Ezekiel 16 3

Ezekiel 16:3 kjv

And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.

Ezekiel 16:3 nkjv

and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: "Your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.

Ezekiel 16:3 niv

and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.

Ezekiel 16:3 esv

and say, Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.

Ezekiel 16:3 nlt

Give her this message from the Sovereign LORD: You are nothing but a Canaanite! Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 3 Meaning

This verse introduces the metaphorical language of Jerusalem's origin, comparing it to being born of Canaanite parents. It immediately establishes a stark contrast between Jerusalem's divine calling and its lineage, highlighting its impurity and illegitimacy in the eyes of the Lord at its inception.

Ezekiel 16 3 Context

This verse appears in Ezekiel chapter 16, which is a lengthy and graphic allegory of Jerusalem. The prophet is commissioned to pronounce judgment on Jerusalem by comparing it to a sexually immoral woman. Chapter 16 contrasts Jerusalem's noble birth with its subsequent unfaithfulness to God, depicted as adultery. The chapter serves as a scathing indictment of the city's spiritual corruption, idolatry, and defiance of God's covenant, leading to God's decision to bring judgment upon it.

Ezekiel 16 3 Word Analysis

• And: Conjunction connecting this verse to the preceding one, implying continuation.
• you: Refers to Jerusalem, the city personified.
• are: Present tense, indicating Jerusalem's ongoing state.
• born: Indicates origin and beginning.
• in: Preposition signifying location or circumstance of birth.
• your: Possessive pronoun, linking the origin to Jerusalem.
• father: Denotes the parent, in this metaphorical sense.
• an Amorite:
  • Amorite (Hebrew: ʾĔmōrî, אֱמֹרִי): Refers to one of the ancient peoples inhabiting Canaan before the Israelite conquest. They were known for their strength and prevalence in the region (Gen 10:16, Gen 14:7). Their inclusion signifies an origin rooted in the pre-Israelite, indigenous, and often idolatrous inhabitants of the land, symbolizing impurity and foreignness from God's perspective.
• and: Conjunction.
• your: Possessive pronoun.
• mother: Denotes the parent.
• a Hittite:
  • Hittite (Hebrew: Ḥittî, חִתִּי): Another of the Canaanite peoples, descendants of Heth (Gen 10:15). They were prominent in the region of Canaan and associated with the culture and pagan practices of the land. Like the Amorites, their inclusion signifies an impure and foreign ancestral line, antithetical to God's chosen people.

Group Analysis:

• "an Amorite and your mother a Hittite": This phrase establishes a starkly impure lineage for Jerusalem. The Amorites and Hittites represent the indigenous, pagan inhabitants of Canaan, a land promised to Abraham's descendants. By linking Jerusalem's birth to these groups, Ezekiel immediately paints a picture of a city with an illicit, contaminating origin, emphasizing its initial spiritual pollution and separation from the pure covenantal line of Abraham.

Ezekiel 16 3 Bonus Section

The description of Jerusalem as having "an Amorite and your mother a Hittite" emphasizes a spiritual genealogy rather than a literal ethnic one. This symbolic language is crucial in understanding Ezekiel's prophecy. It speaks to the moral and spiritual impurities associated with the land of Canaan and its original inhabitants. When God chose Israel and called them into the Promised Land, it was with the command to utterly destroy or drive out these nations because of their abominations (Deut 7:1-5). Therefore, linking Jerusalem's "birth" to these peoples signifies its initial state of inherent impurity and its deviation from the divine purpose from the very outset of its establishment as the place where God's name would dwell. This is not to denigrate Israel's ethnography but to critique Jerusalem's spiritual state and actions in comparison to God's holy standards.

Ezekiel 16 3 Commentary

Ezekiel's allegory in this verse highlights that Jerusalem, despite being God's chosen city, was not born of pure stock according to the divine standard. Its spiritual lineage is traced to the very people whom God had declared unfit to intermingle with, signifying that at its foundation, the city was steeped in the impurity of Canaanite paganism. This serves as a prelude to demonstrating how Jerusalem, like its perceived parents, fell into corrupt practices, betraying its divine calling. The implication is that purity of origin does not guarantee present faithfulness, and indeed, an impure foundation portends future unfaithfulness if not transformed by divine grace and obedience.