King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
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.
Complete Jewish Bible:
You built your high places at every streetcorner, turning your beauty into an abomination, spreading your legs for every passer-by, and multiplying your acts of fornication.
Berean Standard Bible:
At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty. With increasing promiscuity, you spread your legs to all who passed by.
American Standard Version:
Thou hast built thy lofty place at the head of every way, and hast made thy beauty an abomination, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredom.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Thou hast built{H1129} thy high place{H7413} at every head{H7218} of the way{H1870}, and hast made thy beauty{H3308} to be abhorred{H8581}, and hast opened{H6589} thy feet{H7272} to every one that passed by{H5674}, and multiplied{H7235} thy whoredoms{H8457}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Jeremiah 3:2
- Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.
Ezekiel 16:31
- 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;
Revelation 17:16
- And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Jeremiah 6:15
- Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time [that] I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
Proverbs 9:14
- For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
Proverbs 9:15
- To call passengers who go right on their ways:
Genesis 38:14
- And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which [is] by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.
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Commentary for Ezekiel 16:25
Ezekiel 16:25 is a part of a larger prophetic oracle found in Ezekiel 16, where the prophet Ezekiel uses a metaphor to depict Jerusalem as an abandoned infant who is rescued and raised by the Lord, only to become a promiscuous and unfaithful wife. In this metaphor, Jerusalem is personified as a woman who engages in prostitution, symbolizing the city's idolatry and unfaithfulness to God.
The verse specifically condemns Jerusalem for erecting "high places" – sites of pagan worship – at every crossroad. These high places were associated with the worship of foreign gods and were a direct violation of the Mosaic Law, which demanded exclusive loyalty to Yahweh. By doing so, Jerusalem is accused of making her "beauty to be abhorred," indicating that her spiritual unfaithfulness has led to moral corruption, making her repulsive in God's eyes. Furthermore, the phrase "opened thy feet to every one that passed by" is a euphemism for promiscuity, suggesting that Jerusalem has offered herself to any foreign influence or power that came along, thus "multiplying whoredoms" or acts of idolatry and political alliances that were seen as spiritual adultery against God.
The historical context of this verse is set during the Babylonian exile, a period when many Jews were taken into captivity in Babylon. Ezekiel, who was among the exiles, addresses the moral and spiritual failures that led to the downfall of Jerusalem and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The verse reflects the deep theological conviction that the nation's misfortunes were a direct result of its infidelity to the covenant with God, and it serves as a stern warning to the people to repent and return to faithful worship of the one true God.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1129
There are 345 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּנָה
Transliteration: bânâh
Pronunciation: baw-naw'
Description: a primitive root; to build (literally and figuratively); (begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely. - Strong's Number: H7413
There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָמָה
Transliteration: râmâh
Pronunciation: raw-maw'
Description: feminine active participle of רוּם; a height (as a seat of idolatry); high place. - Strong's Number: H7218
There are 548 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רֹאשׁ
Transliteration: rôʼsh
Pronunciation: roshe
Description: from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.); band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top. - Strong's Number: H1870
There are 627 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דֶּרֶךְ
Transliteration: derek
Pronunciation: deh'-rek
Description: from דָּרַךְ; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb; along, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever). - Strong's Number: H3308
There are 19 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יֳפִי
Transliteration: yŏphîy
Pronunciation: yof-ee'
Description: from יָפָה; beauty; beauty. - Strong's Number: H8581
There are 20 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: תַּעָב
Transliteration: taʻâb
Pronunciation: taw-ab'
Description: a primitive root; to loathe, i.e. (morally) detest; (make to be) abhor(-red), (be, commit more, do) abominable(-y), [idiom] utterly. - Strong's Number: H6589
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פָּשַׂק
Transliteration: pâsaq
Pronunciation: paw-sak'
Description: a primitive root; to dispart (the feet or lips), i.e. become licentious; open (wide). - Strong's Number: H7272
There are 232 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רֶגֶל
Transliteration: regel
Pronunciation: reh'-gel
Description: from רָגַל; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda; [idiom] be able to endure, [idiom] according as, [idiom] after, [idiom] coming, [idiom] follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), [idiom] great toe, [idiom] haunt, [idiom] journey, leg, [phrase] piss, [phrase] possession, time. - Strong's Number: H5674
There are 493 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָבַר
Transliteration: ʻâbar
Pronunciation: aw-bar'
Description: a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation); alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) [phrase] proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, [phrase] raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, [phrase] shave, cause to (make) sound, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath. - Strong's Number: H7235
There are 211 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָבָה
Transliteration: râbâh
Pronunciation: raw-baw'
Description: a primitive root; to increase (in whatever respect); (bring in) abundance ([idiom] -antly), [phrase] archer (by mistake for רָבַב), be in authority, bring up, [idiom] continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, [idiom] -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have, make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more (in number), (ask, be, be so, gather, over, take, yield) much (greater, more), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty(-eous), [idiom] process (of time), sore, store, thoroughly, very. - Strong's Number: H8457
There are 19 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: תַּזְנוּת
Transliteration: taznûwth
Pronunciation: taz-nooth'
Description: or תַּזְנֻת; from זָנָה; harlotry, i.e. (figuratively) idolatry; fornication, whoredom.