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 49 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 16:49 | Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread... | Ezekiel 16:49 (itself) |
| Amos 4:1 | Hear this word, you kine of Bashan… | Amos 4:1 (oppression of poor) |
| Luke 12:47-48 | That servant who knew his master's will… | Luke 12:47-48 (responsibility of privilege) |
| 1 Timothy 6:17 | As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty… | 1 Tim 6:17 (dangers of riches) |
| Proverbs 1:13 | Into them we will swallow them alive like Sheol… | Prov 1:13 (consequences of wickedness) |
| Isaiah 3:5 | Men shall oppress one another, each against the next… | Isa 3:5 (societal breakdown) |
| James 5:1-5 | Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. | Jas 5:1-5 (condemnation of wealth abuse) |
| Deuteronomy 8:12-14 | Lest, when you have eaten and are full, and have built good houses... | Deut 8:12-14 (warning against pride) |
| Matthew 25:41-46 | Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you cursed…” | Matt 25:41-46 (judgment for neglect) |
| Jeremiah 7:6 | If you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow... | Jer 7:6 (condemnation of injustice) |
| Judges 19:22-30 | While they were making merry, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless fellows, surrounded the house... | Judges 19:22-30 (similar sin of Gibeah) |
| 2 Peter 2:7-8 | and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly vexed by the illicit sensuality of the wicked (for that righteous man, by what he saw and heard there, was tormented day after day in his righteous soul by their lawless deeds)... | 2 Peter 2:7-8 (Lot's torment) |
| Jude 1:7 | just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire... | Jude 1:7 (Sodom's sins) |
| Genesis 18:20 | Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is of exceeding gravity.” | Gen 18:20 (outcry of Sodom's sin) |
| Genesis 19:4-11 | Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house... | Gen 19:4-11 (Sodom's unnatural sin) |
| Romans 1:26-27 | For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature... | Rom 1:26-27 (unnatural desires) |
| Proverbs 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Prov 16:18 (pride leads to fall) |
| Ecclesiastes 5:10 | He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income. | Ecc 5:10 (love of money) |
| Isaiah 5:12 | Their feasts shall be to them a trap and a snare, a stumbling block and a recompense. | Isa 5:12 (feasts as snare) |
| Hosea 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priests to me... | Hos 4:6 (destruction from lack of knowledge) |
Ezekiel 16 verses
Ezekiel 16 49 Meaning
This verse states that the ultimate sin of Sodom was its abundance of bread and carefree ease, with no concern for the poor and needy. This prosperity did not lead them to godliness but to wickedness and abhorrent acts.
Ezekiel 16 49 Context
Ezekiel chapter 16 is a lengthy allegory comparing Jerusalem to an unfaithful wife who was once abandoned and then exalted. The prophet, through God's voice, recounts Jerusalem's history, detailing its origins, growth, and eventual betrayal of God through idolatry and sin. Verse 49 serves as a powerful pronouncement regarding the spiritual condition of Jerusalem, by contrasting its sins with those of its "sister," Sodom. The historical context is the Babylonian exile, where Jerusalem's judgment was evident. Prophetically, it points to the dire consequences of spiritual infidelity.
Ezekiel 16 49 Word Analysis
- Behold (re'eh): Hebrew for "see," "look," or "behold." It's an imperative used to draw attention.
- this (zo't): Refers to what follows, the description of Sodom's sin.
- was (hayeta): The imperfect tense, indicating a past state or action.
- the guilt (ashmath): Hebrew for guilt, iniquity, or offense.
- of your sister (achoth b): "Sister" here refers to Sodom, a figurative relationship established by the allegory.
- Sodom (Sedomah): The infamous city destroyed by God for its wickedness.
- pride (gabhel hayesh): "Gabhel" relates to being haughty or proud. "Hayesh" signifies the "presence of existence" or "sufficiency," often implying self-sufficiency leading to pride.
- and (we): Conjunction connecting the elements of their guilt.
- fullness (sebhua): Hebrew for being full, satisfied, or having an abundance.
- of bread (lechem): Literal bread, symbolizing sustenance and prosperity.
- and (we): Conjunction.
- in idleness (shekhet): Hebrew for security, ease, or complacency. It can also imply carelessness.
- she possessed (bach): "In her" or "among her."
- and (we): Conjunction.
- without (bal-pni'yot): "Without the needy" or "without the poor." The Hebrew can imply a lack of caring for, or a disregard for, the destitute.
- she the poor (ba'evyon): The poor, the needy, the afflicted.
- and (we): Conjunction.
- the needy (wa'edhal): The needy, destitute, afflicted; emphasizes destitution.
- and did not: Indicates a lack of action or intention.
- strengthen (hichzeq): To make strong, to support, to fortify.
Group Analysis: The phrase "fullness of bread and in idleness she possessed" points to material prosperity and comfort without spiritual engagement. "Without the needy and the poor" highlights a crucial aspect of their sin: a profound lack of compassion and social responsibility, leading to their extreme wickedness and divine judgment.
Ezekiel 16 49 Bonus Section
This verse highlights a significant theological concept: the sin of omission. While Sodom's acts were flagrantly wicked, the verse points to the preceding condition that enabled such sin—a neglect of basic humanitarian duties towards the poor and needy. This societal apathy created a spiritual vacuum that was readily filled by corruption. This principle echoes in the New Testament where judgment is often tied to how individuals treat the "least of these" (Matthew 25:40). The abundance that Sodom enjoyed was not inherently sinful, but their mismanagement of it and their failure to use it for good, particularly in aiding the vulnerable, revealed a heart devoid of God's love and justice.
Ezekiel 16 49 Commentary
The verse articulates that superficial prosperity and comfort, when uncoupled from empathy and righteousness, become fertile ground for corruption. Sodom's prosperity in food (bread) and leisure (idleness) fostered a self-centeredness that blinded them to the suffering of the less fortunate. This self-sufficiency led to pride, arrogance, and ultimately, a descent into sexual perversion and lawlessness. The contrast with Jerusalem, a city chosen by God, underscores that national or personal privilege demands greater responsibility. Abundance without accountability becomes a sin. This serves as a perpetual warning that spiritual barrenness can coexist with material wealth, and that societal neglect is a serious offense against divine law, even more so than a lack of resources.