Ezekiel 16:54 kjv
That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them.
Ezekiel 16:54 nkjv
that you may bear your own shame and be disgraced by all that you did when you comforted them.
Ezekiel 16:54 niv
so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort.
Ezekiel 16:54 esv
that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all that you have done, becoming a consolation to them.
Ezekiel 16:54 nlt
Then you will be truly ashamed of everything you have done, for your sins make them feel good in comparison.
Ezekiel 16 54 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 1:29-30 | "For you shall be ashamed of the oaks that you desired... you shall fade." | Shame for idolatry |
| Jer 2:36-37 | "Why do you go about so much... you shall be ashamed." | Shame from false alliances |
| Jer 3:25 | "We lie down in our shame, and our dishonor covers us." | Confession of national shame |
| Ezek 14:10 | "They shall bear their punishment... their ways I will repay." | Bearing the consequence of sin |
| Ezek 23:29 | "They will deal with you in hatred... bear your lewdness and idolatry." | Shame from spiritual harlotry |
| Lam 4:6 | "The iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than Sodom's sin." | Jerusalem's sin surpasses Sodom's |
| Hab 2:10 | "You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples." | Shame as consequence of injustice |
| Zeph 3:11 | "You shall not again be ashamed of all your deeds." | Future removal of shame through repentance |
| Mal 2:9 | "So I make you despised and abased before all the people." | Shame from priests' corruption |
| Matt 11:23-24 | "If the mighty works had been done in Sodom... it would have remained." | Cities judged worse than Sodom in NT |
| Rom 6:21 | "What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed?" | Shame as a natural outcome of sin |
| 1 Pet 5:6 | "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God." | Humiliation under God's hand |
| Isa 47:3 | "Your nakedness shall be uncovered... your shame will be seen." | Public disgrace for Babylon |
| Hos 4:7 | "They have multiplied their whoredom... I will change their glory into shame." | Shame from spiritual prostitution |
| Ezek 6:7 | "And you shall know that I am the LORD." | God's purpose for judgment: recognition |
| Ezek 12:15 | "And they shall know that I am the LORD." | Judgment leads to knowledge of God |
| Psa 44:9-16 | "But you have rejected and disgraced us... brought us to shame." | Corporate lament over national disgrace |
| Lev 5:17 | "If anyone sins and does any of the things that by the LORD's commandments..." | Bearing one's guilt for unintentional sin |
| Num 14:34 | "You shall bear your iniquity forty years." | Bearing punishment for rebellion |
| Jer 6:15 | "They were not ashamed, neither could they blush." | Lack of shame signifies deeper depravity |
| Isa 30:3-5 | "Pharaoh's protection will be your shame... Egypt's help is useless." | Shame for relying on human power |
| Rom 5:5 | "And hope does not put us to shame." | Godly hope contrasting earthly shame |
| Rev 3:18 | "Buy from me... white garments to cover your nakedness and shame." | Covering of shame through Christ |
Ezekiel 16 verses
Ezekiel 16 54 Meaning
Ezekiel 16:54 declares God's judicial intent for Jerusalem: she will fully endure the public disgrace (dishonor) and internal mortification (shame) for all her abominable deeds. This deep shame is intensified by the comparison to Sodom and Samaria, where the very act of acknowledging or "comforting" them in their ruin, or perhaps identifying with their degraded state, forces Jerusalem to confront her own magnified wickedness. Her prior arrogance will be utterly shattered as she recognizes her shared fate and even greater culpability compared to those she once scorned.
Ezekiel 16 54 Context
Ezekiel 16 is an extended allegory portraying Jerusalem as an unfaithful bride, chosen and blessed by God but who prostituted herself with every passerby, committing abominations far exceeding even the infamous wickedness of Sodom and Samaria. This verse concludes a section (vv. 44-58) where God explicitly contrasts Jerusalem's iniquity with her "sisters," declaring her far more guilty. The shock value for the original audience in exile would have been immense, challenging their perceived superiority. God promises to restore Sodom and Samaria (symbolically, though their exact historical fate is debated) and make them appear righteous compared to Jerusalem. The intent is a profound shattering of Jerusalem's pride and self-righteousness by making her bear shame alongside, and even in excess of, the ultimate examples of depravity.
Ezekiel 16 54 Word analysis
- that you may bear (לְמַעַן תִּשְׂאִי - Lema'an tis'i): This phrase indicates divine purpose. "Lema'an" ("in order that") signals God's deliberate intention behind the unfolding events. "Tis'i" ("you may bear/carry") uses the Hebrew root nasa, signifying not just undergoing an experience but actively shouldering a heavy burden, like carrying a heavy load or a responsibility. Here, it refers to the heavy consequence of Jerusalem's sins, similar to bearing one's iniquity (e.g., Lev 5:1, 17; Num 14:34).
- your dishonor (כְלִמָּתֵךְ - kelimmathekh): The term kelimmah denotes public shame, disgrace, or reproach. It is a state of utter humiliation where one's pride is shattered and one's true, fallen nature is exposed. This disgrace is a direct result of Jerusalem's covenant infidelity and moral corruption, particularly her spiritual prostitution.
- and may be ashamed (וְנִכְלַמְתְּ - venikhlahmt): This passive form of kalam emphasizes an internal feeling of mortification and deep self-reproach. While "dishonor" is often external (a public state), "ashamed" is the inner experience of acute embarrassment and remorse, particularly when one's wrongdoing becomes undeniable.
- of all that you have done (מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂית - mi-kol asher asith): "From all that you have done" stresses the comprehensiveness and totality of Jerusalem's transgressions. It signifies that no sin will escape divine accounting; her shame will encompass every act of unfaithfulness and injustice she committed. It underscores personal responsibility.
- when you comfort them (בְּנַחֲמֵךְ אֹתָן - benachamek otan): This is the climactic and most ironic element of the verse. "Nacham" usually means "to comfort" or "to console." However, in this context, it functions paradoxically. As Jerusalem experiences a greater depth of judgment than Sodom and Samaria, she may "comfort" them by her own more severe and undeniable ruin. Or, more likely, it refers to the psychological impact: in witnessing or being forced to identify with Sodom and Samaria in their fallen state, Jerusalem is driven to a deeper realization of her own surpassing wickedness and degradation. Her identifying with their disgrace makes her own even more palpable and excruciating.
Ezekiel 16 54 Bonus section
The concept of shame and its role in bringing about change is profound in the Bible. Here, the public disgrace combined with internal mortification serves a prophetic function: to force Jerusalem, and by extension Judah in exile, to finally acknowledge the severity of her sin. This painful acknowledgment, a prerequisite for genuine repentance, sets the stage for the hope of future restoration. This "comforting" of Sodom, though ironic, forces an identity with sinfulness that God intends to strip away entirely before any thought of renewal. This divine tactic showcases God's intricate working where judgment precedes grace, and deep humiliation precedes exaltation. The experience is designed to root out the deep-seated spiritual pride and unfaithfulness that plagued Israel throughout her history.
Ezekiel 16 54 Commentary
Ezekiel 16:54 is a stark prophetic statement revealing the depth of God's judgment and its precise, shaming purpose for Jerusalem. It underscores that God’s justice is not merely punitive but remedial, aiming to break the hardened pride of His people. The "bearing" of dishonor signifies an enduring public disgrace, while being "ashamed" points to an internal, agonizing realization of guilt. This shame is intensely amplified by the comparison with Sodom and Samaria—cities synonymous with depravity. Jerusalem's prior arrogance led her to disdain these "sisters," yet now she is positioned to share, or even surpass, their fate. The crucial phrase "when you comfort them" encapsulates the profound irony. It is not an act of genuine solace but the bitter recognition forced upon Jerusalem. In seeing the relative severity of her own judgment compared to even these infamous sinners, she confronts the shocking truth of her greater transgression. This ultimate humiliation serves to utterly dismantle Jerusalem's spiritual pride, preparing her, in God's broader plan for later chapters, for a complete spiritual cleansing and future restoration built on genuine humility and the knowledge of His redemptive grace.