, ‘Live [have life, be revived]!’ There I said to you, ‘Live [be quickened, thrive]!’ word study 7 I made you thrive [like a plant of the field, as the bud of the field] like a plant of the field [growing and flourishing]. You grew up [to the time of love, into a beautiful young woman] and matured [to woman’s ornament, to excellent beauty] and became very beautiful [with excellent ornaments, in excellent adornment]. Your breasts [were fashioned, formed and swollen] were formed [like a woman’s breast, as swollen breasts] and your hair grew [grew long, became long], but you were [still, yet] naked [without clothes, in a state of nudity] and bare [exposed, without covering]. word study 8 Then I passed by [went across, transitioned to] and saw you, and you were indeed old enough [at the time of love, mature] for love [intimate relationship, beloved]. So I spread My cloak [garment, wing] over you and covered your nakedness [shame, exposure]. I pledged Myself [swore an oath, made a vow] to you, entered into a covenant [promise, agreement] with you, and you became Mine [my possession, my people], declares the Lord [Adonay, supreme ruler] GOD [Yehovah]. word study 9 Then I bathed [washed thoroughly, cleansed] you with water [a source of refreshment], rinsed off [thoroughly washed away, overflowed] your blood [the liquid essential for life], and anointed [smearing oil for special purposes, consecrating] you with oil [olive oil, ointment]. word study 10 I clothed you in embroidered cloth [with needlework, broidered work] and gave you sandals of fine leather [badgers’ skin, sealskin]. I wrapped you in fine linen [white linen] and covered you with silk [figured silk, expensive garments]. word study 11 I adorned [decked, beautified] you with jewelry [ornaments, fine clothing], and I put bracelets [arm-clasps, covers] on your wrists [hands] and a chain [necklace, collar] around your neck [throat, neck area]. word study 12 I put a ring [jewel, nose-ring] in your nose, earrings [ear-rings, circular ornaments] on your ears, and a beautiful [glorious, lovely] crown upon your head [the topmost part of the body]. word study 13 So you were adorned [decked, clothed with ornaments] with gold [a valuable metal] and silver [a precious metal, often referring to payment or wealth], and your clothing [garment, attire] was made of fine linen [fine white linen], silk [a valuable and expensive material], and embroidered cloth [needlework, diverse colors]. You ate fine flour [the best meal], honey [a sweet and valuable food], and oil [olive oil]. You became very [exceedingly, greatly] beautiful [bright and handsome] and rose to be [prospered into, succeeded to] queen [a kingdom, a position of royalty]. word study 14 Your fame [renown, reputation] spread among the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] on account of your beauty [attractiveness, loveliness], for it was perfect [complete, entire] in the splendor [glory, majesty] I bestowed on you, declares the Lord [Adonay, Master] GOD [Yehovah]. word study 15 But because of your [renown] fame, you trusted [had confidence, relied] in your beauty [physical attractiveness, inner charm] and played the harlot [committed spiritual adultery, were unfaithful]. You lavished your favors [poured out your love, gave yourself freely] on everyone who passed by [all who came along, every passerby], and your beauty [loveliness, charm] was theirs for the asking [freely available, accessible to all]. word study 16 You took [selected, chose] some of your garments [clothing, robes] and made [constructed, fashioned] colorful [diversely colored, spotted] high places [elevated platforms, shrines] for yourself, and on them [upon these platforms] you prostituted [committed adultery, fornicated] yourself. Such things [these actions, behaviors] should not [never] have happened; never [not at all] should they have occurred [come to pass, happened]! word study 17 You also took the fine jewelry [beauteous vessels, beautiful ornaments] of gold [a valuable metal] and silver [precious, often referring to payment or wealth] I had given you, and you made [constructed, fashioned] male idols [images of men, likeness of males] with which to prostitute [commit whoredom, act like a loose woman] yourself. word study 18 You took [to get, to seize] your embroidered [with diverse colors, intricately designed] garments [clothing, robes] to cover [to hide, to conceal] them, and you set [to put, to place] My oil [olive oil, ointment] and incense [a sweet smoke, a pleasing aroma] before [in the presence of, facing] them. word study 19 And you set before them as a pleasing [sweet] aroma the food [bread, provision] I had given you—the fine flour [choice grain], oil [olive oil, symbol of richness], and honey [a sweet and valuable food] that I had fed you [sustained, nourished]. That is what happened [came to be, existed], declares the Lord [Adonay, a title of reverence] GOD [Yehovah]. word study 20 You even took [received, got] the sons [male children, descendants] and daughters [female children, offspring] you bore [gave birth to, begot] to Me and sacrificed [offered, slaughtered] them as food [to be devoured, consumed] to idols [false gods, pagan deities]. Was your prostitution [fornication, spiritual unfaithfulness] not enough [a small matter, insignificant]? word study 21 You [put to death] slaughtered My children [sons, descendants] and delivered them up [gave them up, sacrificed them] through the fire [to be burned, as an offering] to idols [false gods, pagan deities]. word study 22 And in all [every single one of] your abominations [detestable practices, disgusting things] and acts of prostitution [fornication, spiritual unfaithfulness], you did not remember [recall, bring to mind] the days [periods of time, seasons] of your youth [early life, formative years] when you were naked [without clothes, exposed] and bare [uncovered, vulnerable], wallowing [trampling, lying] in your own blood [the liquid of life]. word study 23 Woe [alas, oh no]! Woe to you, declares the Lord [Adonay, the reverenced God] GOD [Yehovah]. And in addition to all [every, the entirety of] your other wickedness [evil, morally bad deeds], word study 24 you built [constructed, established] yourself a mound [vaulted place, arched room] and made [created, fashioned] yourself a lofty [high, elevated] shrine [high place, idol worship site] in every [all, every single] public square [street, plaza, broad place]. word study 25 At the head [beginning, top] of every street [way, path] you built [established, constructed] your lofty [high, elevated] shrines [places of idol worship, high places] and degraded [made abhorred, detested] your beauty [attractiveness, loveliness]. With increasing [growing, multiplying] promiscuity [whoredom, spiritual unfaithfulness], you spread [opened wide, became licentious] your legs [feet, body] to all [every one, anyone] who passed by [walked by, crossed over]. word study 26 You prostituted yourself [committed fornication, were unfaithful] with your lustful [great of flesh, having large sexual organs] neighbors, the Egyptians [sons of Egypt, a neighboring country], and increased [multiplied, grew] your promiscuity [whoredoms, idolatrous behavior] to provoke [anger, wrath] Me to anger [make Me very angry]. word study 27 Therefore I stretched out [to extend, to spread out] My hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] against you and reduced [to diminish, to decrease] your portion [your allotted share, your inheritance]. I gave you over [to deliver, to surrender] to the desire [the will, the pleasure] of those who hate [to feel intense dislike or hostility] you, the daughters [female children, women] of the Philistines [inhabitants of Philistia], who were ashamed [humiliated, insulted] of your lewd [wicked, evil] conduct [behavior, way of life]. word study 28 Then you prostituted yourself [committed adultery, were unfaithful] with the Assyrians [sons of Asshur, descendants of Shem], because you were not yet satisfied [filled, had enough]. Even after that, you were still not satisfied [content, at peace]. word study 29 So you extended your [fornication, spiritual unfaithfulness] promiscuity to Chaldea [a region in Mesopotamia], the land [country, territory] of merchants—but even with this [behavior, action] you were not [completely, fully] satisfied [filled with enough, content]! word study 30 How [extremely, exceedingly] weak-willed [feeble, sick-minded] is your heart [the center of emotions and thoughts], declares the Lord [Adonay, a title of reverence] GOD [Yehovah], while you do [make, perform] all these things [actions, deeds], the acts [work, deeds] of a shameless [impudent] prostitute [a whorish woman, one who commits adultery]! word study 31 But when you built [constructed, established] your mounds [high places, shrines] at the head [beginning] of every street [way, path] and made [created, fashioned] your lofty [exalted, elevated] shrines [places of idol worship] in every public square [open space, plaza], you were not even like a prostitute [harlot, one who forsakes loyalty], because you scorned [mocked, despised] payment [wages, reward]. word study 32 You [unfaithful, adulterous] adulterous wife [who committeth adultery, that taketh strangers]! You receive [take, sleep with] strangers [foreigners, lovers] instead of [in place of, rather than] your own husband [man]! word study 33 Men give gifts [payment, rewards] to all their prostitutes [harlots, loose women], but you gave gifts [bribes, offerings] to all your lovers [those you have affection for, romantic partners]. You bribed [hired, rewarded] them to come to you from everywhere [all around, from every side] for your illicit favors [fornication, whoredom, spiritual unfaithfulness]. word study 34 So your prostitution [fornication, idolatrous unfaithfulness] is the opposite [contrariness, a reversal] of that of other women [females, wives]: No one solicited [followed after, pursued] your favors [sexual attentions, affection], and you paid [gave, offered] a fee [wages, reward] instead of receiving [getting, taking] one; so you are the very opposite [a complete reversal, utterly different]! word study 35 Therefore [so, thus, in agreement], O prostitute [harlot, loose woman, idolatrous one], hear [listen, obey, give ear to] the word [message, thing, affair] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God]! word study 36 This is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah] says: Because you poured out [shed, spilled] your wealth [riches, treasures] and exposed [uncovered, revealed] your nakedness [shame, vulnerability] in your promiscuity [fornication, idolatry] with your lovers [idolatrous partners, false gods] and with all your detestable [abominable, disgusting] idols, and because of the blood [life, sacrifice] of your children which you gave [offered, sacrificed] to them, word study 37 therefore [thus, in this manner] I will surely gather [assemble, collect] all the lovers [those you have been intimate with, romantic partners] with whom you found pleasure [enjoyed, took delight in], all those you loved [had affection for, cherished] and all those you hated [felt intense dislike for, despised]. I will gather them against you from all around [on every side, surrounding you] and expose [reveal, uncover] you before them, and they will see you completely naked [without covering, utterly exposed, in your shame]. word study 38 And I will sentence [judge, impose punishment] you to the punishment [judgment, condemnation] of women who commit adultery [are unfaithful, break wedlock] and those who shed [pour out, take] blood; so I will bring upon you the wrath [rage, fury] of your bloodshed [violent acts, slaughter] and jealousy [intense passion, envy]. word study 39 Then I will deliver you into the hands [of those who claim to love you] of your lovers [who have been unfaithful to you], and they will level [tear down, demolish] your mounds [places of idolatry] and tear down [overthrow, destroy] your lofty shrines [high places of worship]. They will strip off [remove, take away] your clothes [garments, covering], take your fine jewelry [beautiful vessels, ornaments], and leave you naked [exposed, uncovered] and bare [without anything, completely helpless]. word study 40 They will bring [gather, assemble] a mob [company, assembly] against you, who will stone [throw stones at, pelt with stones] you and cut [slash, thrust] you to pieces [into fragments, with deadly blows] with their swords [cutting instruments, blades]. word study 41 Then they will burn [with fire, utterly destroy] down your houses [places of dwelling, homes] and execute [carry out, inflict] judgment [sentence, verdict] against you in the sight [presence, view] of many [great numbers of] women [females, wives]. I will put an end [cause to cease, stop] to your prostitution [fornication, idolatry, playing the harlot], and you will never again [no longer, not anymore] pay [give, offer] your lovers [those you have given yourself to, idols]. word study 42 So I will lay to rest [cause to cease, make to rest] My wrath [intense anger, rage] against you, and My jealousy [strong feelings of envy, spiritual passion] will turn away [depart, remove] from you. Then I will be calm [quiet, at peace] and no longer [not, still not] angry [provoked, enraged]. word study 43 Because you did not [failed to recall, were unmindful of] remember the days of your youth [the state of being young, early life], but enraged [provoked, stirred up] Me with all these things [your actions, deeds], I will surely [certainly, without a doubt] bring your deeds [actions, ways] down upon your own head [as a consequence, in judgment], declares the Lord [Adonay, Master] GOD [Yehovah]. Have you not [is it not the case that you have] committed [done, carried out] this lewdness [wickedness, immoral act] on top of [in addition to, besides] all your other abominations [detestable things, idolatrous practices]? word study 44 Behold [look, see], all [everything, every person] who speak [use, utter] in proverbs [sayings, teachings] will quote [use, repeat] this proverb [saying, lesson] about you: ‘Like [as, similar to] mother [the female parent, a maternal figure], like daughter [the female child, a woman].’ word study 45 You are the daughter [a female child, or a woman] of your mother [a female parent, or a maternal figure], who despised [loathed, or rejected] her husband [a male partner, or spouse] and children [sons, or descendants]. You are the sister [a biological sibling, or a close relative] of your sisters [female siblings, or relatives], who despised [abhorred, or rejected] their husbands [male partners, or spouses] and children [sons, or descendants]. Your mother was a Hittite [a descendant of Heth, a Canaanite tribe] and your father [a male parent, or a paternal figure] an Amorite [a member of a Canaanite tribe, descended from Canaan]. word study 46 Your older [elder] sister was Samaria [the watch mountain, a region in northern Palestine], who lived with her daughters [female children or figurative descendants] to your north [at your left hand]; and your younger [smaller, less significant] sister was Sodom [a city near the Dead Sea, known for its wickedness], who lived with her daughters [female children or figurative descendants] to your south [at your right hand]. word study 47 And you not only walked [followed, imitated] in their ways [path, manner of life] and practiced [done, committed] their abominations [detestable things, idolatrous practices], but soon you were more [exceedingly, extremely] depraved [corrupted, ruined] than they were [in all their ways, more than they]. word study 48 As surely as I [alive, with eternal life] live, declares the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah], your sister [close relative, kin] Sodom [a city notorious for wickedness] and her daughters [female offspring, inhabitants] never did [committed, performed] as you [Jerusalem, the people] and your daughters [the inhabitants, citizens] have done [committed, carried out]. word study 49 Now this [behold, look] was the iniquity [moral evil, sin] of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant [proud, haughty], overfed [having a fullness of bread, abundance of food], and complacent [at ease, in prosperous quietness]; they did not help [strengthen the hand of] the poor [afflicted, humble] and needy [oppressed, in need of aid]. word study 50 Thus they were haughty [proud, lifted up] and committed abominations [disgusting things, unclean actions] before Me [in My presence, face to face]. Therefore I removed [took away, turned aside] them, as you have seen [as it seemed good to Me, when I looked]. word study 51 Furthermore, Samaria [the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel] did not commit half [or even a portion of] the sins [transgressions, rebellions] you did. You have multiplied [increased, grown] your abominations [detestable, disgusting acts] beyond theirs [exceeding their wrongdoing], and all the abominations [idolatrous, sinful practices] you have committed [perpetrated, done] have made your sisters [biological or spiritual siblings] appear righteous [justified, innocent]. word study 52 So now you must bear your [deep shame] disgrace, since you have brought justification [a declaration of righteousness] for your sisters [close relatives]. For they appear more righteous [justified, vindicated] than you, because your sins [rebellious acts, lawless deeds] were more vile [abhorrent, detestable] than theirs. So you too must bear your [humbling, disgraceful] shame and [reproach, ignominy] disgrace, since you have made your sisters appear righteous [justified, innocent]. word study 53 But I will restore [bring back, reverse the captivity of] Sodom [a city near the Dead Sea, known for its wickedness] and her daughters [the surrounding cities, figuratively] from captivity [a state of being held prisoner, exile], as well as [together with, in addition to] Samaria [the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel, a region in northern Palestine] and her daughters [the cities and towns of the region, figuratively]. And I will restore [return, bring back] you along with [together with, in the midst of] them [in their company, as part of their group]. word study 54 So you will bear [endure, carry] your disgrace [shame, reproach] and be ashamed [humiliated, insulted] of all [everything, every act] you did [made, committed] to comfort [show pity, sympathize with] them [those cities, neighboring nations]. word study 55 And your sisters [close relatives, neighboring cities], Sodom [a city near the Dead Sea, known for its wickedness] with her daughters [female children, or dependent cities] and Samaria [watch mountain, a region in northern Palestine] with her daughters [female children, or dependent cities], will return [to turn back, restore] to their former [previous, original] state [condition, estate]. You [as an individual, or as a city] and your daughters [female children, or dependent cities] will also return [to turn back, restore] to your former [previous, original] state [condition, estate]. word study 56 Did you not [never] treat your sister [close relative, kin] Sodom [a city known for wickedness] as an object of scorn [ridicule, contempt] in the day [period of time, era] of your pride [arrogance, haughtiness, a state of being puffed up], word study 57 before [at the time when] your wickedness [evil, moral corruption] was uncovered [revealed, exposed to shame]? Even so, you are now scorned [treated with contempt, despised] by the daughters [female inhabitants, tribes] of Edom [a region] and all those around [surrounding, neighboring] her, and by the daughters [nations, peoples] of the Philistines [a neighboring, often hostile nation]—all those around [encompassing, surrounding] you who despise [treat with contempt, scorn] you. word study 58 You [as the one responsible] will bear [experience, suffer] the consequences [punishment, penalty] of your lewdness [immorality, wickedness] and your abominations [detestable things, disgusting practices], declares [says, utters] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 59 For this is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah] says: I will deal with you according to your deeds [actions, works], since you have despised [held in contempt, disregarded] the oath [solemn promise, vow] by breaking [violating, shattering] the covenant [agreement, treaty]. word study 60 But I [Emphatically, I myself] will remember [not forget, keep in mind] the covenant [promise, agreement] I made with you in the days [period of time, era] of your youth [young age, early life], and I will establish [confirm, make firm] an everlasting [forever, age-during] covenant [eternal promise] with you. word study 61 Then you will remember [recall to mind, think about] your ways [path, manner of life] and be ashamed [humiliated, insulted] when you receive [take, welcome] your older [greater, more prominent] and younger [smaller, lesser] sisters [close relatives, fellow cities]. I will give [bestow, grant] them to you as daughters [female children, figurative dependents], but not because of [not on account of, not due to] My covenant [promise, agreement] with you. word study 62 So I [emphatically, as the Lord] will establish [confirm, ratify, make firm] My covenant [promise, agreement, treaty] with you, and you will know [perceive, understand, be aware] that I am [exist as, am the one true] the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God], word study 63 so that when I make [provide, bring about] atonement [forgiveness, reconciliation] for all you have done, you will remember [recall, think about] and be ashamed [confounded, humiliated] and never again open your mouth [speak, utter a word] because of your [deep sense of] disgrace, declares the Lord [Adonay, the supreme Ruler] GOD [Yehovah].” word study