Ezekiel 16:35 — Word Study
WLCלָכֵ֣ן זוֹנָ֔ה שִׁמְעִ֖י דְּבַר־ יְהוָֽה׃ פ
BSAThereforekên [so, thus, in agreement] O prostitutezânâh [harlot, loose woman, idolatrous one] hearshâmaʻ [listen, obey, give ear to] the worddâbâr [message, thing, affair] of the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the Lord God]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לָכֵ֣ן | therefore | Preposition, adverb |
| זוֹנָ֔ה | O prostitute | Verb, Qal, participle (active) feminine singular |
| שִׁמְעִ֖י | hear | Verb, Qal, imperative second person feminine singular |
| דְּבַר־ | [the] word of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| יְהוָֽה׃ פ | Yahweh | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of the LORD! |
| KJV | ¶ Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD: |
| ASV | Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of Jehovah: |
| YLT | Therefore, O whore, hear a word of Jehovah, |
| WEB | “Therefore, prostitute, hear Yahweh’s word: |
| BBE | For this cause, O loose woman, give ear to the voice of the Lord: |
The translations agree here, all rendering the call to listen to the word of the LORD without significant variation.
The main clause is straightforward, with a direct address and an imperative verb, emphasizing the urgency of the command.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbזָנָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezekiel 16:35
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Indictment of Jerusalemgenerated
Ezekiel 16:35 is part of a passage where the LORD addresses Jerusalem, depicted as a harlot due to its idolatry and unfaithfulness. This metaphor emphasizes the betrayal of the covenant relationship with God. The surrounding verses elaborate on the consequences of Jerusalem's actions, contrasting its behavior with that of other nations and calling for recognition of its wrongs.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 1:21 | See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers! |
| 2 | Isaiah 23:15–16 | At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years—the span of a king’s life. But at the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot: |
| 3 | Jeremiah 3:1–6 | “If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Would not such a land be completely defiled? But you have played the harlot with many lovers— and you would return to Me?” declares the LORD. |
| 4 | Hosea 2:5 | For their mother has played the harlot and has conceived them in disgrace. For she thought, ‘I will go after my lovers, who give me bread and water, wool and linen, oil and drink.’ |
| 5 | Nahum 3:4 |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 15 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — זוֹנָ֔ה, zo.Nahgenerated
The Hebrew word זוֹנָה (*zanah*) is a feminine participle derived from the root meaning 'to fornicate.' It conveys a range of meanings related to unfaithfulness, specifically in the context of idolatry and moral corruption. In this verse, it serves to underscore the gravity of Jerusalem's spiritual infidelity.
This term is not just about physical unfaithfulness but also reflects a deeper betrayal of trust, particularly in the relationship between God and His people. The use of this word here highlights the seriousness of the accusation against Jerusalem and sets the tone for the divine message that follows.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb שִׁמְעִ֖י, hear, governs the main clause, with the subject being the vocative זוֹנָ֔ה, O prostitute. The structure emphasizes the imperative nature of the command, calling for immediate attention.
The word order places the address to the prostitute first, highlighting the urgency of the message and the seriousness of the situation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates זוֹנָה as πόρνη (G4204), which carries the same meaning of 'prostitute' or 'harlot.' This choice reflects the intent to convey the moral unfaithfulness of Jerusalem in a culturally understood manner.
The Greek term ἄκουε (G191) for 'hear' emphasizes the call to listen, paralleling the Hebrew imperative and maintaining the urgency of the message.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezekiel 16:35 shows the LORD addressing Jerusalem, calling it a prostitute due to its unfaithfulness. God urges Jerusalem to listen to His message, emphasizing the seriousness of its actions and the need for repentance.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This metaphor indicates that Jerusalem has been unfaithful to God, engaging in idolatry and turning away from the covenant relationship.
The emphasis on hearing signifies the urgency of the message and the need for Jerusalem to recognize its wrongs and return to God.
This verse is part of a larger indictment against Jerusalem, highlighting its moral failures and the consequences that follow.
The call to listen to God's word is timeless, reminding us of the importance of faithfulness and obedience in our relationship with Him.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways might I be unfaithful in my own life, similar to Jerusalem?
- How can I cultivate a heart that is quick to listen to God's word?
- What steps can I take to ensure I remain faithful in my relationship with God?
- How does understanding the metaphor of unfaithfulness deepen my view of my relationship with God?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Jerome quotes this verse to emphasize God's message to Jerusalem, highlighting the consequences of its unfaithfulness.
Therefore, prostitute, listen to the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God: Because your bronze has been poured out, and your disgrace has been revealed in your fornication (in your adulteries), with your lovers,Early Church Fathers on Ezekiel 16 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 16:35 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord. The sentence about to be pronounced; adjudging to be slain with the sword, to be stoned and burned; the crime for which is to be read in the name of
Read John Gill on Ezekiel 16 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD: Wherefore, O harlot. Here begins the threat of wrath to be poured out on her.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 16 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHer indictment and notoriety of all the charge against her we have heard; her crimes she was guilty of, with the aggravations of them; now follows sentence of condemnation against her. Hear the word of just condemnation which thou must submit to, though thou refusedst the word of counsel and precept.
Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 16 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzekiel 16:35 Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:Ver. 35. Wherefore, O harlot.] A name good enough for such an odious housewife, the shame of her sex. He is not worthy of an honest name whose deeds are not honest. Hear the word of the Lord.] Hear thy doom, thy sentence: stoned thou shalt be as an adulteress, slain with the sword as a murderess, burned with fire as an incendiary, because thou hast burned thy children in honour of Moloch. απεργωνουκαλωνουκεστινεπηκαλα.
Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 16 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges35–43. Punishment of the adulterous wife, and child-murderer This punishment is described in somewhat mixed figures: first, Ezekiel 16:36-39, in a figure which tends to pass into a literal account of the destruction of Jerusalem; and secondly, Ezekiel 16:40-43, in a figure suggested by the punishment of the ordinary adulteress.
Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 16 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleJudah is now represented as undergoing the punishment adjudged to an adulteress and murderess. Only in her utter destruction shall the wrath of the Lord, the jealous God, cease. Ezekiel 16:36 Filthiness - Or, brass, i.
Read Albert Barnes on Ezekiel 16 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible’S AND — THE ADOPTED CHILD-WIFE, Ezekiel 16:1-43.In chaps. 13-15 the prophet has shown how untrustworthy are all the Israelitish hopes that punishment will not fall upon them for their sins.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 16 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of the LORD!
“Therefore, prostitute, hear Yahweh’s word:
Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of the LORD!
“‘Therefore O prostitute, hear the word of the Lord:
Tyndale line
¶ Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:
Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of Jehovah:
Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:
Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:
Wherefore, O harlot, heare the worde of the Lord.
Strictly literal
Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of Jehovah.
Therefore, O whore, hear a word of Jehovah,
Therefore, O whore, hear a word of YHWH!
Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord!
Therefore, you prostitute, listen to the word of Yahweh.
From the Latin
Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord.
Simplified
So, you prostitute, listen to the message from the Lord!
For this cause, O loose woman, give ear to the voice of the Lord:
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in the wording of this verse, with all five Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation, indicating a consistent understanding of the text across these traditions.
לָכֵ֣ן זוֹנָ֔ה שִׁמְעִ֖י דְּבַר־ יְהוָֽה׃ פ
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezekiel 16:35
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word כֵּן (*ken*) is built from the root meaning 'set upright.' It functions as an adjective meaning 'right,' 'veritable,' or 'honest,' and as an adverb meaning 'so,' 'therefore,' or 'thus.' It appears in various contexts, often indicating manner or relation, and is used in phrases like 'forasmuch as.'
כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest
right
veritable, true
pl. concr. honest (men)
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
כֵּן adv. so
base
H3651a כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest H3651b כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as H3651c כֵּן so
3651 ken kane
from 3559; properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as
adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction)
rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and
relation; often with other particles):--+ after that
(this, -ward, -wards), as ... as, + (for-)asmuch as yet, + be
(for which) cause, + following, howbeit, in (the) like
(manner, -wise), X the more, right, (even) so, state,
straightway, such (thing), surely, + there (where)-fore, this,
thus, true, well, X you.
see HEBREW for 03559
כֵּן (ken) — right.
adv
adj
1) right, just, honest, true, veritable
1a) right, just, honest
1b) correct
1c) true, veritable
[כִּי עַל] כֵּן ([ki al] ken) — as.
adv
forasmuch as, since
כֵּן (ken) — so.
adv
1) so, therefore, thus
1a) thus, so
1b) just so
1c) therefore
1d) so...as (paired with adv)
1e) then
1f) forasmuch as (in phrase)
1g) (with prep)
1g1) therefore, this being so (specific)
1g2) hitherto
1g3) therefore, on this ground (general)
1g4) afterwards
1g5) in such case
Aramaic equivalent: ken (כֵּן "thus" H3652)
Prep | Adv — Preposition · adverbHR/D
זָנָה (zanah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to commit fornication or to be a harlot. It encompasses a range of actions, including adultery and idolatry, with a focus on unfaithfulness, particularly in a figurative sense regarding one's relationship with God. The entries indicate that it can also refer to cult prostitution and moral defection, with various grammatical forms expressing different nuances of the term.
זָנָה vb. commit fornication, be a harlot
Qal
be or act as a harlot
fig. of improper intercourse with foreign nations
of intercourse with other deities
of moral defection
Pu. fornication was not done (in going) after thee
Hiph.
cause to commit fornication
commit fornication
base
H2181 זָנָה commit fornication, be a harlot
2181 zanah zaw-naw'
a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit
adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple
fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively,
to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the
spouse of Jehovah):--(cause to) commit fornication, X
continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be,
play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go
a-whoring, whorish.
זָנָה (za.nah) — to fornicate.
1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication
1a2) to commit adultery
1a3) to be a cult prostitute
1a4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.)
1b) (Pual) to play the harlot
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to commit adultery
1c2) to force into prostitution
1c3) to commit fornication
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) feminine singularHVqrfsa
The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear
Qal 1052
subj. pers. hum.
י׳ (God) subj.
Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound
be heard of
be regarded, obeyed
= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.
Pi. he caused the people to hear
Hiph. 63
of man
י׳ subj.
base
H8085 שָׁמַע hear
8085 shama` shaw-mah'
a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with
implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to
tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X
carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,
declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make
to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)
obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,
regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,
understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.
: hear
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to
1a5) to understand (language)
1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)
1a7) to listen, give heed
1a7a) to consent, agree
1a7b) to grant request
1a8) to listen to, yield to
1a9) to obey, be obedient
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)
1b2) to be heard of
1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed
1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound
1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)
1d3) to make proclamation, summon
1d4) to cause to be heard
n m
2) sound
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.
: obey
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
V-Qal-Impv-2fs — Verb · Qal · imperative second person feminine singularHVqv2fs
דָּבָר (dabar) means 'word' or 'speech' and encompasses a range of meanings including discourse, saying, and matter. It can refer to anything spoken or a topic of discussion, extending to concepts like business or affairs. The entries consistently highlight its use in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicographers.
דָּבָר 1439 n.m. speech, word
sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
sg. a word, words
sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
base
H1697 דָּבָר speech, word . sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
. sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
. sg. a word, words
. sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
1697 dabar daw-baw'
from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or
thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X
any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case,
cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X
commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, +
dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, +
eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt,
+ iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter,
message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, +
please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose,
question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said,
sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness),
somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that,
X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings,
what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.
see HEBREW for 01696
דָּבָר (da.var) — word.
: word/speech/command
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: speaking.
: speaking
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: thing.
: thing/matter
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: promised.
: promised/duty
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: deed.
: deed
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt