Ezekiel 16 20

Ezekiel 16:20 kjv

Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter,

Ezekiel 16:20 nkjv

"Moreover you took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore to Me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your acts of harlotry a small matter,

Ezekiel 16:20 niv

"?'And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough?

Ezekiel 16:20 esv

And you took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your whorings so small a matter

Ezekiel 16:20 nlt

"Then you took your sons and daughters ? the children you had borne to me ? and sacrificed them to your gods. Was your prostitution not enough?

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 20 Meaning

This verse describes a mother's unfaithfulness and a child born from that unfaithfulness. The imagery is stark, portraying sexual acts and illicit relationships as the foundation of a new generation or spiritual lineage.

Ezekiel 16 20 Context

Ezekiel 16 is an extended allegory that depicts Jerusalem as an unfaithful wife who abandoned her husband, the Lord, for foreign lovers and pagan practices. This specific verse highlights the profound depth of Jerusalem's apostasy: not only did she engage in illicit relationships, but she also sacrificed her own children, the very "sons" given to her by the Lord, to her foreign gods. This act represents the ultimate betrayal and spiritual defilement, turning her offspring into offerings for demons. The chapter moves from the Lord's loving adoption of Jerusalem as an infant to her subsequent whoredom and extreme perversion of sacrificing her children, underscoring the severity of her sin.

Ezekiel 16 20 Word analysis

• “And you took”: The conjunction 'and' (וְ - wə) links this action to the previous description of Jerusalem's immoral behavior. 'You' (אַתְּ - ʾatt) directly addresses Jerusalem, making the accusation personal and direct. The verb 'took' (לָקַחְתְּ - lāqaḥtə) implies a willful, active decision to seize or acquire something.
• “your male children”: 'Your' (בָּנַיִךְ - bānáẏiḵ) emphasizes possession and responsibility. 'Male children' (בָּנַיִךְ - bānáẏiḵ) specifically refers to sons, often carrying the lineage and covenantal promise.
• “whom you bore to me”: 'Whom' (אֲשֶׁר - ʾăšer) indicates a relative clause, connecting the children to their birth and origin. 'You bore' (יָלַדְתְּ - yāladətə) signifies giving birth. The preposition 'to' (לִי - lî) signifies dedication or belonging; these were children given to the Lord by Jerusalem.
• “and offered them for a sweet savor”: 'And offered' (וַתַּקְטִירִי - watəqāṭərî) is a Hophal participle of קָטַר (qāṭar), meaning to cause to smoke, to offer as a sacrifice, often by burning. The 'sweet savor' (רֵיחַ־נִיחֹחַ - rēaḥ-niḥōaḥ) refers to a pleasing aroma, particularly associated with acceptable sacrifices to God in Levitical law (e.g., Lev 1:9). However, here it is tragically perverted.
• “to them”: 'To them' (לָהֶם - lāhēm) refers to the foreign gods or demons that Jerusalem turned to in her idolatry.
• “Was it not my doing?”: This rhetorical question (הֲלֹא - hălōʾ) conveys disbelief and emphasizes the profound betrayal. It implies: "Were these not the children I gave you? Did you offer my children to other gods?" The question expresses shock that what was meant for God was perverted.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "you took...and offered them": This phrase highlights a deliberate act of appropriation and misuse. Jerusalem took what was entrusted to her by the Lord (her children) and offered them in a way that was abominable to Him.
• "your male children whom you bore to me": This establishes a direct relationship and ownership. The children belonged to the Lord in covenant, and Jerusalem’s action was a transgression against that sacred bond and a defiance of the Lord's claim on her offspring.
• "offered them for a sweet savor to them": This is the pinnacle of the insult. The term "sweet savor" (רֵיחַ־נִיחֹחַ - rēaḥ-niḥōaḥ) is a technical term for sacrifices pleasing to the LORD. By offering her children in this manner to demons, Jerusalem not only sacrificed her children but also mimicked and perverted sacred worship, presenting an abominable offering to false deities.
• "Was it not my doing?": This rhetorical question expresses the Lord's profound hurt and utter astonishment. It underscores that the children themselves, as well as the act of procreation, were ultimately from the Lord, making Jerusalem's act a heinous ingratitude and rebellion.

Ezekiel 16 20 Bonus section

The concept of "sweet savor" sacrifices originates in Levitical offerings, particularly the burnt offerings and peace offerings, where the aroma ascending to God was a sign of acceptance and favor (Lev 1:9; 3:5). Ezekiel 16 inverts this sacred imagery, showing how Israel, in its idolatry, corrupted even the forms of worship, presenting detestable offerings to demons as if they were pleasing. This act is deeply tied to the worship of deities like Molech, where child sacrifice was practiced, a practice explicitly forbidden by God (Lev 18:21). The language echoes the denunciations of child sacrifice found throughout the Old Testament prophets (e.g., Jer 32:35). This verse powerfully illustrates the extreme degradation of faith and the perversion of religious duty found in radical apostasy.

Ezekiel 16 20 Commentary

Jerusalem's ultimate betrayal was offering her own children, the fruit of her womb and symbols of the covenant, as sacrifices to foreign gods. This is not just ritual impurity but a profound act of spiritual prostitution and child abuse, an inversion of all natural and divine order. It signifies her complete surrender to idolatry and demon worship, turning what should have been dedicated to the LORD into abominations. The "sweet savor" ironically highlights how the pagan deities were perceived to receive pleasure from such horrific acts, contrasting sharply with the Lord's disgust for such practices. The rhetorical question at the end conveys God's shocked dismay at the depth of Jerusalem's defilement – offering His covenantal offspring to His enemies.