Ezekiel 16:1 kjv
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Ezekiel 16:1 nkjv
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ezekiel 16:1 niv
The word of the LORD came to me:
Ezekiel 16:1 esv
Again the word of the LORD came to me:
Ezekiel 16:1 nlt
Then another message came to me from the LORD:
Ezekiel 16 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 16:2 | "Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations," | Direct introduction of the theme |
| Isaiah 1:21 | "How the faithful city has become a harlot!" | Jerusalem's unfaithfulness |
| Jeremiah 2:20 | "For long ago you broke your yoke and burst your bonds;" | Historical disobedience |
| Jeremiah 5:30 | "A wonderful and horrible thing has happened in the land:" | Shocking apostasy |
| Micah 3:12 | "Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field;" | Judgment on Jerusalem |
| Romans 11:21 | "For if God did not spare the natural branches, be careful..." | God's dealings with His people |
| Revelation 17:5 | "and upon her forehead was written a name of mystery: BABYLON..." | Symbolism of apostate cities |
| Isaiah 54:1 | "Sing, O barren one, you who have not borne..." | God adopting the rejected |
| Ezekiel 20:4 | "Will you plead with them, son of man? Make known to them..." | Addressing Israel's sin |
| Genesis 15:13 | "Then he said to Abram, 'Know for certain that your offspring..." | Israel's bondage in Egypt |
| Exodus 1:7 | "But the people of Israel were fruitful and multiplied..." | Growth in difficult circumstances |
| Joshua 24:2 | "Joshua said to all the people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of..." | Ancestors serving other gods |
| Deuteronomy 7:6 | "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your..." | Israel as God's chosen people |
| Psalm 50:20 | "You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own..." | Slander against family |
| Hosea 1:2 | "When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea..." | Marriage as a metaphor |
| Isaiah 49:21 | "Then you will say in your heart, 'Who has borne me these?'" | Questioning origins |
| Romans 9:20 | "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?" | God's sovereignty |
| Galatians 4:26 | "But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother." | Heavenly Jerusalem's lineage |
| 1 Corinthians 10:4 | "and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from..." | Spiritual provision |
| Revelation 21:2 | "And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of..." | New Jerusalem |
| Acts 7:43 | "You shall not have seen the tent of Moloch and the star of..." | Idolatry of ancestors |
| John 8:44 | "You are of your father the devil, and your desires you want to..." | Spiritual parentage |
Ezekiel 16 verses
Ezekiel 16 1 Meaning
The opening verse of Ezekiel chapter 16 establishes the foundational metaphor for the entire chapter: Jerusalem, like a misplaced, unwanted infant, is depicted as having an obscure and impure origin, abandoned by its parents who were from the Amorite and Hittite nations. This highlights the city's initial lack of pedigree and its subsequent selection and beautification by God.
Ezekiel 16 1 Context
Ezekiel 16 presents an extended and graphic allegory of Jerusalem as an unloved, abandoned infant who is found, adopted, and lavishly adorned by God. The chapter contrasts Jerusalem's noble upbringing and subsequent unfaithfulness with God’s enduring faithfulness. This first verse sets the stage for this indictment by highlighting Jerusalem's humble and morally compromised origins, emphasizing that its existence and beauty were entirely due to God's sovereign choice and provision, not any inherent merit. The historical context involves the exilic period when Judah was experiencing God's judgment.
Ezekiel 16 1 Word Analysis
וְהָיָה (v'haya): "And it came to pass" or "And it was". A common starting conjunction indicating a sequential event or setting the scene.
דְּבַר־ (devar): "The word of". Introduces a divine message or pronouncement.
יְהוָה (YHWH): "The LORD". The personal covenantal name of God, emphasizing His relationship with Israel.
אֵלַי (elai): "to me". Direct address to the prophet Ezekiel.
לֵאמֹר (lemor): "saying". Indicates direct speech or quotation to follow.
דַּבֵּר (daber): "Speak". An imperative verb, commanding Ezekiel to pronounce God's message.
אֶל־ (el): "unto". Directional preposition.
יְרוּשָׁלַֽ ִ}ם (Yerushalayim): "Jerusalem". The focal city of the prophecy, representing the people of God.
דְּעִ תִּי } } (da'ati):* "Cause to know" or "Make known". A causative Hiphil form, stressing God's active impartation of knowledge, specifically regarding her "abominations". This implies not just awareness, but a deep understanding and recognition of her sin. The Hebrew root is ידע (yadah), meaning to know, discern, or recognize. In this context, it signifies revealing something hidden or making something clear.
מְ } (teme’othha’h): "her abominations". Refers to detestable practices, especially idolatry and cultic impurity. The plural form suggests a pervasive and multiple nature of her sins. This is a key theme throughout Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 16 1 Bonus Section
The specific mention of the Amorites and Hittites as Jerusalem’s parents in the ensuing verses points to the Canaanite inhabitants of the land. This detail emphasizes that Israel's original settlement in Canaan was in territory previously occupied by these groups. The reference to unknown parentage for the infant Jerusalem highlights that her claim to nationhood and God's covenant was not inherited from any earthly lineage in the conventional sense but was wholly established by God's sovereign decree and intervention. This underscores that her calling and divine favor were entirely a gift, not earned.
Ezekiel 16 1 Commentary
Ezekiel 16:1 marks the dramatic commencement of God's scathing exposé of Jerusalem's unfaithfulness. The pronouncement begins by establishing the divine authority and the direct channel of communication to Ezekiel. The core of the message is a command to reveal to Jerusalem her own deep-seated depravity, described as "abominations." This isn't a gentle suggestion but a forceful revelation of shocking realities, setting a tone of judgment. The phrase "cause Jerusalem to know" implies that their spiritual blindness and self-deception will be pierced by divine truth. The subsequent narrative will then detail how this chosen city, despite its noble origins established by God, has indulged in widespread spiritual harlotry and idolatry.