Ezekiel-Chap-16-1-36

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Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.

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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!

“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).

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“Ezekiel Chapter 16”

Part One (Verses 1-36)..

With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

Introduction:

Ezekiel 16 is one of the most vivid, uncompromising allegories in the entire Tanakh. The prophet is commanded to present Jerusalem’s history as a metaphorical life‑story of a woman: abandoned at birth, raised with care, elevated to royalty, and then turning to betrayal. The chapter is not gentle; it is intentionally shocking. Its purpose is moral confrontation, not condemnation for its own sake. The text uses the language of covenantal infidelity to describe ‘national disloyalty’, ‘political alliances’, ‘idolatrous practices’, and ‘abandonment of ethical responsibilities’. The metaphors are deliberately extreme because Ezekiel is speaking to a people in exile who must understand the depth of their national crisis. Part One (Verses 1 to 36) traces the rise and fall: from ‘birth’, to ‘growth’, to ‘elevation’, to ‘betrayal’, and finally to the ‘beginning of consequences’.

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Below are the verses of Ezekiel Chapter 16:1-36: Whilst below the verses are the Explanation’s. (Chapter is from JPS-1917 version of the Tanakh).

Verses 1-2: “Again the word of יְהוָה - the LORD came unto me, saying: 2. ‘Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,

Explanation: Ezekiel is instructed to “make known to Jerusalem her abominations”. This sets the tone: the message is not optional, and it is directed at the city as a collective moral entity. The prophet must expose wrongdoing, not soften it.

Verses 3-5: and say: Thus saith אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim unto Jerusalem: Thine origin and thy nativity is of the land of the Canaanite; the Amorite was thy father, and thy mother was a Hittite. 4. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water for cleansing; thou was not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. 5. No eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field in the loathsomeness of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.

Explanation: Jerusalem’s origins are described metaphorically as foreign and unclaimed “your birth was in the land of the Canaanite”, with parentage symbolically linked to Amorite and Hittite. This is not genealogy but a moral statement: the city’s early culture was not inherently holy. The newborn is depicted as abandoned, unwashed, and uncared for. The imagery emphasizes vulnerability and lack of status.

Verse 6: And when I passed by thee, and saw thee wallowing in thy blood, I said unto thee: In thy blood, live; yea, I said unto thee: In thy blood, live;

Explanation: אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God) “passes by” and commands the infant to live. This is the turning point: survival is not due to human compassion but Divine intervention. The repetition of “Live” underscores the deliberate granting of life and future.

Verses 7-8: I cause thee to increase, even as the growth of the field. And thou didst increase and grow up, and thou camest to excellent beauty: thy breasts were fashioned, and thy hair was grown; yet thou wast naked and bare. 8. Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, and, behold, thy time was the time of love, I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness; yea, I swore unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, and thou becamest Mine.

Explanation: The child grows into maturity. אֱלֹהִים - Elohim again “passes by” and enters into a covenant symbolized as marriage. The imagery of spreading a garment over her is an ancient Near Eastern symbol of protection and commitment. The covenant is the central theme: Jerusalem becomes bound to אֱלֹהִים - Elohim through relationship, not through ancestry.

Verses 9-14: Then washed I thee with water; yea, I cleansed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. 10. I clothed thee also with richly woven work, and shod thee with sealskin, and I wound fine linen about thy head, and covered thee with silk. 11. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. 12. And I put a ring upon thy nose, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head. 13. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and richly woven work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil; and thou didst wax exceeding beautiful, and thou wast meet for royal estate. 14. And thy renown went forth among the nations for thy beauty; for it was perfect, through My splendour which I had put upon thee, saith אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim.

Explanation: The woman is washed, clothed, adorned, and elevated to royalty. The description of garments, jewelry, and fine food symbolizes prosperity, culture, and national flourishing. The text emphasizes that her beauty becomes renowned among nations, yet this beauty is explicitly said to be “My splendor,” meaning it derives from Divine generosity, not inherent superiority.

Verses 15-19: But thou didst trust in thy beauty and play the harlot because of thy renown, and didst pour out thy harlotries on every one that passed by; his it was. 16. And thou didst take of thy garments, and didst make for thee high places decked with divers colours, and didst play the harlot upon them; the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so. 17. Thou didst also take thy fair jewels of My gold and of My silver, which I had given thee, and madest for thee images of men, and didst play the harlot with them; 18. and thou didst take thy richly woven garments and cover them, and didst set Mine oil and Mine incense before them. 19. My bread also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou didst even set it before them for a sweet savour, and thus it was; saith אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim.

Explanation: The turning point: she trusts in her beauty and uses her fame to engage in metaphorical “whoredom,” meaning political alliances and idolatrous practices. The gifts she received, ‘garments’, ‘jewels’, ‘oil’, ‘incense’, ‘bread’, were misused in service of foreign cults. The text stresses the inversion: what was given for holiness is redirected toward self‑destructive purposes.

Verses 20-21. Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto Me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Were thy harlotries a small matter, 21. that thou hast slain My children, and delivered them up, in setting them apart unto them?

Explanation: The metaphor intensifies: children are sacrificed to foreign gods. Ezekiel presents this as the ultimate betrayal, because the children are described as “My children.” The text emphasizes the horror by stating that these children were offered “to be devoured,” highlighting the brutality of the practice.

Verses 22-23: And in all thine abominations and thy harlotries thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast wallowing in thy blood. 23. And it came to pass after all thy wickedness woe, woe unto thee! saith אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim

Explanation: Despite all the Divine care, Jerusalem “did not remember the days of your youth.” Forgetfulness is not merely memory loss—it is moral ingratitude. The phrase “Woe, woe unto you” signals impending judgment.

Verses 24-25: that thou hast built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee a lofty place in every street. 25. Thou hast built thy lofty place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty an abomination, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy harlotries.

Explanation: The building of “high places” at every street corner refers to idolatrous shrines. The metaphor of spreading legs to every passerby is deliberately graphic, representing indiscriminate political and religious alliances. The text’s harshness is intentional: Ezekiel wants the audience to feel the severity of their actions.

Verses 26-27: Thou hast also played the harlot with the Egyptians, thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast multiplied thy harlotry, to provoke Me. 27. Behold, therefore I have stretched out My hand over thee, and have diminished thine allowance, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, that are ashamed of thy lewd way.

Explanation: Jerusalem “plays the harlot” with Egypt, symbolizing reliance on Egyptian power rather than on the covenant. As a result, אֱלֹהִים - Elohim “delivers” her to enemies and reduces her territory. The humiliation is political: alliances meant to provide security instead bring vulnerability.

Verses 28-29: Thou hast played the harlot also with the Assyrians, without having enough; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet thou wast not satisfied. 29. Thou hast moreover multiplied thy harlotry with the land of traffic, even with Chaldea; and yet thou didst not have enough herewith.

Explanation: The metaphor continues with Assyria and Chaldea. The pattern is compulsive: seeking foreign powers repeatedly, never satisfied. The text portrays this as addiction to dependence on external nations rather than trust in the covenantal relationship.

Verses 30-31: How weak is thy heart, saith אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of a wanton harlot; 31. in that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thy lofty place in every street; and hast not been as a harlot that enhanceth her hire.

Explanation: אֱלֹהִים - Elohim calls Jerusalem’s heart “weak,” not strong meaning morally unstable. Unlike a typical prostitute who receives payment, Jerusalem gives gifts to her lovers. This reverses the expected dynamic: instead of gaining advantage from alliances, she pays out resources and dignity.

Verses 32-34: Thou wife that committest adultery, that takest strangers instead of thy husband 33. to all harlots gifts are given; but thou hast given thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hast bribed them to come unto thee from every side in thy harlotries. 34. And the contrary is in thee from other women, in that thou didst solicit to harlotry, and wast not solicited; and in that thou givest hire, and no hire is given unto thee, thus thou art contrary.

Explanation: The metaphor is sharpened: Jerusalem is compared to an adulterous wife who seeks out partners and pays them. The point is not sexual but political and spiritual: the nation invests in alliances and cults that undermine its own stability.

Verse 35: Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of יְהוָה - the LORD!

Explanation: A formal proclamation begins: “Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of יְהוָה - the LORD”. This signals a shift from accusation to judgment.

Verse 36: Thus saith אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim: Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness uncovered through thy harlotries with thy lovers; and because of all the idols of thy abominations, and for the blood of thy children, that thou didst give unto them’”.

Explanation: The judgment begins by summarizing the charges: the misuse of gifts, the shedding of children’s blood, and the opening of the city to every foreign influence. The imagery of “filthiness” and “whoredoms” is symbolic of ‘moral and political corruption’.

This verse concludes Part One and prepares for the consequences that will unfold in Part Two.

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My Closing Message:

Ezekiel 16:1-36 is not a historical chronicle but a moral allegory. Its purpose is to confront a nation with the truth of its own behaviour. The text insists that prosperity is not self‑generated and that betrayal of foundational values leads to collapse. Yet even in its harshest passages, the chapter’s structure hints at a larger arc: if there is betrayal, there can also be restoration.

Part One ends at the moment of indictment. Part Two will move from judgment toward the surprising conclusion of the chapter, a conclusion that ultimately reaffirms covenantal endurance.

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Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following via several of our prophets...

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For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”

May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts, be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before food and drinks, etc!

שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!

Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

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