Ezekiel 16 49

Ezekiel 16:49 kjv

Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

Ezekiel 16:49 nkjv

Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

Ezekiel 16:49 niv

"?'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.

Ezekiel 16:49 esv

Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.

Ezekiel 16:49 nlt

Sodom's sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 49 Meaning

Ezekiel 16:49 outlines the fundamental iniquities of Sodom that led to its destruction, sins that Jerusalem, despite her privileged relationship with God, was guilty of and had even surpassed. The verse reveals Sodom's primary failings were not initially sexual, but systemic moral and social corruptions: pride, excessive material abundance leading to self-indulgence and idleness, and a callous disregard for the welfare of the poor and needy. These core issues fostered a spiritual and ethical environment ripe for further depravity.

Ezekiel 16 49 Context

Ezekiel Chapter 16 is a powerful, extended parable where God uses the allegory of an unfaithful wife to depict Jerusalem's spiritual prostitution and idolatry. Beginning with Jerusalem's origins as an abandoned infant God rescued, cleaned, and exalted, the narrative then traces her betrayal as she turned to foreign nations and their gods. Leading up to verse 49, God intensely describes Jerusalem's egregious spiritual adultery, likening her to an adulteress who pays others for sex. The specific accusation in verse 49 marks a turning point where God draws a shocking comparison: Jerusalem's sister cities in sin are identified as Sodom and Samaria, implying that Jerusalem, chosen and blessed, has committed sins even more abominable than these famously condemned cities. This verse explicitly details Sodom's primary faults, setting a grim benchmark for Jerusalem's own moral failures, preparing for the devastating judgment that follows. The historical context reflects a prosperous Judean society, particularly its leadership, often indulged in luxury while social justice declined, reminiscent of the sins ascribed to Sodom here.

Ezekiel 16 49 Word analysis

• Look (Hebrew: Hinnēh - הִנֵּה): An emphatic interjection, drawing urgent attention to what is about to be revealed. It signals a crucial pronouncement or a surprising insight.
• this (Hebrew: zeh - זֶה): Points directly to the following statement as the cause or essence of Sodom's condition.
• was (Hebrew: hāyah - הָיָה): Simple past tense, indicating a state of being or occurrence, asserting the reality of Sodom's nature.
• the iniquity (Hebrew: ʿāwōl - עָווֹן): Refers to moral fault, guilt, depravity, or twistedness. It emphasizes a departure from divine standards, implying deep moral corruption, not just a simple mistake.
• of your sister (Hebrew: ʾăḥôṯēk - אֲחוֹתֵךְ): Used metaphorically to stress a shared nature or connection, though here in sin. The term "sister" is shocking given Sodom's notoriety, directly implicating Jerusalem in a similar lineage of spiritual offense.
• Sodom (Hebrew: Sədôm - סְדֹם): The ancient city famous for its destruction due to extreme wickedness. Her name serves as a proverbial example of profound moral degradation and divine judgment.
• She and her daughters (Hebrew: hiʾ ūvənōtēhā - הִיא וּבְנוֹתֶיהָ): Refers to the main city and its surrounding towns or its sphere of influence, encompassing all who embraced her lifestyle. It generalizes the sinful character to her entire societal structure.
• had (Hebrew: hāyāh - הָיָה): Indicates possession or characteristic being.
• pride (Hebrew: gāʾôn - גָּאוֹן): Arrogance, loftiness, often linked to self-sufficiency, boasting, and defiance toward God and man. It is an inflated sense of self-importance that disregards divine authority and others' needs.
• fullness (Hebrew: śāvʿaṯ - שָׂבְעַת): Abundance, satiety, often to the point of excess or gluttony. It points to a surfeit of resources that can lead to spiritual complacency and neglect.
• of food (Hebrew: leḥem - לֶחֶם): Bread, sustenance. When combined with "fullness," it describes overabundance, luxurious living, and materialism, beyond simple provision.
• and abundance (Hebrew: wəšalwat - וְשַׁלְוַת): Peace, quietness, security, prosperity. Here it means tranquil ease or complacent luxury that leads to apathy.
• of idleness (Hebrew: šāqeṭ - שֶׁקֶט): Rest, quietness, often implying undisturbed ease or lack of trouble. In this context, it signifies a life of leisure that leads to inactivity, irresponsibility, and spiritual dullness.
• neither did she strengthen (Hebrew: wəyāḏ lōʾ heḥezzaqqāh - וְיַד־ ... לֹא הֶחֱזִיקָה): "And the hand... she did not strengthen." This phrase denotes a failure to support, aid, or empower. It highlights a conscious omission of duty.
• the hand (Hebrew: yāḏ - יַד): Refers to capability, power, or presence. "To strengthen the hand" is an idiom for providing help, sustenance, or encouragement.
• of the poor (Hebrew: ʿānî - עָנִי): Afflicted, oppressed, humble, needy. Someone lacking basic provisions and potentially marginalized.
• and needy (Hebrew: ʾevyôn - אֶבְיוֹן): Destitute, utterly poor, someone completely dependent. This term often signifies deep poverty requiring significant aid.

Words-group analysis

• "the iniquity of your sister Sodom": This phrase dramatically positions Jerusalem (Judah) as intimately related to Sodom through shared patterns of sin. It highlights that Jerusalem, a city with covenant promises and divine revelation, had descended to the moral depths of a city synonymous with profound wickedness.
• "pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness": These three interwoven conditions describe a specific type of societal decay. Pride fosters self-centeredness and spiritual arrogance. "Fullness of food" (excessive wealth and gluttony) leads to self-indulgence. "Abundance of idleness" (complacent ease) results in apathy and moral slackness. Together, they depict a life detached from hardship, responsibility, and gratitude to God.
• "neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy": This specific sin is the outward manifestation of the internal conditions mentioned above. The neglect of the vulnerable is a direct consequence of a society consumed by pride, luxury, and idleness. It's a failure of social justice and compassion, violating foundational tenets of God's covenantal requirements. This shows not just a failure to obey specific commands, but a deep-seated spiritual ailment leading to a profound lack of empathy.

Ezekiel 16 49 Bonus section

• This verse significantly broadens the theological understanding of Sodom's sins, moving beyond common perception. It demonstrates that socio-economic injustices and spiritual attitudes can be just as central to God's condemnation as explicit sexual perversions. This aligns with many prophetic messages, which heavily condemn Israel for oppression, injustice, and lack of care for the disadvantaged (e.g., Amos 5, Isa 1:17).
• The connection between unchecked prosperity, moral decay, and the neglect of social responsibility is a recurring warning throughout Scripture, reflecting God's consistent concern for justice and the poor. It serves as a perennial warning to any prosperous society, Christian or otherwise, against the dangers of affluence disconnected from humility, self-control, and compassion.
• "Strengthen the hand" (Hifil form of חזק ḥāzaq) implies an active and empowering engagement rather than mere passive observation or minimal charity. It suggests helping the poor and needy achieve stability and independence, which stands in stark contrast to Sodom's apathy.

Ezekiel 16 49 Commentary

Ezekiel 16:49 provides a crucial, non-conventional lens through which to view Sodom's primary sins, challenging a sole focus on sexual immorality. While Genesis 19 unmistakably documents attempted gang rape and homosexuality, Ezekiel deepens the understanding by identifying the root causes: spiritual pride, born of material excess, and sustained by complacent idleness. These three sins — arrogance, gluttony/luxury, and sloth — collectively led to the devastating fourth sin of social injustice: the utter neglect of the vulnerable members of society.

God here re-frames Sodom's sin from mere specific acts to the underlying heart condition and societal structure. Their affluence, instead of fostering generosity and gratitude to the Giver, inflated their sense of self-importance (pride) and led to unrestrained indulgence (fullness of food), which in turn bred spiritual and moral laziness (abundance of idleness). The absence of compassion for the poor and needy was not a separate issue, but the natural outgrowth of these self-centered characteristics. This verse highlights that genuine righteousness encompasses both personal purity and robust social justice, a holistic ethic central to God's character and expectations for His people. Jerusalem's condemnation then becomes even more severe, as she was a direct recipient of divine law and revelation, yet her actions paralleled and even surpassed Sodom's foundational corruptions.