Ezekiel 16

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

Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

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

Son of man, testify to Jerusalem [of] her iniquities;

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.

and you shall say, Thus says the Lord to Jerusalem; Your root and your birth are of the land of Chanaan: your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Chettite.

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

And [as for] your birth in the day wherein you were born, you did not bind your breasts, and you were not washed in water, neither was you salted with salt, neither was you swathed in swaddling-bands.

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.

Nor did mine eye pity you, to do for you one of all these things, to feel at all for you; but you were cast out on the face of the field, because of the deformity of your person, in the day wherein 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 passed by to you, and saw you polluted in your blood; and I said to you, [Let there be] life out of your blood:

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.

increase; I have made you as the springing grass of the field. So you did increase and grow, and did enter into great cities: your breasts were set, and your hair grew, whereas you were 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 passed by you and saw you, and, behold, [it was] your time and a time of resting; and I spread my wings over you, and covered your shame, and swear to you: and I entered into covenant with you, says the Lord, and you became 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 washed you in water, and washed your blood from you, and anointed 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 clothed you with embroidered [garments], and clothed you beneath with purple, and girded you with fine linen, and clothed you with silk,

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

and decked you also with ornaments, and put bracelets on your hands, and a necklace on your neck.

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

And I put a pendant on your nostril, and rings in your ears, and a crown of glory 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.

So you were adorned with gold and silver; and your raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and variegated work: you did eat fine flour, and oil, and honey, and did become extremely beautiful.

14 Your renown went out amongst 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 went forth amongst the nations for your beauty: because it was perfected with elegance, [and] in the comeliness which I put upon you, says the Lord.

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.

You did trust in your beauty, and did go a-whoring because of your renown, and did pour out your fornication on every passer by.

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

And you did take of your garments, and made to yourself idols of needlework, and did go a-whoring after them; therefore you shall never come in, nor shall [the like] take place.

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 took your fair ornaments of my gold and of my silver, of what I gave you, and you made to yourself male images, and you did commit whoredom with them.

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

And you did take your variegated apparel and did clothe them, and you did set before them mine oil and mine incense.

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 [you took] my bread which I gave you, ([yes] I fed you with fine flour and oil and honey) and did set them before them for a sweet smelling savour: yes, it was so, says the Lord.

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 took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore, and did sacrifice [these] to them to be destroyed. You did go a-whoring as [if that were] little,

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

and did kill your children, and gave them up in offering them to them for an expiation.

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.

This is beyond all your fornication, and you did not remember your infancy, when you were naked and bare, [and] did live [though] defiled in your blood.

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

And it came to pass after all your wickedness, says the Lord,

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

that you did build yourself a house of fornication, and did make yourself a public place in every street;

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.

and on the head of every way you did set up your fornications, and did defile your beauty, and did open your feet to every passer by, and did multiply your fornication.

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

And you did go a-whoring after the children of Egypt your neighbours, great of flesh; and did go a-whoring, often 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 if I stretch out my hand against you, then will I abolish your statutes, and deliver [you] up to the wills of them that hate you, [even to] the daughters of the Philistines that turned you aside from the way wherein you sinned.

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 weren’t satisfied.

And you did go a-whoring to the daughters of Assur, and not even thus was you satisfied; yes, you did go a-whoring, and was not satisfied.

29 You have moreover multiplied your prostitution to the land of merchants, to Kasdimah; and yet you weren’t satisfied with this.

And you did multiply your covenants with the land of the Chaldeans; and not even with these was you satisfied.

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

Why should I make a covenant with your daughter, says the Lord, while you do all these things, the works of a harlot? and you have gone a-whoring in a threefold degree with your daughters.

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.

You have built a house of harlotry in every top of a way, and have set up your high place in every street; and you did become as a harlot gathering hires.

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

An adulteress resembles you, taking rewards of her husband.

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.

She has even given rewards to all that went a-whoring after her, and you have given rewards to all your lovers, yes, you did load them with rewards, that they should come to you from every side for your fornication.

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 there has happened in you perverseness in your fornication beyond [other] women, and they have committed fornication with you, in that you give hires over and above, and hires were not given to you; and [thus] perverseness happened in you.

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

Therefore, harlot, hear the word of the Lord:

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 says the Lord, Because you have poured forth your money, therefore your shame shall be discovered in your harlotry with your lovers, and [with] regard to all the imaginations of your iniquities, and for the blood of your children which 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 [will] gather all your lovers with whom you have consorted, and all whom you have loved, with all whom you did hate; and I will gather them against you round about, and will expose your wickedness to them, and they shall see all your shame.

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 will be avenged on you with the vengeance of an adulteress, and I will bring upon you blood of 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 will deliver you into their hands, and they shall break down your house of harlotry, and destroy your high place; and they shall strip you of your garments, and shall take your proud ornaments, and leave 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 they shall bring multitudes upon you, and they shall stone you with stones, and pierce you with their swords.

41 They will burn your houses with fire, and execute judgements 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 they shall burn your houses with fire, and shall execute vengeance on you in the sight of many women: and I will turn you back from harlotry, and I will no more give [you] rewards.

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

So will I slacken my fury against you, and my jealousy shall be removed from you, and I will rest, and be no more careful [for you].

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 did not remember your infancy, and you did grieve me in all these things; therefore, behold, I have recompensed your ways upon your head, says the Lord: for thus have you wrought ungodliness above all your [other] iniquities.

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

These are all the things they have spoken against you in a proverb, saying,

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.

As is the mother, so is your mother's daughter: you are she that has rejected her husband and her children; and the sisters of your sisters have rejected their husbands and their children: your mother was a Chettite, 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.

Your elder sister who dwells on your left hand is Samaria, she and her daughters: and your younger sister, that dwells on the 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.

Yet notwithstanding you have not walked in their ways, neither have you done according to their iniquities within a little, but you have exceeded them 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, says the Lord, this Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done.

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 didn’t strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

Moreover this was the sin of your sister Sodom, pride: she and her daughters lived in pleasure, in fullness of bread [and] in abundance: this belonged to her and her daughters, and they helped not the hand of the poor and needy.

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

And they boasted, and wrought iniquities before me: so I cut them off as I saw [fit].

51 Samaria hasn’t 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.

Also Samaria has not sinned according to half of your sins; but you have multiplied your iniquities beyond them, and you have justified your sisters in all your iniquities which you have committed.

52 You also bear your own shame yourself, in that you have given judgement 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 therefore bear your punishment, for that you have corrupted your sisters by your sins which you have committed beyond them; and you have made them [appear] more righteous than yourself: you therefore be ashamed, and bear your dishonour, in that you have justified 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 amongst them;

And I will turn their captivity, [even] the captivity of Sodom and her daughters; and I will turn the captivity of Samaria and her daughters; and I will turn your captivity in the midst of them:

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.

that you may bear your punishment, and be dishonoured for all that you have done in provoking me to anger.

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 sister Sodom and her daughters shall be restored as they were at the beginning, and you and your daughters shall be restored as you were at the beginning.

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

And surely your sister Sodom was not mentioned by your mouth in the days of your pride:

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 was discovered, even now you are the reproach of the daughters of Syria, and of all that are round about her, [even] of the daughters of the Philistines that compass you round about.

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

[As for] your ungodliness and your iniquities, you have borne them, says the Lord.

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.

Thus says the Lord; I will even do to you as you have done, as you have dealt shamefully in these things to transgress my 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 will remember my covenant [made] with you in the days of your infancy, and I will establish to you an everlasting covenant.

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.

Then you shall remember your way, and shall be utterly dishonoured when you receive your elder sisters with your younger ones: and I will give them to you for building up, but not by your covenant.

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

And I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall know that I am the Lord:

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.’”

that you may remember, and be ashamed, and may no more be able to open your mouth for your shame, when I am reconciled to you for all that you have done, says the Lord.