Ezekiel 16 59

Ezekiel 16:59 kjv

For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

Ezekiel 16:59 nkjv

For thus says the Lord GOD: "I will deal with you as you have done, who despised the oath by breaking the covenant.

Ezekiel 16:59 niv

"?'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant.

Ezekiel 16:59 esv

"For thus says the Lord GOD: I will deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant,

Ezekiel 16:59 nlt

"Now this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will give you what you deserve, for you have taken your solemn vows lightly by breaking your covenant.

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 59 Meaning

Ezekiel 16:59 declares the Lord GOD's righteous judgment against Jerusalem (representing Israel/Judah) for their egregious betrayal of the covenant. God's declaration is a solemn statement of divine justice: He will exact recompense precisely commensurate with their contemptuous disregard for the sacred oath and the direct violation of the foundational covenant relationship He established with them, likening it to an unfaithful marriage vow.

Ezekiel 16 59 Context

Ezekiel chapter 16 is a lengthy, vivid allegory depicting the city of Jerusalem as an abandoned infant, rescued, raised, and ultimately married by God Himself. He lavished love, adorned her, and established a solemn covenant, symbolizing His choosing of Israel as His people. However, Jerusalem then became exceedingly beautiful and powerful, but her beauty led to arrogance and a rampant prostitution, worshiping other gods and even sacrificing her children. This unfaithfulness is portrayed as far worse than that of Samaria or even Sodom. Verse 59 serves as a climax in God's declaration of judgment, immediately following God's denouncement of Jerusalem as more abominable than her "sisters." It directly connects God's impending actions to Jerusalem's blatant and contemptuous violation of the sacred covenant, setting the stage for subsequent verses that will nonetheless hint at a future restoration based on God's own covenant faithfulness. Historically, this prophecy was given during the Babylonian exile, to a people wrestling with the trauma of national destruction, seeking to understand the "why" behind their suffering, revealing God's righteous character amidst their catastrophic rebellion.

Ezekiel 16 59 Word analysis

• For thus says: (כֹּה אָמַר - koh amar) A common prophetic formula introducing a direct divine message, establishing immediate authority and certainty to the pronouncement. It signifies that the following words are not human conjecture but the absolute declaration of God Himself.
• the Lord GOD: (אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה - Adonai YHWH) A critical pairing of divine names. Adonai (Lord) denotes mastery and sovereign authority, while YHWH (GOD, the ineffable covenant name) emphasizes God's unique self-existence, faithfulness, and His personal relationship with Israel through the covenant. Together, they stress the unassailable authority of the God who is both sovereign over all creation and intimately bound by His own promises.
• I will deal with you: (עָשִׂיתִי לָךְ - asithi lach, literally "I have done/made to you" or "I will do/make to you") Indicates a judicial action or a decree of recompense. It is not merely a statement of future action but a determined resolve, signaling a reciprocal divine response.
• as you have done: (כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂית - ka'asher asith) This phrase establishes the principle of lex talionis or divine retribution. God's response is directly proportional and mirror-like to their actions, ensuring perfect justice. There is no arbitrary punishment, but a direct consequence of their choices.
• who despised: (אֲשֶׁר בָּזִית - asher bazith) Bazith means "to despise, scorn, hold in contempt, treat lightly, reject." It signifies not merely a casual neglect but an active, deliberate, and intense disdain for something sacred. This term underscores the depth of their insolence and irreverence towards God's covenant.
• the oath: (שְׁבוּעָה - shevu'ah) Refers to a solemn vow or sworn promise, a binding commitment made often with divine witness, imbuing it with sacred inviolability. In this context, it primarily refers to the covenant God made with Israel at Sinai, here personified as a marriage vow within the chapter's allegory. To despise it is to insult God Himself who initiated and confirmed the oath.
• in breaking: (לְהָפֵר - lehafer) Hafafer means "to break, annul, violate, nullify, make void." It denotes an active, willful act of cancellation, a rupture of an agreement. It implies that the covenant was not simply forgotten but deliberately and consciously abrogated by Israel.
• the covenant: (בְּרִית - berith) A foundational concept in biblical theology, referring to a solemn, binding agreement or treaty established by God. With Israel, it was a relationship of election, obligations, blessings, and curses. Its breaking meant undermining the very basis of their existence as God's chosen people.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "For thus says the Lord GOD": This opening confirms the absolute truth and divine authority of the message. The combination of "Adonai YHWH" is weighty, emphasizing that the Master and faithful Covenant-Keeper is the one speaking judgment.
• "I will deal with you as you have done": This phrase highlights divine impartiality and just reciprocity. God's judgment is not arbitrary but a righteous reflection of their own actions. It reinforces the theological principle that one reaps what one sows.
• "who despised the oath in breaking the covenant": This dual expression provides a concentrated definition of Israel's central sin. It's not just breaking a rule, but showing active scorn (despising) for a sacred, divinely sanctioned promise (the oath) that forms the core relationship (the covenant). This underscores the severe, personal offense against God's loving initiative and solemn commitment.

Ezekiel 16 59 Bonus section

The Hebrew word for "covenant," berith, often implied a self-maledictory oath in ancient Near Eastern culture: breaking it invoked divine curses upon oneself. By stating Israel "despised the oath in breaking the covenant," God is not introducing new consequences but affirming that Israel brought these consequences upon themselves by violating the terms to which they assented. The emphasis on "despised" (bazith) reveals a spiritual arrogance and deep-seated rejection, more than simple ignorance or weakness. This level of scorn against God's most foundational and life-sustaining gift, the covenant, made their punishment fitting and inevitable. This verse, coming at the peak of Jerusalem's indictment in chapter 16, functions as a decisive declaration of divine justice, ensuring the audience understood that the destruction was earned, a stark testament to the sanctity of God's covenant and His righteous character, which could not tolerate such a flagrant and scornful breach.

Ezekiel 16 59 Commentary

Ezekiel 16:59 provides the profound and concise explanation for the catastrophe that has befallen Jerusalem: it is God's righteous response to their unpardonable covenant unfaithfulness. The Lord GOD, as the supreme Authority and faithful Covenant-Keeper (Adonai YHWH), declares His intent to administer justice in perfect proportion to their sin. The central charge is a twin violation: actively "despising the oath" and wilfully "breaking the covenant." The "oath" signifies the solemn vows made at Sinai, framed in this chapter as a sacred marriage vow God initiated. To despise this oath means treating with utter contempt the very foundation of their relationship with God, dismissing its sanctity and binding nature. This contempt led directly to "breaking the covenant," a conscious act of annulling the divine agreement, illustrated in Ezekiel 16 through rampant idolatry and moral depravity that mimicked pagan practices and surpassed even their reviled neighbors. Thus, God's judgment is portrayed not as arbitrary punishment but as the inevitable and just consequence of their willful and contemptuous repudiation of His gracious, life-giving relationship.