Ezekiel 16 46

Ezekiel 16:46 kjv

And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.

Ezekiel 16:46 nkjv

"Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who dwells to the south of you, is Sodom and her daughters.

Ezekiel 16:46 niv

Your older sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom.

Ezekiel 16:46 esv

And your elder sister is Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you, is Sodom with her daughters.

Ezekiel 16:46 nlt

"Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters in the north. Your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters in the south.

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 46 Meaning

Ezekiel 16:46 uses a powerful rhetorical device to illustrate Jerusalem's spiritual depravity and unfaithfulness to God. It names Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, as Jerusalem's "elder sister" to her north, and Sodom, the notorious city destroyed for its sin, as her "younger sister" to her south. This framing implies a shared lineage of apostasy and moral corruption. The verse establishes a critical point of comparison, suggesting that Jerusalem, by adopting and even exceeding the sins of these infamous cities and their surrounding communities, has disgraced her divine covenant even more profoundly than they did their own lesser light.

Ezekiel 16 46 Context

Ezekiel chapter 16 is an extended allegory describing Jerusalem as a foundling girl adopted, nurtured, and adorned by God, only for her to become an unfaithful prostitute, seeking illicit alliances with foreign nations and worshipping their idols. The entire chapter functions as a strong indictment against Jerusalem's covenant unfaithfulness. Verses 1-34 detail her scandalous history of abandoning her divine husband. Verse 46 introduces a comparative framework: not only has Jerusalem sinned, but she has done so in a manner comparable to, or even worse than, the famously wicked cities of Samaria and Sodom. This sets the stage for the devastating declaration in verses 47-59 that Jerusalem's sins have so thoroughly eclipsed those of Samaria and Sodom that she has, ironically, made them appear righteous in comparison.

Ezekiel 16 46 Word analysis

• Your elder sister: Hebrew: אֲחוֹתֵךְ הַגְּדוֹלָה (’ǎḥōwṯēḵ haggeḏōwlāh). This phrase personifies the Northern Kingdom's capital, Samaria, as Jerusalem's elder sibling. The term "elder" here signifies geographical proximity to the north, previous establishment, and perhaps, being the first to openly and significantly stray from Yahwism following the division of the kingdom. It implies a shared spiritual lineage, albeit one of infidelity, for rhetorical effect.
• is Samaria: Hebrew: שֹׁמְרוֹן (Šōmrōwn). Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, established by Omri. It became synonymous with the deep-seated idolatry (golden calves, Baal worship) and political instability of Israel. For Jerusalem, associating with Samaria meant being grouped with apostasy against the one true God, a direct breach of the covenant.
• who dwells: Hebrew: הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת (hayyōwševeṯ). Signifies residence and established presence. It underscores that Samaria's spiritual state was deeply ingrained and consistent, not transient.
• at your left hand: Hebrew: עַל־שְׂמוֹאֲלֵךְ (‘al-səʼmôʼălek). When facing east, 'left hand' points to the north. This is a geographical reference, locating Samaria north of Jerusalem. Symbolically, it sets a direct directional contrast and proximity, highlighting their relationship.
• and your younger sister: Hebrew: וַאֲחוֹתֵךְ הַקְּטַנָּה (waʼǎḥōwṯēḵ haqqaṭanāh). In contrast to "elder," "younger" might imply less historical precedence for deep-seated national wickedness compared to Israel, or less prominence as a nation. This designation is highly ironic given Sodom's ancient infamy, emphasizing that in terms of sheer magnitude of sin, Sodom's role is paradoxically reduced to a "younger sister" when compared to Jerusalem's ultimate spiritual betrayal.
• who dwells: Hebrew: הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת (hayyōwševeṯ). Again, denotes a fixed dwelling and inherent identity, establishing Sodom's character as fundamentally wicked.
• at your right hand: Hebrew: יְמִינֵךְ (yəmînéḵ). When facing east, 'right hand' points to the south. This is also a geographical reference, locating Sodom south of Jerusalem (historically southwest of the Dead Sea region). It further reinforces the direct comparison by placing both "sisters" on either side of Jerusalem.
• is Sodom with her daughters: Hebrew: סְדֹם וּבְנוֹתֶיהָ (səḏōm ûvnōwṯeyhā). Sodom is an archetypal city of moral depravity and divine judgment (Gen 18-19). "Her daughters" (בְּנוֹתֶיהָ, bənōwṯeyhā) refers to its surrounding towns or, more abstractly, to cities and people who followed its pattern of behavior, extending its influence and wickedness. This expands the scope of the comparison beyond just the core city to all associated with its notorious sin. The very mention of Sodom evokes an image of ultimate wickedness and destruction, intensifying the accusation against Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 16 46 Bonus section

The prophetic use of "sisters" (Oholah and Oholibah in Ezekiel 23) is a powerful metaphor for God's covenant people dividing and embodying various forms of infidelity. Samaria's sin involved syncretism, worshipping other gods alongside Yahweh, particularly Baal, and political trust in foreign nations over God. Sodom's sin, though broadly described, traditionally encompassed gross sexual immorality (homosexuality) (Gen 19), pride, arrogance, greed, lack of hospitality, and neglect of the poor and needy (Ezek 16:49). Jerusalem's culpability is depicted as encompassing both forms of wickedness and more, making her treachery exceptionally heinous in God's eyes due to her unique status as His chosen bride and the center of His worship. For the original audience, to be compared to Samaria was bad, but to be compared to Sodom, the ultimate byword for depravity and divine wrath, would have been deeply shocking and utterly humiliating, designed to provoke repentance by revealing the true extent of their moral and spiritual downfall.

Ezekiel 16 46 Commentary

Ezekiel 16:46 functions as a masterstroke of prophetic shaming, strategically connecting Jerusalem's apostasy to the most infamous symbols of wickedness: Samaria and Sodom. By framing them as "sisters," God underscores Jerusalem's intimate involvement in and perpetuation of sins that once brought down devastating judgment. Samaria, the elder sister, represents the Northern Kingdom's consistent and widespread idolatry, while Sodom, the younger sister, symbolizes deep-seated moral depravity, social injustice, and defiance against divine norms. The geographical orientation (left/north for Samaria, right/south for Sodom) places Jerusalem literally and figuratively surrounded by these corrupt influences, highlighting her moral trajectory. This comparison serves as a stinging indictment, setting up the profound revelation in the following verses: that Jerusalem has so thoroughly surpassed the sins of her "sisters" that she has inadvertently made their transgressions appear trivial in comparison. This rhetorical climax emphasizes the unique gravity of Jerusalem's unfaithfulness, rooted in her covenant relationship with God, which made her sins far more reprehensible.