Ezekiel 16 37

Ezekiel 16:37 kjv

Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.

Ezekiel 16:37 nkjv

surely, therefore, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved, and all those you hated; I will gather them from all around against you and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness.

Ezekiel 16:37 niv

therefore I am going to gather all your lovers, with whom you found pleasure, those you loved as well as those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and will strip you in front of them, and they will see you stark naked.

Ezekiel 16:37 esv

therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from every side and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness.

Ezekiel 16:37 nlt

this is what I am going to do. I will gather together all your allies ? the lovers with whom you have sinned, both those you loved and those you hated ? and I will strip you naked in front of them so they can stare at you.

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 37 Meaning

This verse details the Lord's impending judgment upon unfaithful Jerusalem, personified as an adulterous wife. God declares His intent to gather all her "lovers" (pagan nations she pursued alliances with for perceived security and gain) and even her "haters" (enemies or the same nations turning against her) to humiliate her publicly. The exposure of her "nakedness" symbolizes total disgrace, the unveiling of her hidden sins and idolatry, and profound dishonor, allowing all to witness her complete vulnerability and degradation. This divine act is a consequence of her spiritual infidelity.

Ezekiel 16 37 Context

Ezekiel chapter 16 is an extended parable depicting the history of Jerusalem as a story of a foundling child rescued, nourished, and elevated by God, only to become an adulterous wife who abandons her covenant loyalty for foreign gods and political alliances. God lavishly blessed her, making her a queen, yet she prostituted herself with every passerby, exchanging her glory for abominable practices.

Verse 37 specifically comes after a detailed description of Jerusalem's widespread and extreme spiritual harlotry, detailing how she committed abomination after abomination, far exceeding the sins of her "sisters" Samaria and Sodom. Having depicted her as wantonly chasing after the "lovers" (nations like Egypt, Assyria, Babylon), the Lord now declares the just consequence: those very lovers, along with any other enemies, will be gathered to bring about her humiliation and destruction. The judgment is a direct, public, and inescapable reversal of her perceived honor, designed to reveal the full extent of her moral bankruptcy before all.

Ezekiel 16 37 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵ֕ן lakhen): This adverb marks a strong logical consequence, signaling that what follows is the inevitable result or punishment for the previously detailed actions (Jerusalem's extreme unfaithfulness). It emphasizes divine justice.
• Behold (הִנְנִ֥י hinneni): This intensive interjection introduces a solemn declaration, often by God Himself, highlighting an imminent and certain divine action. It signifies God's direct, personal, and intentional involvement in the coming judgment.
• I will gather (מְקַבֵּץ məqabbetz - participle; and אֶקְבּוֹץ ʼeqbotz - future): The use of both forms emphasizes God's active orchestration. It signifies divine sovereignty, meaning God is the ultimate agent bringing about the downfall of Jerusalem, using human nations as His instruments.
• All your lovers (כָּל־מְאַהֲבַ֖יִךְ kol-məʼahavayikh): Refers to the foreign nations (e.g., Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, various city-states) with whom Jerusalem made political, military, and economic alliances, which often included adopting their pagan deities and customs. They were not true "lovers" but objects of her illicit, idolatrous desire for worldly power and security.
• With whom you took pleasure (אֲשֶׁ֤ר נֶהֱנֵ֙יתְּ֙ בָּהֶם֙ ʼasher nehenet bahem): Highlights Jerusalem's active pursuit and gratification from these relationships. It underscores the wilful and self-gratifying nature of her spiritual adultery, contrasting with any forced or unwilling actions.
• All those you loved (וְאֵת֙ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָהַ֗בְתְּ wəʼet kol-ʼasher ʼahavt): This phrase emphasizes the depth of her devotion to these illicit relationships, elevating them to a level of affection that should have been reserved solely for God. It speaks to her profound misdirected loyalty.
• Along with all those you hated (וְאֵת֙ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׂנֵ֗אתְ wəʼet kol-ʼasher saneʼt): This signifies the complete and inescapable nature of the judgment. Even her traditional enemies, or previous allies who might turn against her, will be divinely marshaled. It means both those she favored and those she scorned will serve God's punitive purpose.
• Against you (עָלַ֔יִךְ ʼalayikh): Directly specifies Jerusalem as the target and object of this hostile gathering, making the judgment intensely personal.
• From every side (מִסָּבִ֑יב missaviv): Emphasizes the thoroughness and inescapability of the siege and subsequent judgment. There will be no avenue of escape or relief.
• And will expose your nakedness to them (וְגִלֵּיתִ֤י עֶרְוָתֵךְ֙ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם wəgilleti ʻervatekha ʼaleyhem): This is a powerful and highly charged metaphor. ʻErwah (nakedness) denotes vulnerability, dishonor, and shame. In the ancient Near East, stripping a person (especially a woman) naked in public was the ultimate form of humiliation, degradation, and loss of honor, revealing all that was hidden. It symbolizes the divine stripping away of all Jerusalem's outward adornments, exposing her spiritual rottenness, and making her a spectacle of disgrace.
• That they may see all your nakedness (וְרָא֖וּ אֶת־כָּל־עֶרְוָתֵֽךְ wəraʼu ʼet kol-ʻervatekha): Reinforces the public spectacle and completeness of her shame. It implies a total unveiling of her spiritual depravity and covenant unfaithfulness for all nations (her former "lovers" and "haters") to witness.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "therefore behold, I will gather": This group highlights God's judicial determination. He is actively initiating and controlling the instruments of punishment as a direct consequence of Jerusalem's actions.
• "all your lovers... all those you loved, along with all those you hated": This demonstrates the comprehensive nature of the judgment. No ally or foe is outside of God's control. It powerfully conveys the irony: the very nations Jerusalem trusted will become her tormentors.
• "I will gather them against you from every side": This phrase emphasizes the inevitability and inescapability of God's judgment. Jerusalem will be surrounded and overwhelmed.
• "and will expose your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness": This phrase encapsulates the central punishment: utter public shame and disgrace. It signifies the removal of any pretense of holiness or glory, revealing the depth of her moral and spiritual depravity before all who had once been attracted to her. The repetition ("your nakedness" twice) intensifies the image of total exposure.

Ezekiel 16 37 Bonus section

The imagery of exposure of nakedness (Hebrew ʻerwah) often relates to legal and social disgrace, not merely physical immodesty. It suggests a stripping away of legal protections and social standing, making one completely vulnerable and disrespected. In this context, it underscores that God, who once clothed Jerusalem in glory and beauty (Ezekiel 16:10-14), will now be the one to remove it, reversing His former blessings due to her unfaithfulness. The judgment is precisely tailored to the sin: her hidden "harlotry" will be publicly unveiled, and the objects of her affection will become the agents of her humiliation. This form of judgment highlights God's commitment to vindicating His own name and covenant against a people who consistently desecrated it.

Ezekiel 16 37 Commentary

Ezekiel 16:37 delivers a stark prophecy of divine judgment on Jerusalem. God's response to the city's rampant spiritual idolatry and betrayal, metaphorically depicted as prostitution, is to gather the very nations she sought illicit alliances with – her "lovers" – and even those she detested, to become instruments of her humiliation. This act is God's sovereign initiative. The core of the judgment is the public exposure of her "nakedness," which is far more than physical stripping. It represents the stripping away of her honor, status, and false piety, revealing the utter corruption and shame of her actions before all who once witnessed her glory or succumbed to her allure. This vivid imagery underscores the gravity of covenant breaking and the absolute certainty of divine justice, where sin eventually leads to profound and public disgrace. It serves as a stark warning against spiritual compromise and trust in anything other than God.