Ezekiel 16

Ezekiel 16 is the sixteenth chapter of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains prophecies attributed to the prophet/priest Ezekiel, and is one of the Books of the Prophets. Biblical scholar R. E. Clements calls this chapter "an Old Testament parable of the prodigal daughter", describing a shocking illustration of ungrateful Jerusalem in contrast to God's enduring love to her.^[1] This chapter is often linked to Ezekiel 23, which deals with two daughters, symbolizing the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah.^[2]

Ezekiel 16
← chapter 15 chapter 17 →
Book of Ezekiel 30:13–18 in an English manuscript from the early 13th century, MS. Bodl. Or. 62, fol. 59a. A Latin translation appears in the margins with further interlineations above the Hebrew.
Book	Book of Ezekiel
Hebrew Bible part	Nevi'im
Order in the Hebrew part	7
Category	Latter Prophets
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	26

Text

The original text was written in the Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 63 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).^[3] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, 3Q1 (3QEzek; 50 BCE–50 CE) with extant verses 31–33.^[4][5][6][7]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).^[8][a]

Verse 2

Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,^[10]

• "Son of man" (Hebrew: בן־אדם ḇen-'ā-ḏām): this phrase is used 93 times to address Ezekiel.^[11]
• "Abomination" (Hebrew: תּוֹעֵבָה tôwʻêbah, to-ay-baw'): something loathsome or objectionable, especially for "Jehovah" (Proverbs 3:32; 21:27), "specially used for things belonging to the worship of idols" or idolatrous practices and objects.^[12][13]

Verse 3

And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem;

Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan;

thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.^[14]

God "commands Ezekiel to inform Jerusalem of the accusation brought against her, and in verses 3—34 provides a 'biography' for his bride".^[15] The assimilation of Israel with those former residents [of the land of Israel] led to apostasy.^[16]

Verse 6

Jerusalem Yad Vashem, Hebrew inscription בדמיך חיי (In thy blood thou shalt live, Ezekiel 16:6).

And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood,

I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood,

Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.^[17]

• "Polluted" (Hebrew: מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת miṯ-bō-se-seṯ, from the root verb בּוּס ḇūs, "tread down with feet" or "trample"^[18][19]): Rashi connects it to (Psalm 60:12, numbered as 60:14 in Hebrew version): "God ... shall tread down (Hebrew: יָבוּס) our enemies."^[20]

Verse 16

Moreover you multiplied your acts of harlotry as far as the land of the trader, Chaldea; and even then you were not satisfied.^[21]

Chaldea: "the land of the trader" or "the land of merchants".^[22] The King James Version lacks the wording which describes Chaldea as a trading nation.^[17]

Verses 44-52

An unfavourable comparison of Jerusalem to Samaria and Sodom.^[15]

Verses 59-63

God promises at last to forgive Jerusalem.^[15]

Verse 60

Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth,

and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.^[23]

God's remembrance of God's covenant with the patriarchs of Israel was anticipated in Leviticus 26:43–45.^[16]

See also

• Amorites
• Assyria
• Canaan
• Chaldea
• Egypt
• Hittites
• Jerusalem
• Philistine
• Rape in the Hebrew Bible § Ezekiel 16 and 23
• Samaria
• Sodom

• Bible portal

• Related Bible parts: Genesis 14, Leviticus 26, Isaiah 47, Ezekiel 23, John 15, Revelation 17

Notes

1. Ezekiel is missing from the extant Codex Sinaiticus.^[9]