Ezekiel 16:45

Verse

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.

American Standard Version (1901)

Thou art the daughter of thy mother, that loatheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, who loathed their husbands and their children: your mother was a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

Bible in Basic English

You are the daughter of your mother whose soul is turned in disgust from her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters who were turned in disgust from their husbands and their children: your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Thou art thy mother’s daughter, that cast off her husband, and her children: and thou art the sister of thy sisters, who cast off their husbands, and their children: your mother was a Cethite, and your father an Amorrhite.

Free Bible Version

You are the daughter of your mother who detested her husband and children. You are just like her! You are the sister of your sisters, just like them who detested their husbands and children. In fact your mother was a Hittite and your father was an Amorite.

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

Translation for Translators

You are like your mother; it was as though she detested her husband and her children. You are like your sisters, who also despised their husbands and their children. It was as though [MET] your father belonged to the Amor people-group and your mother belonged to the Heth people-group.

Unlocked Literal Bible

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

Noah Webster Bible

Thou art thy mother's daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, who lothed their husbands and their children: your mother was a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

World English Bible

You are the daughter of your mother, who loathes her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

Young's Literal Translation

Thy mother's daughter thou [art], Loathing her husband and her sons, And thy sisters' sister thou [art], Who loathed their husbands and their sons, Your mother [is] a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

Context

Judgment on Jerusalem

⁴⁴Behold, all who speak in proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’⁴⁵You 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.⁴⁶Your 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.

Summary

Ezekiel 16:45 uses a metaphor to compare Jerusalem to her sister cities, Sodom and Samaria, highlighting their spiritual corruption and wickedness. The verse emphasizes that Jerusalem's sins were even more detestable than those of Sodom and Samaria, despite being chosen and blessed by God. This serves as a stern warning against pride, ingratitude, and the misuse of God's blessings. It underscores the principle that to whom much is given, much is expected, and that God holds His people accountable for their actions and faithfulness.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

mother's . . . that loatheth her husband--that is, God ("haters of God," Rom 1:30); therefore the knowledge of the true God had originally been in Canaan, handed down from Noah (hence we find Melchisedek, king of Salem, in Canaan, "priest of the most high God," Gen 14:18), but Canaan apostatized from it; this was what constituted the blackness of the Canaanites' guilt. loathed . . . children--whom she put to death in honor of Saturn; a practice common among the PhÅ“nicians. sister of thy sisters--Thou art akin in guilt to Samaria and Sodom, to which thou art akin by birth. Moab and Ammon, the incestuous children of Lot, nephew of Abraham, Israel's progenitor, had their origin from Sodom; so Sodom might be called Judah's sister. Samaria, answering to the ten tribes of Israel, is, of course, sister to Judah.