Ezekiel 16 8

Ezekiel 16:8 kjv

Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.

Ezekiel 16:8 nkjv

"When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine," says the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 16:8 niv

"?'Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.

Ezekiel 16:8 esv

"When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine.

Ezekiel 16:8 nlt

And when I passed by again, I saw that you were old enough for love. So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declared my marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 8 Meaning

Ezekiel 16:8 describes God's compassionate and unsolicited intervention in the life of Jerusalem, allegorically representing Israel, from her state of abandonment and shame. God observes her maturation to a point ready for covenant, spreads His protective garment over her as a symbolic marriage proposal, covers her disgrace, and then solemnly binds Himself to her through an oath and a covenant, thereby claiming her as His own treasured possession and bride. This verse marks the beginning of their divine covenant relationship, founded entirely on God's initiative and love.

Ezekiel 16 8 Context

Ezekiel chapter 16 is an extended allegory, portraying Jerusalem (and by extension, Israel) as an abandoned, illegitimate infant girl whom God found, nourished, adorned, and raised into a beautiful young woman. Verse 8 describes a pivotal moment in this narrative: God's explicit, gracious act of covenanting with this "grown" Israel. Before this, the allegory details her squalid, destitute origins (Ezek 16:3-7). Her original condition was one of utter destitution, rejected and left to die, illustrating Israel's lack of inherent worth or any basis for claiming God's favor apart from His own compassionate initiative. Following verse 8, the chapter extensively chronicles how Israel, after being adorned and blessed by God as His bride, engaged in extreme spiritual harlotry by pursuing idolatry with surrounding nations. This verse thus lays the foundation of God's unilateral love and commitment against the backdrop of Israel's utter unfaithfulness.

Ezekiel 16 8 Word analysis

• Then I passed by you (וָאֶעֱבֹר עָלַיִךְ wa'eʿĕḇōr ʿālayiḵ): "Passed by" (ʿābar) here indicates a personal, observant journey by God. It implies His purposeful arrival at her location and moment in time, beyond mere casual notice, often connected with an act of intervention or revelation (e.g., God passing before Moses).
• and saw you, (וָאֶרְאֵךְ wa'er'ēḵ): Denotes a profound observation, acknowledging her existence and state. More than simply "seeing," it signifies knowing and understanding her plight, which then leads to action.
• and behold, (וְהִנֵּה wəhinnēh): An emphatic interjection, drawing attention to a sudden, significant, or surprising revelation, underscoring the gravity and nature of what is to follow. It highlights God's particular attention and her specific condition.
• your time was the time of love; (עֵת דֹּדִים ʿēt dōdîm): This phrase is critical. Dōdîm refers to love-making or affections. Here, it implies the appropriate stage for romantic affection, betrothal, or marriage. It's not about her readiness in terms of character, but God's appointed time for a covenant relationship. It points to a maturing into physical readiness that allows for the marriage metaphor to unfold, a maturity that God determines.
• so I spread My cloak over you (וָאֶפְרֹשׂ כְּנָפִי עָלָיִךְ wāʾep̄rōś kənāp̄î ʿālayiḵ): Literally, "spread My wing" or "skirt" (like a bird protecting its young or a garment). This is a well-known ancient Near Eastern and biblical idiom for a marriage proposal and an act of protection, promising security and taking ownership. In Ruth 3:9, Ruth asks Boaz to do this, recognizing his role as kinsman-redeemer.
• and covered your nakedness. (וָאֲכַסֵּה עֶרְוָתֵךְ waʾăḵasēh ʿerwātēḵ): "Nakedness" (ʿerwâ) symbolizes shame, vulnerability, dishonor, and defilement. God's act of covering removes this public disgrace, granting her dignity and purity in the eyes of others, thereby qualifying her for the covenant relationship.
• Indeed, I swore an oath to you (וָאֶשָּׁבַע לָךְ wāʾeššāḇaʿ lāḵ): A solemn declaration, taking God's own name as witness. It binds God in an unbreakable commitment, emphasizing the unshakeable certainty and divine origin of the covenant. Oaths are foundational to biblical covenants.
• and entered into a covenant with you,' (וָאָבֹא בִּבְרִית אִתָּךְ wāʾāḇōʾ bibərît ʾittāḵ): Formalizes the agreement. Bərît (covenant) is a solemn, binding pact, typically sealed with an oath and sometimes a sacrifice. It transforms their relationship into a legal and theological union, likening it to a marriage contract.
• declares the Lord GOD, (נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה nəʾum ʾăḏōnāy YHWYH): A prophetic formula confirming that these words are directly from the Sovereign Lord (Adonai) Yahweh, affirming His divine authority and truthfulness.
• 'and you became Mine.' (וַתִּהְיִי לִי wattihyî lî): The ultimate result of the entire process. This declaration signifies ownership and exclusive possession, completing the transformation from abandoned outcast to God's chosen and devoted bride. It underscores the intimacy and binding nature of their new relationship.

Ezekiel 16 8 Bonus section

The allegory here is particularly striking because God chose a metaphorical "bride" with such a background of impurity (descended from Canaanite stock, left in blood) to underscore that His love is purely grace-based. The concept of "the time of love" (ʿēt dōdîm) can also be understood as God seeing her ripeness, like fruit ready to be plucked, a divine appointment that had nothing to do with her virtue but with His purpose for establishing a nation for Himself. This verse highlights the "scandal of grace"—that God would choose and bind Himself to the unworthy, not just forgiving their past but elevating them to the highest status as His spouse. This divine "adoption" and "marriage" transformed Israel's identity completely, providing a blueprint for how God relates to all those He draws into covenant relationship, from Abraham to the Church.

Ezekiel 16 8 Commentary

Ezekiel 16:8 unveils the profound depth of God's unsolicited grace and commitment. The verse vividly illustrates that the covenant with Israel (represented by Jerusalem) was not earned or merited by any inherent worth. Rather, it was God's merciful initiative. He "saw" her, a mature but still vulnerable young woman, signifying a divine timing and determination of suitability, not based on her moral perfection, but His own divine agenda. His act of "spreading His cloak" is a direct marriage proposal, offering protection, dignity, and partnership to one who had nothing. Covering her "nakedness" symbolically purifies and clothes her in honor, wiping away the shame of her destitute past. The subsequent "swore an oath" and "entered into a covenant" emphasize the solemnity, binding nature, and unwavering faithfulness of God's commitment. The culminating declaration, "you became Mine," establishes Israel's new identity as God's unique possession, his cherished bride. This narrative foreshadows the New Testament concept of Christ's love for the Church, initiating a covenant of grace with undeserving humanity, cleaning them, and claiming them as His own.