1.

Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .

2.

Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,

Son of man. See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .
Jerusalem is the subject of this chapter by interpretation. Note the Figure of speech Prosbpographia ( App-6 ). Not the nation as such. By application, the reader may, by grace, refer it to himself.

3.

And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.

the Lord GOD. Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah . See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .
birth , &c. = excisions and kinships. Compare Isaiah 61:1 . Only other occurrences, Ezekiel 21:30 ; Ezekiel 29:14 .
thy father , &c. i.e. thy founder. This refers to the first builders of Jebus; not to Abraham and his seed. Jebus was a Canaanite city. See App-68 . Thus Satan occupied in advance both land and capital as soon as the promise to Abraham was known. See App-23 and App-26 .

4.

And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.

to supple = to cleanse.
salted : i.e., rubbed, or washed with salt. This is the custom in the Land to = day.

5.

None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.

person = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
in the day. See App-18 .

6.

And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.

when. This word is not in the Hebrew text.
polluted = trodden under foot. Referring to the city, of course.
when thou . . . blood , &c. Note the Figure of speech Epizeneia ( App-6 ), for emphasis. Canaanite cities were founded in blood, as proved to-day by human sacrifices discovered on the foundations. See note on s Kings Eze 9:15-17 .

7.

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.

hast increased = didst increase. This does not refer to the increase in Egypt, but to the city. All the tenses in this verse should be past tenses.
fashioned = developed.

8.

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.

behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
thy . . . thee : i.e. the city. Not the nation at Sinai,
thy time , &c. Of this covenant nothing has been recorded. The secret is here first revealed.
I spread My skirt , he. The symbolic act to-day, signifying the taking under one's protection. Common in the East for marrying. Compare Ruth 3:9 .
saith the Lord God [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle.

9.

Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.

10.

I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.

badgers' skin . Similarly so used to present day. Reference to Pentateuch Exodus 25:5 , Exodus 26:14 .Numbers 4:6 . App-92 . Occurs elsewhere, only here no reference to the tabernacle.

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 jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.

on thy forehead = in thy nose. Referring to the decorations, &c., of the city after being occupied by David.

13.

Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.

fine flour, &c. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), App-6 , for all kinds of delicacies,
exceeding beautiful . Hebrew. me od meod. Figure of speech Epiz euxis ( App-6 ), thus well rendered.
a kingdom. Hence the expression, "Judah and Jerusalem", the latter being reckoned as a separate kingdom.

14.

And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.

heathen = nations.

15.

But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.

trust = confide . Hebrew. batah . App-69 .
playedst the harlot. All these expressions that follow are to be interpreted of idolatry, and not to sins of the flesh, to which they are likened.
fornications : i.e. idolatrous acts.

16.

And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.

the like things. Supply the Ellipsis better thus: "thereupon: [saying] they (the curses) come not, and it (the threatened judgment) will not be. "

17.

Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

of men = of the male: i.e. the Phallus, referring to the Asherah. See App-42 .
whoredom = idolatry.
them = i.e. these images.

18.

And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them.

19.

My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD.

meat . Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), App-6 , for all kinds of food.
for a sweet savour. Reference to Pentateuch. A legal phrase, found only in Ezekiel outside the Pentateuch. But in Ezekiel four times: via Ezekiel 6:13 ; Ezekiel 16:19 ; Ezekiel 20:28 , Ezekiel 20:41 . See notes on Genesis 8:21 .Leviticus 1:9 . App-92 .
thus it was = [so] it became.

20.

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. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter,

sacrificed, &c. As offerings to idols. Compare Ezekiel 16:36 ; Ezekiel 20:26 , Ezekiel 20:31 ; Ezekiel 23:39 . 2 Kings 16:3 .Psalms 106:37 , Psalms 106:38 . Isaiah 57:5 .Jeremiah 7:31 ; Jeremiah 32:35 , &c.
whoredoms = idolatries. See notes on Ezekiel 16:15 .

21.

That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?

slain My children . See note on Ezekiel 16:20 , above. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 18:21 ). App-92 .
children = sons.

22.

And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood.

abominations . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for that which Jehovah abominated,
polluted = wallowing, or weltering.

23.

And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saith the Lord GOD;)

wickedness. Hebrew. ra'a' . App-44 .
woe, woe . Note the Figures of speech Cataplace and Epiaeuxie ( App-6 ), for emphasis.

24.

That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street.

eminent places = brothel house. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), App-6 , for the idol's temple.

25.

Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.

26.

Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger.

27.

Behold, therefore I have stretched out my hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way.

I have stretched out My hand, &c. Reference to Petit. (Exodus 7:19 , &c.) App-92 .
over = against.
ordinary food = allowance. Referring to food as measured out to captives or slaves.
will = desire. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .

28.

Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied.

great of flesh = lustful. Referring to their idolatries.

29.

Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith.

unto Chaldea = Assyrian idolatry as well as Egyptian (Ezekiel 16:26 ). See the Structure, above.

30.

How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord GOD, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman;

imperious = headstrong, or without shame.
woman = wife. Compare Ezekiel 16:32 .

31.

In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire;

hire . See note on "reward", Ezekiel 16:34 .

32.

But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband!

But as = [Thou halt been].

33.

They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom.

give gifts = give fees.
gifts = presents.
hirest = bribest.

34.

And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary.

reward = hire. Used especially for the hire of fornication. Hebrew. ethnan . Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 23:18 ). App-92 . Used outside the Pentateuch only in Ezekiel 16:31 (hire), Ezekiel 16:33 , Ezekiel 16:41 .Isaiah 23:17 (hire), Isaiah 23:18 (hire). Hosea 9:1 (reward). Micah 1:7 (hire).

35.

Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:

harlot = idolatress.

36.

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;

filthiness . Hebrew = brass. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 ,
for money's worth : i.e. the money of the brothel. See Ezekiel 16:31 .
idols = manufactured gods.
and by = even as.

37.

Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.

gather = gather out.

38.

And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.

as = with the judgments meted out to: i.e. by death (Leviticus 20:20 . 2 John 1:8; 2 John 1:82 John 1:8 :5 ). Compare Genesis 38:24 .

39.

And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.

40.

They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.

a company = a military host.

41.

And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more.

women : i. e idolaters, or idolatrous cities.

42.

So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.

43.

Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord GOD: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.

fretted Me = chafed at Me: i.e. at my laws. Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate read "enraged Me". thou shalt not, &c.: i.e. I will not allow this greatest evil by suffering it to go unpunished, and thus conniving at it (referring to Leviticus 19:29 . App-92 .

44.

Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.

proverb = derisive proverb. Figure of speech Paroemia. App-6 .

45.

Thou art thy mother's daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

46.

And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.

thine elder: or, thy greater.
daughters. Put by Figure of speech Prosopopoeia ( App-6 ), for villages or neighbouring towns.
younger : or, lesser.

47.

Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways.

as if that were . . . thing . The Ellipsis is wrongly supplied. See further note
a very little = a very little time, or quickly. See note on "almost" (Proverbs 5:14 ).

48.

As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.

as thou hast done. Sodom does not mean Jerusalem here, but it refers to the Sodom of Genesis 19 . Sodom had not Jerusalem's privileges: hence her transgression was less. Compare Ezekiel 16:46 , and Matthew 11:20-24 .

49.

Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

was = came to be.
abundance of = luxurious: i.e. security of ease. Compare Deuteronomy 11:21 .

50.

And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.

as I saw good. Some codices read "when I saw it", with margin "as thou sawest". Better to omit "good". Compare Genesis 18:21 .
as = according to what.

51.

Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.

sins . Hebrew. chata'. App-44 .
they : i.e. Samaria and Sodom,

52.

Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.

are = will prove.
more righteous. See note on Ezekiel 16:49 .
sisters. Samaria and Sodom.

53.

When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:

When I : or, When therefore I.
bring again their captivity = restorethem; referring not to any return of captives, but to a restoration of prosperity. See notes on Deuteronomy 30:3 , Job 42:10 . Psalms 126:1 .
Sodom . If the waters of the Dead Sea are to be healed, there is no reason why there should not be a restoration as here stated. Compare Ezekiel 47:8 . Zechariah 14:8 .
will I bring again . Aramaean, Septuagint, and Vulgate read these words in the text.

54.

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.

55.

When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.

56.

For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride,

57.

Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about.

discovered = unveiled.
as at the time of thy . Septuagint and Vulgate read "as now [thou] art". Compare Ezekiel 23:43 .
Syria . Hebrew. aram. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read " adam " = men (Daleth = D), being road for Resh = R).

58.

Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 . Some codices, with three early printed editions, read " Adonai ". App-4 .

59.

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.

oath . . . covenant. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 29:12 , Deuteronomy 29:14 ). These words are thus found together here, and in Ezekiel 17:13 , Ezekiel 17:16 , Ezekiel 17:18 , Ezekiel 17:19 ; but nowhere else in Scripture.

60.

Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.

everlasting covenant . See notes on Genesis 9:16 and lsa. Ezekiel 44:7 .

61.

Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.

62.

And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD:

63.

That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.

am pacified toward thee = have accepted a propitiatory covering for thee.