Ezekiel 16 16

Ezekiel 16:16 kjv

And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.

Ezekiel 16:16 nkjv

You took some of your garments and adorned multicolored high places for yourself, and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen, nor be.

Ezekiel 16:16 niv

You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. You went to him, and he possessed your beauty.

Ezekiel 16:16 esv

You took some of your garments and made for yourself colorful shrines, and on them played the whore. The like has never been, nor ever shall be.

Ezekiel 16:16 nlt

You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you played the prostitute. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen?

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 16 Meaning

This verse describes Jerusalem as adorning herself with expensive and luxurious items, specifically "precious stones." This beautification is presented in the context of spiritual harlotry, where these ornaments are obtained and used as payment or gifts to her lovers (idolatrous nations and their gods).

Ezekiel 16 16 Context

Chapter 16 of Ezekiel portrays Jerusalem as an abandoned orphan adopted by God. God nurtured Jerusalem, providing her with wealth, beauty, and covenant blessings. However, instead of remaining faithful to Him, Jerusalem used these blessings for spiritual harlotry, prostituting herself to neighboring nations and their idolatrous practices. Verse 16 specifically illustrates this corrupted use of God-given resources, where her beautiful adornments, symbols of prosperity, are transformed into tools of her spiritual adultery. This allegorical narrative highlights the depth of Jerusalem's sin and unfaithfulness, setting the stage for God's impending judgment.

Ezekiel 16 16 Word Analysis

• and thou hast:

  • Hebrew: wə'att (וְאַתְּ)
  • "and" (wə-) links this clause to the previous actions, showing a continuous or sequential progression.
  • "thou" (att) refers to Jerusalem, the object of God's description.

• also taken:

  • Hebrew: laqəḥat (לָקַחַת) - to take, to grasp, to receive.
  • Signifies acquiring or appropriating something.

• of thy:

  • Hebrew: yik (ִיךְ) - a possessive suffix attached to the following noun.
  • Indicates possession or belonging to Jerusalem.

• colours:

  • Hebrew: šəḵəp̱îm (שֶׁבֶךְ) - often translated as colors, splendor, or brilliant hues.
  • Refers to the vibrant dyes and shades used in fine textiles.

• and:

  • Hebrew: wə (וְ) - coordinating conjunction.

• made you idols:

  • Hebrew: *ûmîməśîk  (ūməśîk āḵ, עָשִׂית לָךְ) - lit. "you made for yourself."
  • "made" (ʿāśâ) - to do, make, fashion.
  • "for yourself" (lāḵ) - indicates the personal appropriation and creation of these objects.

• and

• idols

  • Hebrew: təṟūpîm (תְּרוּפִים) - teraphim, household idols or images used for divination or worship.
  • This plural term highlights the multiplicity of illicit objects of worship.

• and hast

• committed

  • Hebrew: nā’ap̄ (נָאֵפֶת) - literally "committed adultery."
  • Strong term for betrayal and infidelity in the covenant relationship.

• adultery

  • Used here in a spiritual sense, referring to forsaking God for other gods.

• Group Analysis - "colours, and made you idols and idols": This phrase links the vibrant adornments with the creation of idolatrous images. The "colors" imply the finest textiles and garments, a symbol of prosperity. The transition shows how this prosperity was perverted into resources for idolatry, with the idols themselves fashioned perhaps from the fine fabrics or their riches. This highlights the appropriation of God's blessings for sin.

Ezekiel 16 16 Bonus Section

The imagery of precious stones and fine colors used by Jerusalem can be seen as a parallel to the splendor of the Temple in Jerusalem, which also contained beautiful materials. However, Ezekiel is contrasting the outward splendor of the city with her inner spiritual corruption. The verse implicitly criticizes those who rely on material wealth and outward show rather than genuine covenant faithfulness. It’s a spiritual indictment of using God’s provision as a means to stray from Him. The concept of "making idols for yourself" underscores self-worship and personal agency in pursuing sin, a choice independent of God's commands.

Ezekiel 16 16 Commentary

Jerusalem, in her fallen state, took the very "colors" of her vibrant adornments, symbolizing her God-given beauty and prosperity, and twisted them into instruments of her spiritual harlotry. She not only dressed herself in these rich fabrics but also used the resources represented by them to create idols for herself and to engage in adulterous worship with other nations. This verse starkly contrasts God's intentions for her blessings – to be a testament to His faithfulness – with Jerusalem's perversion of them for her own self-aggrandizement and illicit affections towards foreign gods and powers. It signifies a complete inversion of purpose, where the gifts of the covenant become fuel for sin.