Ezekiel 16:14

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.

And thy renown {H8034} went forth {H3318} among the heathen {H1471} for thy beauty {H3308}: for it was perfect {H3632} through my comeliness {H1926}, which I had put {H7760} upon thee, saith {H5002} the Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}.

Your fame spread among the nations because of your beauty, because it was perfect, due to my having bestowed my own splendor on you' says Adonai ELOHIM.

Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect in the splendor I bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD.

And thy renown went forth among the nations for thy beauty; for it was perfect, through my majesty which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Ezekiel 16:14 is part of a powerful and extended allegory in which God describes His relationship with Jerusalem (representing Israel) as a foundling child He raised, nurtured, and adorned, only for her to later betray Him through idolatry and alliances. This specific verse highlights the pinnacle of Jerusalem's glory and renown among the nations.

Historical and Cultural Context

In Ezekiel 16, God uses vivid imagery to recount Israel's history, starting from her pagan origins (verse 3) and portraying His divine intervention as a loving act of rescue and adoption. He describes washing, clothing, and adorning Jerusalem with precious jewels and fine garments, elevating her status among the nations. This verse, Ezekiel 16:14, describes the culmination of this divine beautification, where Jerusalem's fame for her beauty spread far and wide, not because of any inherent quality, but solely due to God's lavish care and the covenant He established with her. This period likely refers to the reigns of David and Solomon, when the Israelite kingdom reached its zenith of power, wealth, and influence.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Grace and Adornment: The verse unequivocally states that Jerusalem's "perfect" beauty and "renown" were entirely "through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee." This underscores God's active role as the source of all Israel's blessings, prosperity, and spiritual standing. It emphasizes that any glory or advantage Israel possessed was a direct gift from God, a testament to His unmerited favor.
  • Israel's Exalted Status: God made Israel famous and respected among the "heathen" (surrounding Gentile nations). This renown was a demonstration of God's power and faithfulness to His chosen people, showcasing His glory through them. This echoes promises of Israel being a blessing to the nations, as seen in the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:3).
  • The Source of True Beauty: The passage teaches that true beauty and perfection, especially spiritual, do not originate from within but are bestowed by God. It sets the stage for the tragic irony of the subsequent verses, where Jerusalem forgets the source of her blessings and uses her divinely-given splendor for unholy purposes (Ezekiel 16:15).

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated "comeliness" is הָדָר (hadar), which signifies splendor, majesty, glory, or honor. It is often used to describe God's own majesty (e.g., Psalm 104:1). The use of this word here emphasizes that God did not just make Jerusalem beautiful in a worldly sense, but He imparted a measure of His own divine glory and splendor upon her, making her beauty "perfect" in His eyes and in the eyes of the nations.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a profound reminder for believers today:

  1. Humility in Blessings: All true beauty, talent, success, or spiritual strength we possess comes from God. We are merely recipients of His grace and "comeliness." This should foster deep humility and prevent pride (1 Corinthians 4:7).
  2. Giving God the Glory: When we experience favor, success, or spiritual growth, the renown should ultimately point back to God, the source of all good things. Our lives should reflect His glory, not our own.
  3. Spiritual Adornment: Just as God adorned Jerusalem, He also adorns believers with spiritual gifts, righteousness (often described as "garments" in Scripture), and the beauty of holiness (Isaiah 61:10). This internal beauty, cultivated by God, is far more valuable than outward appearance.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Lamentations 2:15

    All that pass by clap [their] hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, [saying, Is] this the city that [men] call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

  • 1 Kings 10:24

    And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:7

    ¶ For who maketh thee to differ [from another]? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive [it], why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received [it]?

  • Deuteronomy 4:6

    Keep therefore and do [them]; for this [is] your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation [is] a wise and understanding people.

  • Deuteronomy 4:8

    And what nation [is there so] great, that hath statutes and judgments [so] righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

  • Joshua 9:6

    And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.

  • Joshua 9:9

    And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,

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