Ezekiel 16

1 Again the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations;

“Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, and you have said,

3 and say, ‘The Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: “Your origin and your birth is of the land of the Canaanite. An Amorite was your father, and your mother was a Hittite.

Thus said Lord YHWH to Jerusalem: Your birth and your nativity [Are] of the land of the Canaanite, Your father the Amorite, and your mother a Hittite.

4 As for your birth, in the day you were born your navel was not cut. You were not washed in water to cleanse you. You were not salted at all, nor wrapped in blankets at all.

As for your nativity, in the day you were born, Your navel has not been cut, And you were not washed in water for ease, And you have not been salted at all, And you have not been swaddled at all.

5 No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you, to have compassion on you; but you were cast out in the open field, because you were abhorred in the day that you were born.

No eye has had pity on you, to do any of these to you, To have compassion on you, And you are cast on the face of the field, With loathing of your soul In the day you were born!

6 “‘“When I passed by you, and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you, ‘Though you are in your blood, live!’ Yes, I said to you, ‘Though you are in your blood, live!’

And I pass over by you, And I see you trodden down in your blood, And I say to you in your blood, Live! Indeed, I say to you in your blood, Live!

7 I caused you to multiply as that which grows in the field, and you increased and grew great, and you attained to excellent beauty. Your breasts were formed, and your hair grew; yet you were naked and bare.

I have made you a myriad as the shoot of the field, And you are multiplied, and are great, And come in with an excellent adornment, Breasts have been formed, and your hair has grown—And you, naked and bare!

8 “‘“Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my garment over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I pledged myself to you and entered into a covenant with you,” says the Lord GOD, “and you became mine.

And I pass over by you, and I see you, And behold, your time [is] a time of loves, And I spread My skirt over you, And I cover your nakedness, And I swear to you, and come into a covenant with you, A declaration of Lord YHWH, And you become Mine.

9 “‘“Then I washed you with water. Yes, I thoroughly washed away your blood from you, and I anointed you with oil.

And I wash you with water, And I wash away your blood from off you, And I anoint you with oil.

10 I clothed you also with embroidered work and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you with fine linen and covered you with silk.

And I clothe you with embroidery, And I shoe you with tachash [skin], And I gird you with fine linen, And I cover you with figured silk.

11 I decked you with ornaments, put bracelets on your hands, and put a chain on your neck.

And I adorn you with adornments, And I give bracelets for your hands, And a chain for your neck.

12 I put a ring on your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.

And I give a ring for your nose, And rings for your ears, And a crown of beauty on your head.

13 Thus you were decked with gold and silver. Your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered work. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, and you prospered to royal estate.

And you put on gold and silver, And your clothing [is] fine linen, And figured silk and embroidery, You have eaten fine flour, and honey, and oil, And you are very, very beautiful, And go prosperously to the kingdom.

14 Your renown went out among the nations for your beauty; for it was perfect, through my majesty which I had put on you,” says the Lord GOD.

And your name goes forth among nations, Because of your beauty—for it [is] complete, In My honor that I have set on you, A declaration of Lord YHWH.

15 “‘“But you trusted in your beauty, and played the prostitute because of your renown, and poured out your prostitution on everyone who passed by. It was his.

And you trust in your beauty, And go whoring because of your renown, And pour out your whoredoms on everyone passing by—to him [that would have] it.

16 You took some of your garments, and made for yourselves high places decked with various colors, and played the prostitute on them. This should not happen, neither shall it be.

And you take from your garments, And make spotted high-places for yourself, And go whoring on them, They are not coming in—nor will it be!

17 You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and played the prostitute with them.

And you take your beautiful vessels Of My gold and My silver that I gave to you, And make images of a male for yourself, And go whoring with them,

18 You took your embroidered garments, covered them, and set my oil and my incense before them.

And you take the garments of your embroidery, And cover them, And you have set My oil and My incense before them.

19 My bread also which I gave you, fine flour, oil, and honey, with which I fed you, you even set it before them for a pleasant aroma; and so it was,” says the Lord GOD.

And My bread, that I gave to you, Fine flour, and oil, and honey, that I caused you to eat. You have even set it before them, For a refreshing fragrance—thus it is, A declaration of Lord YHWH.

20 “‘“Moreover you have taken your sons and your daughters, whom you have borne to me, and you have sacrificed these to them to be devoured. Was your prostitution a small matter,

And you take your sons and your daughters whom you have born to Me, And sacrifice them to them for food. Is it a little thing because of your whoredoms,

21 that you have slain my children and delivered them up, in causing them to pass through the fire to them?

that you slaughter My sons, And give them up in causing them to pass over to them?

22 In all your abominations and your prostitution you have not remembered the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, and were wallowing in your blood.

And with all your abominations and your whoredoms, You have not remembered the days of your youth, When you were naked and bare, You were trodden down in your blood!

23 “‘“It has happened after all your wickedness—woe, woe to you!” says the Lord GOD—

And it comes to pass, after all your wickedness (Woe, woe, to you—a declaration of Lord YHWH),

24 “that you have built for yourselves a vaulted place, and have made yourselves a lofty place in every street.

That you build an arch for yourself, And make a high place for yourself in every broad place.

25 You have built your lofty place at the head of every way, and have made your beauty an abomination, and have opened your feet to everyone who passed by, and multiplied your prostitution.

At every head of the way you have built your high place, And you make your beauty abominable, And open wide your feet to everyone passing by, And multiply your whoredoms,

26 You have also committed sexual immorality with the Egyptians, your neighbors, great of flesh; and have multiplied your prostitution, to provoke me to anger.

And go whoring to sons of Egypt, Your neighbors—great of appetite! And you multiply your whoredoms, To provoke Me to anger.

27 See therefore, I have stretched out my hand over you, and have diminished your portion, and delivered you to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd way.

And behold, I have stretched out My hand against you, And I diminish your portion, And give you to the desire of those hating you, The daughters of the Philistines, Who are ashamed of your wicked way.

28 You have played the prostitute also with the Assyrians, because you were insatiable; yes, you have played the prostitute with them, and yet you were not satisfied.

And you go whoring to sons of Asshur, Without your being satisfied, And you go whoring with them, And also—you have not been satisfied.

29 You have moreover multiplied your prostitution to the land of merchants, to Chaldea; and yet you were not satisfied with this.

And you multiply your whoredoms On the land of Canaan—toward Chaldea, And even with this you have not been satisfied.

30 “‘“How weak is your heart,” says the Lord GOD, “since you do all these things, the work of an impudent prostitute;

How weak [is] your heart, A declaration of Lord YHWH, In your doing all these, The work of a domineering, whorish woman.

31 in that you build your vaulted place at the head of every way, and make your lofty place in every street, and have not been as a prostitute, in that you scorn pay.

In your building your arch at the head of every way, You have made your high place in every broad place, And have not been as a whore deriding a wage.

32 “‘“Adulterous wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband!

The wife who commits adultery—Under her husband—receives strangers.

33 People give gifts to all prostitutes; but you give your gifts to all your lovers, and bribe them, that they may come to you on every side for your prostitution.

They give a gift to all whores, And you have given your gifts to all your lovers, And bribe them to come in to you, From all around—in your whoredoms.

34 You are different from other women in your prostitution, in that no one follows you to play the prostitute; and whereas you give hire, and no hire is given to you, therefore you are different.”’

And you are opposite from [other] women in your whoredoms, That none go whoring after you; And in your giving a wage, And a wage has not been given to you; Therefore you are the opposite.

35 “Therefore, prostitute, hear the LORD’s word:

Therefore, O whore, hear a word of YHWH!

36 ‘The Lord GOD says, “Because your filthiness was poured out, and your nakedness uncovered through your prostitution with your lovers; and because of all the idols of your abominations, and for the blood of your children, that you gave to them;

Thus said Lord YHWH: Because of your bronze being poured forth, And your nakedness is revealed in your whoredoms near your lovers, And near all the idols of your abominations, And according to the blood of your sons, Whom you have given to them;

37 therefore see, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have taken pleasure, and all those whom you have loved, with all those whom you have hated. I will even gather them against you on every side, and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness.

Therefore, behold, I am assembling all your lovers, To whom you have been sweet, And all whom you have loved, Besides all whom you have hated; And I have assembled them by you all around, And have revealed your nakedness to them, And they have seen all your nakedness.

38 I will judge you as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.

And I have judged you—judgments of adultresses, And of women shedding blood, And have given you blood, fury, and jealousy.

39 I will also give you into their hand, and they will throw down your vaulted place, and break down your lofty places. They will strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful jewels. They will leave you naked and bare.

And I have given you into their hand, And they have thrown down your arch, And they have broken down your high places, And they have stripped you of your garments, And they have taken your beautiful vessels, And they have left you naked and bare.

40 They will also bring up a company against you, and they will stone you with stones, and thrust you through with their swords.

And have caused an assembly to come up against you, And stoned you with stones, And thrust you through with their swords,

41 They will burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women. I will cause you to cease from playing the prostitute, and you will also give no hire any more.

And burned your houses with fire, And done judgments in you before the eyes of many women, And I have caused you to cease from going whoring, And also, you no longer give a wage.

42 So I will cause my wrath toward you to rest, and my jealousy will depart from you. I will be quiet, and will not be angry any more.

And I have caused My fury against you to rest, And My jealousy has turned aside from you, And I have been quiet, and I am not angry anymore.

43 “‘“Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have raged against me in all these things; therefore, behold, I also will bring your way on your head,” says the Lord GOD: “and you shall not commit this lewdness with all your abominations.

Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, And give trouble to Me in all these, Therefore I also—behold—I put your way on [your own] head, A declaration of Lord YHWH, And you will not have done—have done this wickedness above all your abominations.

44 “‘“Behold, everyone who uses proverbs will use this proverb against you, saying, ‘As is the mother, so is her daughter.’

Behold, everyone using the allegory against you, Uses [this] allegory concerning [you], saying, As the mother—her daughter!

45 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.

You [are] your mother’s daughter, Loathing her husband and her sons, And you [are] your sisters’ sister, Who loathed their husbands and their sons, Your mother [is] a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

46 Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells at your left hand, she and her daughters; and your younger sister, who dwells at your right hand, is Sodom with her daughters.

And your older sister [is] Samaria, she and her daughters, Who is dwelling at your left hand, And your younger sister, who is dwelling on your right hand, [is] Sodom and her daughters.

47 Yet you have not walked in their ways, nor done their abominations; but soon you were more corrupt than they in all your ways.

And you have not walked in their ways, And done according to their abominations, It has been loathed as a little thing, Indeed, you do more corruptly than they in all your ways.

48 As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “Sodom your sister has not done, she nor her daughters, as you have done, you and your daughters.

[As] I live—a declaration of Lord YHWH, Your sister Sodom has not done—she and her daughters—As you have done—you and your daughters.

49 “‘“Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters. She also did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

Behold, this has been the iniquity of your sister Sodom, Arrogancy, fullness of bread, and quiet ease, Have been to her and to her daughters, And the hand of the afflicted and needy She has not strengthened.

50 They were arrogant and committed abomination before me. Therefore I took them away when I saw it.

And they are haughty and do abomination before Me, And I turn them aside when I have seen.

51 Samaria has not committed half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all your abominations which you have done.

And Samaria has not sinned even half of your sins, But you multiply your abominations more than they, And justify your sisters by all your abominations that you have done.

52 You also bear your own shame yourself, in that you have given judgment for your sisters; through your sins that you have committed more abominable than they, they are more righteous than you. Yes, be also confounded, and bear your shame, in that you have justified your sisters.

You also—bear your shame, That you have adjudged for your sisters, Because of your sins that you have done more abominably than they, They are more righteous than you, And you, also, be ashamed and bear your shame, In your justifying your sisters.

53 “‘“I will reverse their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and the captivity of your captives among them;

And I have turned back [to] their captivity, The captivity of Sodom and her daughters, And the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, And the captivity of your captives in their midst,

54 that you may bear your own shame, and may be ashamed because of all that you have done, in that you are a comfort to them.

So that you bear your shame, And have been ashamed of all that you have done, In your comforting them.

55 Your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, will return to their former estate; and Samaria and her daughters will return to their former estate; and you and your daughters will return to your former estate.

And your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, Return to their former state, And Samaria and her daughters return to their former state, And you and your daughters return to your former state.

56 For your sister Sodom was not mentioned by your mouth in the day of your pride,

And your sister Sodom has not been for a report in your mouth, In the day of your arrogancy,

57 before your wickedness was uncovered, as at the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria, and of all who are around her, the daughters of the Philistines, who despise you all around.

Before your wickedness is revealed, As [at] the time of the reproach of the daughters of Aram, And of all her neighbors, the daughters of the Philistines, Who are despising you all around.

58 You have borne your lewdness and your abominations,” says the LORD.

Your wicked plans and your abominations, You have borne them, a declaration of YHWH.

59 “‘For the Lord GOD says: “I will also deal with you as you have done, who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

For thus said Lord YHWH: I have dealt with you as you have done, In that you have despised an oath—to break covenant.

60 Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

And I have remembered My covenant with you, In the days of your youth, And I have established a perpetual covenant for you.

61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, your elder sisters and your younger; and I will give them to you for daughters, but not by your covenant.

And you have remembered your ways, And you have been ashamed, In your receiving your sisters—Your older with your younger, And I have given them to you for daughters, And not by your covenant.

62 I will establish my covenant with you. Then you will know that I am the LORD;

And I have established My covenant with you, And you have known that I [am] YHWH.

63 that you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more because of your shame, when I have forgiven you all that you have done,” says the Lord GOD.’”

So that you remember, And you have been ashamed, And there is not an opening of the mouth to you anymore because of your shame, In My receiving atonement for you, For all that you have done, A declaration of Lord YHWH!”