Ezekiel 16 10

Ezekiel 16:10 kjv

I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.

Ezekiel 16:10 nkjv

I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk.

Ezekiel 16:10 niv

I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.

Ezekiel 16:10 esv

I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and shod you with fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.

Ezekiel 16:10 nlt

I gave you expensive clothing of fine linen and silk, beautifully embroidered, and sandals made of fine goatskin leather.

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 10 Meaning

Ezekiel 16:10 illustrates God's magnificent and tender care for Israel (represented by Jerusalem) by portraying Him as a benefactor who lavishly clothes her in the finest, most luxurious garments. This act symbolizes God's grace, elevating Israel from a state of abject destitution and nakedness to a position of profound dignity, beauty, and wealth, as befitting a cherished queen or bride. It highlights His unmerited covenant love and abundant provision for His chosen people.

Ezekiel 16 10 Context

Ezekiel chapter 16 presents a vivid and extended allegory of Jerusalem (representing Israel) as an abandoned infant girl rescued and nurtured by God. Verse 10 appears as part of God's account of her development from naked vulnerability (Ez 16:6-7) to a pampered young woman adorned by Him. Having cleaned, provided for, and brought her into a covenant (marriage-like) relationship (Ez 16:8-9), God then bestows lavish and exquisite attire upon her in Ez 16:10. This grand provision signifies the nation's elevated status, blessings, and unique covenant identity granted solely by God. The following verses (11-14) continue to describe her luxurious embellishment, culminating in her fame among the nations. The entire chapter, however, serves as a poignant indictment of Jerusalem's subsequent betrayal and spiritual adultery, where she prostituted herself to other gods and nations despite Yahweh's unparalleled benevolence, using His gifts for idolatry. Historically, Ezekiel is prophesying to the exiles in Babylon, reminding them of God's consistent grace from their origins, underscoring the severity of their unfaithfulness. The text implicitly rejects the notion that Israel's prosperity or glory was derived from her own merit or from association with foreign deities; instead, it firmly roots all blessings in Yahweh alone, challenging prevalent pagan beliefs in fertility cults or patron gods providing material wealth.

Ezekiel 16 10 Word analysis

• וָאַלְבִּישֵׁךְ (wa'albishech): "And I clothed you." Derived from the root לָבַשׁ (lavash), "to clothe," emphasizing a direct, deliberate action taken by God. The "I" is emphatic, indicating God's personal agency. "You" (feminine singular) points to Jerusalem, personified as a young woman. This is not passive reception but active, divine provision.
• רִקְמָה (riqmah): "Embroidered cloth." This term denotes elaborately woven and colored fabric, often associated with royalty, wealth, or even priestly garments in the Tabernacle (e.g., Exod 28:39). It signifies beauty, distinction, and high value.
• וְנַעֲלֵךְ (w'na'alech): "And your sandals." The shift from clothing to footwear highlights God's comprehensive provision, attending even to the smallest details of adornment.
• תַּחַשׁ (tachash): "Porpoise/Dugong/Badger skin" (or a specific type of fine, dyed leather). The precise identity of tachash skin has been debated for centuries. It's consistently mentioned in the Pentateuch (e.g., Exod 25:5, Num 4:6) as the outer covering for the Tabernacle, signifying durability, preciousness, and sanctified purpose. Its use for sandals here elevates an ordinary item to one of luxury, status, and endurance, a foundation of honor.
• וַאֲחַבְּשֵׁךְ (wa'achabshech): "And I wrapped/bound you." From the root חָבַשׁ (chabash), meaning "to bind, wrap, gird," or even "to put on a turban." Here, it suggests girding or wrapping with a sash or belt, often completing a royal or priestly outfit, indicating preparedness, dignity, and proper presentation.
• בַּשֵּׁשׁ (basshesh): "With fine linen." The term שֵׁשׁ (shesh) refers to very expensive, high-quality white linen, primarily imported from Egypt. It was highly prized, signifying purity, royalty (e.g., Gen 41:42 for Joseph), wealth, and sanctity (e.g., priestly garments in Exodus). Its inclusion speaks of luxury and distinction.
• וַאֲכַסֵּךְ (wa'achasech): "And I covered you." From כָּסָה (kasah), "to cover," emphasizing God's act of completely enveloping Jerusalem with these magnificent fabrics, offering full dignity and protection from her earlier nakedness.
• מֶשִׁי (meshi): "With silk." This word is exceptionally rare, appearing only twice in Ezekiel 16 (and its usage in Ez 16:13 can be debated as a derived form). Silk was an incredibly valuable commodity in the ancient Near East, imported from distant lands. It represents the pinnacle of luxury and signifies unparalleled beauty, ultimate prestige, and extravagant adornment bestowed upon Jerusalem.

Words-group analysis:

• "I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and sandals of porpoise skin": This opening phrase highlights God's initial, deliberate act of covering her original shame and lack with beauty and practical necessity made luxurious. It establishes the theme of extensive provision, even for her "feet" (her walk or foundation).
• "and I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk": This grouping illustrates a progressive and ascending scale of luxury and preciousness in the garments. The triadic structure of God's active verbs ("I clothed," "I wrapped," "I covered") underscores His comprehensive, sustained, and lavish adornment of Jerusalem. Each material mentioned (embroidered cloth, fine linen, silk) represents increasingly refined and costly fabrics, signifying escalating levels of honor and provision from God.

Ezekiel 16 10 Bonus section

• The description of God's adornment mirrors the attire typically worn by queens, high-ranking individuals, or brides of significant wealth in ancient Near Eastern cultures, establishing Jerusalem's esteemed position among nations as a direct result of Yahweh's favor.
• The act of covering nakedness carries a strong theological echo from the Garden of Eden, where God provided clothes for Adam and Eve after their sin. Here, it implies not only physical provision but also restoration of dignity and covering of intrinsic shame, bestowing worth where none was inherent.
• The emphasis on variety and escalating quality of materials points to the meticulous nature of God's care—His attention to both the essentials (sandals) and the highest forms of luxury (silk), reflecting His boundless generosity.
• This luxurious imagery serves to intensify the gravity of Israel's later idolatry, highlighting her extreme ingratitude in turning away from a benefactor who clothed her so sumptuously.

Ezekiel 16 10 Commentary

Ezekiel 16:10 encapsulates the profound depth of God's grace toward Israel. From a state of total abjection and nakedness, He not only rescued her but lavished upon her an identity of unprecedented beauty, wealth, and royal dignity. The specific items – embroidered cloth, fine tachash skin sandals, expensive fine linen, and rare silk – were not mere clothing but symbols of exceptional status and value in the ancient world. They collectively represent God's covenant blessings, protective care, and the unique glory He bestowed upon His chosen people. This verse profoundly underscores that Israel's exalted position and all her provisions were entirely a gift of divine, unmerited love, setting a stark backdrop for her subsequent spiritual harlotry and betrayal in the rest of the chapter. It demonstrates the extent of God's giving before recounting the tragic extent of Israel's taking these gifts for granted.