Ezekiel 16:14 kjv
And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 16:14 nkjv
Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you," says the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 16:14 niv
And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Ezekiel 16:14 esv
And your renown went forth among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through the splendor that I had bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 16:14 nlt
Your fame soon spread throughout the world because of your beauty. I dressed you in my splendor and perfected your beauty, says the Sovereign LORD.
Ezekiel 16 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 16:14 | "You became known for your beauty, for it was perfected because of my splendor that I had bestowed on you," declares the Sovereign Lord. | Endowment of beauty |
| Psalm 48:2 | Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion, | Zion's beauty |
| Isaiah 60:15 | "Though you were abandoned and hated, with no one passing through, I will make you an object of lasting pride, a joy for all generations." | God's restoration |
| Lamentations 2:15 | All your enemies roar against you; they hiss and gnash their teeth and say, "We have laid waste to her." Have they seen Jerusalem's destruction? | Contrast of former glory |
| 2 Chronicles 9:19 | ...for the throne had a golden footstool, and its arms were of gold, and there was a lion standing beside each arm. Twelve lions stood on the six steps on the one side and on the other. | Solomon's splendid throne |
| Song of Solomon 4:7 | You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you. | Ultimate beauty in God's people |
| Ezekiel 28:12 | "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. | Tyche's perfection |
| Isaiah 62:3 | You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the palm of your God. | Jerusalem as a crown |
| Matthew 5:16 | In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. | Purpose of endowment |
| 1 Corinthians 4:7 | For who regards you as superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you had not received it? | Receiving from God |
| James 1:17 | Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. | All good gifts from God |
| Revelation 21:10 | And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. | Heavenly Jerusalem's glory |
| Isaiah 4:2 | In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and adornment of the survivors of Israel. | Branch's glory |
| Ezekiel 16:49 | "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not act with strength or urgency for the poor and needy." | Pride and excess |
| Jeremiah 7:4 | But do not trust in deceptive words, saying, 'This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.' | False trust in temple |
| Jeremiah 52:10-11 | The Chaldeans killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also executed the commanders of Judah. And they put Zedekiah in chains and took him to Babylon and put him in prison until the day he died. | Consequences of sin |
| Ezekiel 34:20-22 | "Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with flank and shoulder, and butt with your horns all the weak beasts until they are scattered and dismayed, I will rescue my flock; they shall no more be a prey." | God judges the proud |
| Psalm 92:12 | The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. | True flourishing |
| John 15:5 | I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. | Dependence on Christ |
| Proverbs 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Danger of pride |
Ezekiel 16 verses
Ezekiel 16 14 Meaning
This verse highlights that Jerusalem's beauty and splendor, endowed by God, became a source of pride that led to her sin and eventual downfall. The perfection she achieved was a direct gift from the Lord, intended for His glory.
Ezekiel 16 14 Context
Chapter 16 of Ezekiel presents a vivid allegorical portrayal of Jerusalem. The city is depicted as an unloved infant, found and adopted by God, who lavishes her with beauty, riches, and covenants. This initial care and magnificent endowment are then contrasted with Jerusalem's subsequent betrayal and whoredom, symbolized by her lusting after lovers (other nations and their gods). Verse 14 marks the peak of this divine bestowment, highlighting the outward perfection and beauty God granted to His chosen city. This perfection, however, became the very basis for her subsequent unfaithfulness, as she relied on her own acquired splendor rather than on God, the source of that splendor. Historically, Jerusalem, as the capital and religious center of Israel, was intended to reflect God's glory. The outward appearance of beauty and prosperity was a manifestation of God's favor and blessing. The chapter context is a judicial sentencing of Jerusalem for her profound infidelity and apostasy.
Ezekiel 16 14 Word Analysis
- ‘Att (אַתְּ): Pronoun, "You." Direct address to Jerusalem.
- Hayyit (הָיִית): Verb, "You became" or "You were." Third person feminine singular imperfect of היה (hayah), indicating a state of being.
- Shem (שֵׁם): Noun, "Name." Refers to reputation or renown.
- Lĕ’mubba (לְמִשְׁמֹרֶת): Prepositional phrase, "for remembrance" or "for renown," "for repute." Suggests being designated or set apart for a purpose.
- Yôfiḵ (יוֹפִיֵךְ): Noun, "your beauty." From יֹפִי (yōfi), "beauty, fairness." Possessive, referring to Jerusalem's aesthetic qualities.
- Kî–ḥû qamû (כִּי–הוּא קָמ): Conjunction "Because" (כִּי, ki) and verb "he stood up" or "he arose" (הוּא קָמ, hu qam). Indicates the reason for her renown. The Hebrew suggests "because it (beauty) arose."
- Təmu (תַּמּ): Verb, "perfected" or "made complete." Third person masculine singular perfect of תָּמַם (tamam), indicating completion or wholeness. Refers to the beauty being fully developed.
- Mi— (מִ): Preposition, "from." Denotes origin.
- Noaḏ (נֹעַד): Noun, "splendor" or "radiance." From נוֹעַד (no’ad), possibly related to adornment or assembly. Denotes God's inherent glory.
- ’Āna (אָנִי): Pronoun, "I." Referring to God, the Sovereign Lord.
- ’Ātaṯ (אֲתַת): Verb, "gave" or "bestowed." Second person masculine singular perfect of נָתַן (natan), but the text implies a direct bestowal. Some scholars see an intensive form or an idiomatic use. More accurately understood as "which I gave."
- Adonay–Yôĕqōwð (אֲדֹנָי–יְהוָה): Divine titles, "Sovereign Lord." Emphasizes God's supreme authority.
Group analysis:The phrase "because it arose" (Kî–hu qam) in relation to "your beauty" (Yôfiḵ) suggests that her beauty was not intrinsic but rather something that was established or set up. This foundation was "because I gave" (ki 'Anatt) "my splendor" (no'ad). This clarifies that her renowned beauty (shem lĕ'mubba) was perfected (tamm) as a result of God's active bestowment of His own glorious radiance. The structure emphasizes causation: God’s giving of His splendor is the reason for Jerusalem’s beauty becoming complete and famous.
Ezekiel 16 14 Bonus Section
The concept of "perfection" in this context, referring to beauty, is not necessarily moral faultlessness but an extraordinary state of excellence and adornment. This is mirrored in the description of Satan (Lucifer) in Ezekiel 28:12, who was also "the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty," yet his perfection led to pride and a fall. Similarly, Jerusalem's perfection, though a divine gift, was misused, highlighting that even positive attributes or blessings can become instruments of sin if not properly attributed to God. The "splendor" God bestowed can be understood as His manifested presence, His covenant blessings, and the favor He showed upon the city.
Ezekiel 16 14 Commentary
Jerusalem’s beauty and fame were not self-generated but were divine gifts. God took a forsaken infant city and made her exceptionally lovely and renowned. This perfection, this dazzling appearance, was a direct outflow of God's own splendor, His glory. She was meant to be a testament to His goodness and power. However, this very perfection became a snare. Instead of reflecting glory back to the Giver, Jerusalem began to boast in her own beauty, treating it as an independent asset. This self-reliance and pride, built upon God's gracious gifts, led her to commit spiritual adultery, chasing after idols and alliances that promised further embellishment or security, forgetting the true Source. Her former beauty, intended for God’s glory, became a tool for her own self-exaltation and subsequent degradation.