Ezekiel 16 7

Ezekiel 16:7 kjv

I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare.

Ezekiel 16:7 nkjv

I made you thrive like a plant in the field; and you grew, matured, and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare.

Ezekiel 16:7 niv

I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.

Ezekiel 16:7 esv

I made you flourish like a plant of the field. And you grew up and became tall and arrived at full adornment. Your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare.

Ezekiel 16:7 nlt

And I helped you to thrive like a plant in the field. You grew up and became a beautiful jewel. Your breasts became full, and your body hair grew, but you were still naked.

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 7 Meaning

The verse describes the nascent stage of Jerusalem's existence, likening it to a newborn exposed at birth, vulnerable and dependent. It highlights God's divine intervention and favor upon this unfathered child, implying a deliberate act of choosing and nurturing for a specific purpose.

Ezekiel 16 7 Context

Chapter 16 of Ezekiel is a long, allegorical narrative depicting Jerusalem's history. God uses the metaphor of a foundling abandoned at birth to represent Jerusalem's humble origins and subsequent divine favor. This vivid imagery underscores Jerusalem's unmerited blessings, contrasting its desperate state with God's purposeful selection and nurturing. The broader context of Ezekiel is the impending Babylonian exile, a divine judgment for Israel's unfaithfulness and idolatry. This verse sets the stage by emphasizing Jerusalem's undeserved divine election before detailing its apostasy. Historically, this imagery would resonate with the audience by reminding them of their covenant beginnings, their unworthiness, and the stark betrayal of God's commitment through their subsequent sins.

Ezekiel 16 7 Word analysis

• "And you were born": The Hebrew word used, wat'muttath (וַתְּמוּתַת), can be interpreted as being brought forth or birthed, signifying the commencement of existence. It speaks to the passive reception of life.

• "on the day": The term bayowm (בְּיוֹם) points to a specific moment or time. In this context, it emphasizes the singularity and vulnerability of the day of birth.

• "of your birth": The word hodiylad (הוּלֶּדֶת) is derived from the root verb meaning "to give birth," reinforcing the concept of origination and beginning.

• "your breasts": The Hebrew word shadayik (שָּׁדַיִךְ) refers to the breasts, which are biblically significant symbols of nourishment and nurturing, absent in this infant's initial state.

• "were not nursed": Lo' n'tiv (לֹא נִצְּצוּ) could suggest that they were not stimulated or were undeveloped, signifying a complete lack of sustenance and care.

• "nor swaddled": The phrase u'lo' kh-tukhta (וְלֹא חֻתָּטָה) refers to the act of being wrapped or bound, a common practice for newborns, implying that even basic human care was withheld.

• Jerusalem's initial state of absolute vulnerability: The combination of not being nursed and not being swaddled paints a picture of complete abandonment, highlighting the city's utter dependence on divine intervention from its very inception.

• The passive nature of birth and early life: The verbs used emphasize that Jerusalem, as an infant, had no agency in its creation or initial care; its existence and survival were entirely dependent on external forces, pointing to God.

Ezekiel 16 7 Bonus section

The imagery of an abandoned newborn strongly resonates with God's broader narrative of redemption, which often involves uplifting the despised and the seemingly insignificant. Throughout Scripture, God frequently chooses those considered weak or unqualified by human standards to demonstrate His strength and glory. This specific portrayal of Jerusalem serves as a powerful precursor to the ultimate expression of God’s love in sending Jesus Christ, who himself came into a world that seemed to abandon him, ultimately offering salvation and adoption to all who believe, regardless of their prior status or lineage. This foundational unmerited grace for Jerusalem is a foreshadowing of the unmerited grace offered through Christ to the entire church.

Ezekiel 16 7 Commentary

Ezekiel 16:7 powerfully illustrates God's sovereignty and unsolicited grace. Jerusalem, the chosen city, is portrayed not as born into privilege, but as an unwanted infant left exposed. This stark imagery immediately establishes that any favor shown to Jerusalem was purely from God's initiative and mercy, not due to any inherent merit or birthright of the city itself. The absence of basic nurturing—nursing and swaddling—underscores the depth of its desolation and the miraculous nature of its preservation. God’s choice of Jerusalem, described metaphorically as adopting this helpless newborn, reveals His covenantal faithfulness and His intention to demonstrate His power through the weak and abandoned. It's a foundation-laying verse that emphasizes grace as the bedrock of Jerusalem's existence, preparing the way to later condemn its unfaithfulness against such overwhelming love.