Ezekiel 16:4 kjv
And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.
Ezekiel 16:4 nkjv
As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths.
Ezekiel 16:4 niv
On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.
Ezekiel 16:4 esv
And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths.
Ezekiel 16:4 nlt
On the day you were born, no one cared about you. Your umbilical cord was not cut, and you were never washed, rubbed with salt, and wrapped in cloth.
Ezekiel 16 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 16:4 | "As for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt, nor were you wrapped in swaddling cloths." | Ezekiel 16:4 (direct quote) |
| Genesis 17:5 | "...for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations." | Gen 17:5 (fatherhood, blessing) |
| Deuteronomy 28:65 | "And there you will serve other gods of wood and stone." | Deut 28:65 (disobedience consequences) |
| Jeremiah 15:5 | "Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem?" | Jer 15:5 (empathy question) |
| Lamentations 1:1 | "How lonely sits the city that was full of people!" | Lam 1:1 (desolation) |
| Lamentations 1:16 | "I pour out my tears day and night, and my people are with no one to comfort me." | Lam 1:16 (mourning, no comfort) |
| Isaiah 14:32 | "What shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD has founded Zion, and in it the afflicted of his people shall find refuge." | Isa 14:32 (Zion as refuge) |
| Psalm 22:7 | "All who see me mock me; they make their mouths wide; they wag their heads;" | Ps 22:7 (derision) |
| Psalm 34:15 | "The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous, and his ears toward their cry." | Ps 34:15 (divine watchfulness) |
| Psalm 51:2 | "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!" | Ps 51:2 (plea for cleansing) |
| Hosea 2:3 | "... lest I strip her bare and expose her as on the day she was born, and make her like a desert, like a parched land, and kill her with thirst." | Hos 2:3 (nakedness at birth analogy) |
| Romans 3:23 | "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," | Rom 3:23 (universal sin) |
| Romans 1:32 | "...though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." | Rom 1:32 (rejection of God) |
| Hebrews 11:6 | "And without faith it is impossible to please God..." | Heb 11:6 (faith necessity) |
| John 3:16 | "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son..." | John 3:16 (divine love) |
| Acts 2:38 | "And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" | Acts 2:38 (repentance, forgiveness) |
| 1 Corinthians 6:11 | "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." | 1 Cor 6:11 (spiritual cleansing) |
| Ephesians 5:26 | "...that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word," | Eph 5:26 (cleansing by word) |
| Revelation 3:18 | "...I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments, that you may be dressed, and that the shame of your nakedness may not appear..." | Rev 3:18 (spiritual richness) |
| Matthew 10:28 | "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul." | Matt 10:28 (fear God not man) |
| Jeremiah 4:30 | "And when you are devastated, what will you do? Though you dress yourself with scarlet, though you adorn yourself with jewels of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with paint, you enlarge yourself in vain." | Jer 4:30 (futile adornment) |
Ezekiel 16 verses
Ezekiel 16 4 Meaning
This verse vividly portrays Jerusalem's abandoned state at birth. She was utterly alone, with no one to show her pity, left exposed and uncared for, a stark symbol of vulnerability and neglect.
Ezekiel 16 4 Context
Chapter 16 of Ezekiel is a detailed allegorical indictment of Jerusalem. The prophet uses a highly graphic and extended metaphor to expose Jerusalem's spiritual harlotry and her resultant judgment. This verse specifically describes the pathetic, ignominious beginning of the city personified as a woman. Historically, Jerusalem was not literally born this way; this imagery underscores the depth of her subsequent fall into sin and abandonment by God due to her unfaithfulness, not a lack of care at her literal inception by human hands. The "birth" represents her establishment and covenant relationship with God, which was marred by the very foundations of her apostasy.
Ezekiel 16 4 Word analysis
- וּלְדֹתַ֖יִךְ (u·le·ḏō·ṯa·yiḵ) - "And your birth" or "as for your birth."
- The Hebrew conjunction "ו" (vav) here acts in a consequential or explanatory sense, connecting this description to a preceding point or setting the stage for what follows.
- יוֹלַ֥ד (yo·wal·aḏ) - "you were born" or "was born."
- The root "י־ל־ד" (yod-lamed-dalet) relates to birth, begetting, and bringing forth. It’s in the passive form.
- י֥וֹם (yō·wm) - "day."
- Simple temporal noun.
- יוֹלַ֣ד (yo·wal·aḏ) - "born."
- Repeats the idea of birth, emphasizing the event.
- תִּגְמוֹר (ṯiġ·mō·r) - "your navel cord was not cut."
- The verb "גמר" (gimel-mem-resh) means to finish, complete, or cut. Here it specifically refers to the cutting of the umbilical cord. This is a critical rite of passage, signifying separation and the commencement of independent life and nourishment.
- וּמְרוּבָלָ֥ה (u·me·rū·ḇ·lāh) - "nor were you washed."
- Derived from "רבל" (resh-bet-lamed), which relates to being softened, pampered, or thoroughly cleaned/washed, often with oil and water. The context here points to the lack of the purifying ritual bath common for newborns.
- בַּמַּ֖יִם (bam·ma·yim) - "with water."
- Standard Hebrew for water, signifying a vital element for cleansing.
- לְהַטִּֽיחַ (le·haṭ·ṭi·waḥ) - "to make you clean."
- Root "טוח" (tet-vav-het) can mean to smear, plaster, or cleanse thoroughly. In this context, it signifies purification and making presentable.
- וּמְלוּּחָ֥ה (u·me·lū·ḥāh) - "nor were you rubbed with salt."
- Root "מלח" (mem-lamed-het) is related to salt. Salt was used in ancient times to preserve the skin, toughen it, and potentially as a disinfectant. Its omission signifies incomplete care.
- בַּמֶּ֑לַח (bam·me·laḥ) - "with salt."
- Specifically denotes the application of salt.
- וְסָרוּבָ֥ה (wə·sā·rū·ḇāh) - "nor were you wrapped."
- Root "סרב" (samekh-resh-bet) can imply to be wrapped, swaddled, or to be rejected. In this context, it means not being swaddled. Swaddling provided security and protection.
- בְּתוֹלִיעֽוֹת (bə·ṯō·lī·‘ō·wṯ) - "in swaddling cloths."
- "תוליעות" (teli'ot) specifically refers to swaddling clothes or bandages used for newborns.
Word-group analysis:The cluster of negations ("not cut," "not washed," "not rubbed with salt," "not wrapped") paints a picture of extreme abandonment and lack of essential care from the moment of birth. These were fundamental human practices associated with bringing a child into life and community, highlighting the stark imagery of Jerusalem's desolate state and isolation. The emphasis is on the absence of normal, life-affirming nurture and purification.
Ezekiel 16 4 Bonus section
This graphic imagery of a rejected newborn is powerfully echoed in Hosea chapter 2:3, where God speaks of stripping Israel bare like on the day of her birth as a consequence of her unfaithfulness. The lack of purification rituals is significant, as purity and cleanliness were central to Israelite worship and covenant identity. The prophet emphasizes that this neglected state is not the intended beginning, but a description of Jerusalem’s current degraded condition, a consequence of her own actions rather than an inherent deficiency at her divine inauguration. This passage underscores the theme of God’s ultimate faithfulness, who sees this abandoned city and chooses to adopt and cherish her, a foreshadowing of His redemptive work for His people.
Ezekiel 16 4 Commentary
Ezekiel uses the harsh, stark reality of a newborn utterly abandoned at birth to represent Jerusalem's spiritual state. At her "birth" – her establishment as God's chosen city, when the covenant was made, and God's presence dwelled there – she was metaphorically left defenseless and uncared for. The cutting of the umbilical cord symbolized independence and integration into life; washing symbolized purification, and salt preservation; swaddling gave protection and security. Their absence signifies not a lack of divine intention or potential, but Jerusalem's subsequent straying, rendering her vulnerable and deserving of the harsh judgment to come. This sets the stage for God's subsequent act of taking her and caring for her despite her pitiable state, paralleling His love in the face of Israel's historical faithlessness, and pointing to the ultimate redemption offered through Christ's sacrifice and cleansing.