Ezekiel 16 21

Ezekiel 16:21 kjv

That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?

Ezekiel 16:21 nkjv

that you have slain My children and offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the fire?

Ezekiel 16:21 niv

You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols.

Ezekiel 16:21 esv

that you slaughtered my children and delivered them up as an offering by fire to them?

Ezekiel 16:21 nlt

Must you also slaughter my children by sacrificing them to idols?

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 21 Meaning

Ezekiel 16:21 speaks of Jerusalem's profound betrayal of Yahweh, her covenant Husband, by sacrificing their shared children to foreign idols. The verse graphically describes the horrific act of child sacrifice, portraying it as an abominable offering "by fire" made "to them"—referring to the false deities worshipped in their idolatrous apostasy. God expresses deep anguish over Israel’s defilement, particularly that His own "children"—those whom He had nurtured and called His own people—were brutally killed and offered in such a perverse ritual, completing their spiritual prostitution.

Ezekiel 16 21 Context

Ezekiel chapter 16 presents a vivid and extended allegory of Jerusalem's history, personifying the city as a young girl abandoned and destitute, whom God finds, cleanses, clothes, and betroths to Himself. He lavishes gifts and blessings upon her, elevating her to queenly status. However, Jerusalem then becomes exceedingly proud and unfaithful, prostituting herself to numerous foreign nations and idols, using God’s very blessings as payment for her illicit affairs. The narrative progresses from her spiritual infancy to her depraved adulthood. Verse 21 occurs within the indictment section, where God enumerates the specific abominations committed by His unfaithful bride, culminating in the horrific practice of child sacrifice, the ultimate act of betrayal and moral degradation. The broader context highlights the severe covenant infidelity and the resulting judgment for abandoning God.

Ezekiel 16 21 Word analysis

• and you slaughtered (וַתִּשְׁחֲטִי - wat-tiš·ḥă·ṭî): From the verb שָׁחַט (shaḥaṭ), meaning to slaughter, especially in a sacrificial context. This word, though used for legitimate animal sacrifice in Levitical law, here describes the horrific act of murdering children for pagan deities, making it a sacrilegious perversion of the act. It denotes a deliberate, violent, and ritualistic killing, not merely an accident or murder but an offering.
• my children (בָּנַי - bā·na’î): The suffix "my" is profoundly significant. God asserts direct ownership and relationship. These are not just any children; they are the children born of the covenant relationship with Him. Israel, collectively, is often called God's "firstborn son" (Exod 4:22), and individuals within Israel are considered His offspring. This term highlights the depth of betrayal—they were sacrificing God's own kin, those He protected and sustained, turning His blessing into an abominable offering to rivals.
• and delivered them up (וַתִּתְּנִי אֹתָם - wat·tiṯ·tə·nî ’ō·ṯām): From נָתַן (nathan), meaning "to give" or "to place." This emphasizes the deliberate and volitional nature of the act. It was not accidental but a conscious handing over of the children as a gift or offering to other gods, signifying full submission to the pagan deity's supposed demands.
• as an offering by fire (בְּהַעֲבִיר בָּאֵשׁ - bə·ha‘ă·ḇîr bā·’êš): Literally "by passing through fire." This phrase is a common euphemism in the Old Testament for the ritualistic burning of children, typically associated with the worship of Molech (e.g., Lev 18:21, 2 Kgs 23:10). It signifies a burnt offering, a complete destruction through immolation, implying the child was wholly consumed. It represents the most extreme form of devotion in pagan religions and the utmost abhorrence to Yahweh.
• to them (לָהֶם - lā·hem): Refers to the foreign idols or pagan deities (like Baal or Molech) that Jerusalem had embraced and to whom she prostituted herself, as detailed in the preceding verses (Ezek 16:15-20). This highlights the shift in loyalty and the blasphemous nature of directing an "offering" to false gods instead of the true God.

Words-Group Analysis

• "and you slaughtered my children": This phrase dramatically contrasts God's paternal love and covenant ownership with Israel's heinous actions. The active verb "slaughtered" underscores the violence, while "my children" deepens the emotional weight of God's indictment, viewing these children as His, not solely belonging to the parents who sacrificed them. This makes the act a direct assault on God's family and sovereignty.
• "delivered them up as an offering by fire": This clearly defines the nature of the "slaughter"—it was a ritualistic act of devotion. "Delivered them up" emphasizes agency and consent on Jerusalem's part, presenting the children to pagan gods, expecting favor or blessing in return. "By fire" denotes the method of execution, confirming the practice of burning human beings as an ultimate sacrifice, considered a severe abomination to Yahweh (Deut 12:31).
• "to them": This short but impactful phrase emphasizes the diversion of worship and loyalty. Instead of dedicating anything to the God who had given them everything, Jerusalem directed the most precious offering imaginable to the rival deities. It seals the indictment of idolatry and spiritual harlotry.

Ezekiel 16 21 Bonus section

The practice of "passing children through the fire" sometimes debated among scholars, some suggesting a purification rite rather than literal burning. However, the overwhelming scriptural evidence in the context of pagan worship (like Molech) points to actual human sacrifice involving immolation. Ezekiel's harsh language ("slaughtered," "consumed") leaves little doubt as to the intent and outcome described here. This imagery is not just hyperbole; it represents the ultimate rebellion and abomination in God's eyes, an inversion of the sanctity of life and a perversion of worship. It represents a "gift" so utterly heinous that it reveals the full extent of the nation's spiritual blindness and moral degradation, demonstrating that the very covenant blessings bestowed by God (like children) were being desecrated and offered to His rivals.

Ezekiel 16 21 Commentary

Ezekiel 16:21 is a deeply shocking and graphic indictment, designed to underscore the horrific depth of Jerusalem's apostasy. It details the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice, making it more egregious by stressing God's ownership of these "children." By referring to them as "my children," God expresses both a covenantal claim over all Israel and profound personal anguish over the perversion of the parental relationship and His gifts. This was not a private sin but a public, ritualistic betrayal, burning "His" children to false gods for presumed favor. It highlights Israel's spiritual prostitution and demonstrates their moral decay, choosing the darkest forms of pagan worship over the God who saved and sustained them. This ultimate act of defilement completed Jerusalem's spiral into unimaginable wickedness, far exceeding the surrounding nations.