Ezekiel 16 51

Ezekiel 16:51 kjv

Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.

Ezekiel 16:51 nkjv

"Samaria did not commit half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all the abominations which you have done.

Ezekiel 16:51 niv

Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done.

Ezekiel 16:51 esv

Samaria has not committed half your sins. You have committed more abominations than they, and have made your sisters appear righteous by all the abominations that you have committed.

Ezekiel 16:51 nlt

"Even Samaria did not commit half your sins. You have done far more detestable things than your sisters ever did. They seem righteous compared to you.

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 51 Meaning

Ezekiel 16:51 vividly declares that Jerusalem's moral and spiritual abominations surpassed even those of Samaria, the historically apostate capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The extent of Jerusalem's wickedness was so extreme that it metaphorically made Samaria, and by implication Sodom (introduced earlier in the chapter), appear righteous by comparison. This verse condemns Jerusalem for her profound and excessive betrayal of God, emphasizing the unprecedented depth of her depravity and idolatry.

Ezekiel 16 51 Context

Ezekiel chapter 16 presents a vivid and graphic allegory, portraying Jerusalem as a rejected infant rescued by God, raised into a beautiful bride, and then an unfaithful prostitute. This allegorical narrative describes God's covenant with Israel as a marriage and Jerusalem's idolatry and political alliances as spiritual adultery and prostitution. Verse 51 follows a series of comparisons in the chapter where Jerusalem is explicitly shown to be worse than both Sodom and Samaria, two notorious examples of moral and religious corruption in the Old Testament. Historically, Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which repeatedly engaged in idolatry, like the worship of golden calves and Baal, leading to its destruction and exile by Assyria in 722 BC. Sodom was famously destroyed by God for its extreme wickedness and sexual depravity in Abraham's time. By claiming Jerusalem's sins surpassed even these two, Ezekiel uses extreme hyperbole to underscore the unprecedented betrayal by God's own chosen people and city, which had received the most profound revelation and blessings.

Ezekiel 16 51 Word analysis

• Samaria (שֹׁמְר֥וֹן, Shomeron): This refers to the capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In the biblical narrative, Samaria became a byword for syncretism and idolatry, specifically after Jeroboam's establishment of calf worship and subsequent promotion of Baal worship by kings like Ahab. The very mention of Samaria evoked a historical understanding of profound apostasy among the Israelite people, making the comparison stark.
• has not committed (לֹ֣א חֶצְיֵ֗ךְ הֶֽחֱטִ֧יאָה, lōʾ ḥeṣyēḵ heḥĕṭiʾāh): The phrase literally means "not half of you has she sinned" or "she did not commit half your sins." This emphasizes that Samaria's total sum of wrongdoing was less than half of Jerusalem's. It's a statement of shocking contrast, designed to highlight Jerusalem's exceeding wickedness.
• your sins (חַטֹּ֣אות, chatta'ot): This Hebrew term refers to various forms of wrongdoing, moral failings, transgressions, and the missing of God's perfect standard. In Ezekiel, it often carries the weight of guilt that brings divine judgment.
• and you have multiplied (וַתַּרְבִּ֞י, wattarbî): The verb form here denotes intense and extensive increase. It implies not just doing wrong, but continuously and exponentially increasing the magnitude and frequency of sinful acts. This speaks to a deliberate and escalating pattern of apostasy.
• your abominations (תֹֽועֵבוֹת֙, tôʿēvōt): This is a strong Hebrew word referring to acts utterly detestable to God. In the context of Israel's relationship with God, it primarily signifies idolatry (e.g., child sacrifice, worship of foreign gods) and severe moral transgressions that defile the land and the covenant people (e.g., certain sexual sins, unjust practices). Ezekiel frequently uses this term to characterize Jerusalem's spiritual corruption (cf. Ezekiel 8).
• more than they: This direct comparison accentuates Jerusalem's greater culpability. Despite Samaria's reputation, Jerusalem had outdone her in depravity.
• and made your sisters appear righteous (וַתַּצְדִּ֣קִי אֲחוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙, wattatzdīqī ʾaḥôṯayiḵ): The verb wattatzdīqī is in the Hiphil stem, meaning "to declare righteous," "to justify," or "to make righteous." Here, it doesn't mean Samaria (and Sodom, the "sisters") were actually righteous. Instead, it's a powerful rhetorical hyperbole. Jerusalem's actions were so heinous and profound that, in comparison, the sins of Samaria and Sodom looked less severe, almost seeming justifiable or relatively 'clean' when contrasted with Jerusalem's unprecedented wickedness. This is the ultimate indictment, as it suggests Jerusalem, the center of Yahweh worship, had sunken lower than pagans.
• by all the abominations that you have committed: This concluding phrase reiterates the comprehensive nature and absolute extent of Jerusalem's guilt. Her detestable acts were not isolated incidents but a complete and total pattern of behavior that stained her entire existence before God.

Words-group analysis

• "Samaria has not committed half your sins, and you have multiplied your abominations more than they": This powerful contrast highlights Jerusalem's unmatched depravity. Samaria, a byword for apostasy, becomes the baseline against which Jerusalem's sins are measured and found to be vastly exceeded. It establishes Jerusalem's extreme guilt by demonstrating her surpassingly worse behavior compared to those already deemed severely sinful.
• "and made your sisters appear righteous by all the abominations that you have committed": This phrase functions as the climax of the indictment. It's an intentional hyperbole that demonstrates the shocking degree of Jerusalem's spiritual failure. By committing such an exhaustive list of detestable acts, Jerusalem didn't just exceed her "sisters" in sin; she elevated their perceived moral standing, making their historical wickedness seem almost acceptable when weighed against her own. This accusation aimed to dismantle any remnant of self-righteousness or pride Jerusalem might have held as the chosen city.

Ezekiel 16 51 Bonus section

The comparison in Ezekiel 16 is not about relative moral "niceness" but about spiritual apostasy and covenant breaking. Samaria and Sodom represent benchmarks of wickedness against God, one for consistent idolatry among His people, the other for severe social and moral depravity defying His law. By showing Jerusalem surpassing both, the prophet emphasizes the ultimate form of betrayal: those who knew God most intimately, possessed His covenant, and housed His temple had descended to the deepest level of unfaithfulness. This makes the charge against Jerusalem one of aggravated rebellion. This profound moral reversal sets the stage for the New Testament principle that those who have been given more, or had greater exposure to God's truth, face a greater level of judgment (Luke 12:48). The shocking nature of Ezekiel's language was intentional, aiming to provoke deep repentance and underscore the absolute justice of God's impending judgment upon Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 16 51 Commentary

Ezekiel 16:51 delivers a profoundly severe indictment against Jerusalem, declaring her moral and spiritual depravity to be beyond that of Samaria and even Sodom. This astonishing claim served to shatter any illusion of Jerusalem's unique favor or perceived righteousness before God, which may have led to a complacent or arrogant spirit. Her apostasy was not merely similar to others but transcended all previous examples of wickedness among God's people. This escalation of sin, particularly in a city uniquely blessed with God's presence, the temple, and the Mosaic covenant, highlights a critical principle: with greater privilege comes greater accountability. Jerusalem's unique standing meant her betrayal was correspondingly more egregious and offensive to God. The verse is a stark warning that outward religious observance cannot mask profound internal corruption and that covenant faithfulness is demanded, not merely assumed. This radical judgment serves to reveal the depths of humanity's sin and, in the broader chapter's context, ultimately magnifies God's sovereign grace and promise of restoration despite such utter unworthiness (Ezekiel 16:53-63).