Ezekiel 16 27

Ezekiel 16:27 kjv

Behold, therefore I have stretched out my hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way.

Ezekiel 16:27 nkjv

"Behold, therefore, I stretched out My hand against you, diminished your allotment, and gave you up to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior.

Ezekiel 16:27 niv

So I stretched out my hand against you and reduced your territory; I gave you over to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were shocked by your lewd conduct.

Ezekiel 16:27 esv

Behold, therefore, I stretched out my hand against you and diminished your allotted portion and delivered you to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior.

Ezekiel 16:27 nlt

That is why I struck you with my fist and reduced your boundaries. I handed you over to your enemies, the Philistines, and even they were shocked by your lewd conduct.

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 27 Meaning

Ezekiel 16:27 depicts God's impending judgment upon Jerusalem (personified as an unfaithful bride/prostitute) by diminishing her stature and allotted portion. This humiliation is enacted through her enemies, specifically "the daughters of the Philistines," who, despite their own pagan ways, were scandalized and shamed by Jerusalem's excessive and depraved spiritual prostitution and idolatry. The verse underscores God's active role in Israel's downfall, utilizing even their pagan adversaries to enforce a public and profound disgrace.

Ezekiel 16 27 Context

Ezekiel chapter 16 is a powerful, extended allegory where God addresses Jerusalem as a foundling girl he rescued, raised, and adorned, eventually taking her as his wife. He lavished love, protection, and gifts upon her, making her beautiful and renowned among the nations (vv. 1-14). However, Jerusalem, like an unfaithful wife, became proud of her beauty and committed widespread spiritual prostitution (idolatry) with various nations, desecrating God's gifts and even sacrificing her children (vv. 15-22). This egregious behavior, far surpassing typical harlotry (vv. 23-26), constitutes the immediate background. Verse 27 then marks a turning point, detailing one of the specific consequences of this betrayal: divine judgment leading to degradation, specifically at the hands of the Philistines, setting the stage for even harsher judgments by other nations later in the chapter. Historically, the Philistines were perennial enemies and symbols of humiliation for Israel.

Ezekiel 16 27 Word analysis

• Behold, I (הִנֵּה אֲנִי, hinneh anī):

  • הִנֵּה (hinneh): An interjection meaning "Behold!", "Lo!", "See!". It draws immediate attention to the forthcoming statement, emphasizing its certainty and significance as a divine declaration.
  • אֲנִי (anī): The first-person singular pronoun, "I". It emphasizes God's personal agency and sovereign hand in bringing about the judgment. This is not a mere natural consequence but a deliberate act of divine retribution.

• am bringing (מֵבִיא, mevi'):

  • Present participle, indicating an ongoing or imminent action. It signifies that the judgment is set in motion and actively executed by God. It is not something that merely will happen but is happening or is about to happen.

• against you (עָלַיִךְ, 'alayikh):

  • Direct object of God's action, clearly identifying Jerusalem as the target of this judgment.

• your allotted portion/stature (קָמָתֵךְ, qāmāthekh):

  • The primary meaning of qamah is "stature, height, standing crop". In the context of a city/nation, it represents its prosperity, prestige, dignity, or territorial expanse. God is about to diminish Jerusalem's standing and what she held.
  • It implies a reduction from her previously elevated and admired status described earlier in the chapter.

• and decreasing (וָמַגְרִיעַ, vamagrīa'):

  • וָ (va): The conjunctive "and."
  • מַגְרִיעַ (magrīa'): Hiphil participle of the root גָּרַע (gara'), meaning "to diminish, lessen, subtract, curtail." It reinforces the idea that her "stature" will be actively made smaller. This is a deliberate, divine act of stripping away what was given or achieved.

• the portion of (בְּנֹשִׁךְ, b'nōshēkh):

  • This is a less common and debated term. Some scholars connect it to noshēk, which can relate to "biting" or "usury," but that makes little sense here. More likely, it comes from the root נָשָׁה (nashah) which implies "to be allotted," or a portion, possibly a portion given or promised. The KJV's "allowance" or ESV's implied "portion" or "allotment" points to God's removal of her previous divine provisions and blessings – her dowry or inheritance from Him. This implies taking away not just national status, but the very divine sustenance that enabled it.

• the daughters of the Philistines who hate you (בְּנוֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּים הַשֹּׂנְאוֹת אוֹתָךְ, b'not P'lishtim hassōn'ot 'ōtākh):

  • בְּנוֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּים (b'not P'lishtim): "Daughters of the Philistines." "Daughters" (or "sons") often represents the people, towns, or territories of a nation in Hebrew. The Philistines were perennial enemies of Israel, always despised and considered a low, pagan people.
  • הַשֹּׂנְאוֹת (hassōn'ot): The participle "who hate," directly indicating their inherent hostility and animosity towards Jerusalem/Israel. This hatred will be a tool in God's hand.

• who were ashamed (אֲשֶׁר נִכְלְמוּ, asher nikhlemu):

  • אֲשֶׁר (asher): "who" or "that."
  • נִכְלְמוּ (nikhlemu): Niphal perfect of the root כָּלַם (kālam), "to be put to shame, confounded, disgraced." Here, in the Niphal, it signifies an internal feeling of shame or disgust. It implies that even the Philistines, typically pagan and viewed by Israel as morally inferior, found Jerusalem's actions so utterly depraved that they were morally repulsed.

• of your lewd way (מִדַּרְכֵּךְ הַזִּמָּה, middarkech hazzimmah):

  • מִדַּרְכֵּךְ (middarkech): "From your way/path."
  • הַזִּמָּה (hazzimmah): "Lewdness," "depravity," "wickedness," "shameful conduct." It refers to morally outrageous acts, specifically sexual misconduct or idolatry in the biblical context. The Philistines were appalled by the sheer extent and nature of Jerusalem's spiritual prostitution.

Words-Group Analysis

• "Behold, I am bringing... your allotted portion/stature": This highlights the divine initiative and active hand in Israel's judgment. God himself is the agent, not just allowing consequences to unfold, but actively orchestrating the reduction of their power, prosperity, and what He had given them.
• "and decreasing... by the daughters of the Philistines": This phrase combines God's action with the instruments of His judgment. The choice of the Philistines, despised enemies, amplifies the humiliation. It signifies a significant loss of respect and sovereign power.
• "who hate you, who were ashamed of your lewd way": This is a powerful statement of extreme degradation. The very enemies who hated Israel are here depicted as being ashamed by Israel's moral and spiritual depravity. This shows Jerusalem's wickedness surpassed even the standards of her pagan adversaries, rendering her truly vile and universally condemned, deepening her shame and isolation.

Ezekiel 16 27 Bonus section

The mention of the Philistines in verse 27 foreshadows the subsequent judgments described in Ezekiel 16, where God enumerates other nations – Aram (Syria), Egypt, and later, the "daughters of Samaria and Sodom" (v. 46) – who would also be used to punish and further shame Jerusalem. By beginning with the Philistines, Ezekiel establishes a clear progression from external, traditional enemies to even greater shames. The explicit declaration that the Philistines were "ashamed of your lewd way" serves as a direct polemic against Israel's self-righteousness and perceived spiritual superiority over her pagan neighbors. It fundamentally subverts Israel's conventional understanding of her identity as God's chosen nation; instead, her actions had rendered her more morally corrupt in God's eyes, and even in the eyes of heathens. This illustrates God's principle of judging based on knowledge and covenant: those who know more are held to a higher standard.

Ezekiel 16 27 Commentary

Ezekiel 16:27 delivers a potent blow, illustrating God's meticulous and shaming judgment against Jerusalem's extreme unfaithfulness. The preceding verses described Jerusalem's elaborate spiritual harlotry, surpassing that of common prostitutes. Here, the consequences begin to materialize: God actively "cuts down" Jerusalem's status and material blessings. This is not merely a consequence of sin, but a deliberate act by God to enforce the covenant curses and demonstrate His holiness. The instruments of this judgment are highly symbolic: the Philistines. Not only were they ancient, bitter enemies of Israel, making their involvement a profound national humiliation, but the text adds a crushing detail: even these pagan "daughters" were "ashamed" by Jerusalem's gross immorality and idolatry. This highlights the unparalleled extent of Israel's spiritual prostitution; her sin was so blatant and excessive that it repulsed those who themselves engaged in pagan practices. This is a scathing indictment, implying Jerusalem had fallen to a moral nadir below even that of nations who did not know the Lord. God ensures her humiliation is total, diminishing her internally while also exposing her shameful conduct externally through the very people she despised. The verse encapsulates a divine irony, as those Israel deemed inferior become instruments of divine justice and even moral censors.