Ezekiel 16:15

¶ 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.

But thou didst trust {H982} in thine own beauty {H3308}, and playedst the harlot {H2181} because of thy renown {H8034}, and pouredst out {H8210} thy fornications {H8457} on every one that passed by {H5674}; his it was.

"'But you put your trust in your own beauty and began prostituting yourself because of your fame, soliciting everyone passing by and accepting all comers.

But because of your fame, you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot. You lavished your favors on everyone who passed by, and your beauty was theirs for the asking.

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

Commentary

Ezekiel 16:15 is a powerful verse from a highly allegorical chapter, where God, through the prophet Ezekiel, graphically depicts Jerusalem's spiritual unfaithfulness. The passage uses the vivid imagery of an abandoned infant girl, rescued and raised by God Himself, who then grows into a beautiful woman, but tragically turns to prostitution. This verse specifically condemns Jerusalem's pride and extensive idolatry, portraying it as spiritual harlotry.

Context

Chapter 16 of Ezekiel is an extended parable detailing God's unwavering faithfulness to Israel (represented by Jerusalem) despite her profound betrayal. God recounts how He found Jerusalem abandoned and helpless (Ezekiel 16:6), cleaned her, clothed her in splendor, and adorned her with jewels, making her exceedingly beautiful and renowned among the nations (Ezekiel 16:13-14). However, instead of remaining devoted to the Lord who blessed her, Jerusalem used this very beauty and renown—which were gifts from God—to engage in widespread spiritual adultery. This refers to her turning away from the one true God to worship pagan idols and form illicit political alliances with surrounding nations, effectively "playing the harlot" with every passerby.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Adultery and Idolatry: The primary theme is Jerusalem's unfaithfulness to her covenant with God, depicted as the ultimate betrayal of a marriage vow. She worshipped false gods and relied on foreign alliances instead of the Lord.
  • Pride and Self-Reliance: The phrase "thou didst trust in thine own beauty" highlights Jerusalem's arrogance. She attributed her prosperity and renown to herself or other nations, rather than acknowledging them as blessings from God. This pride led her away from divine dependence.
  • Widespread Unfaithfulness: "Pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by" emphasizes the indiscriminate and pervasive nature of Jerusalem's idolatry and political compromises. Her spiritual infidelity was not isolated but openly displayed and offered to all.
  • Broken Covenant: At its core, this verse speaks to the violation of the special relationship God established with Israel, akin to a marriage covenant (Jeremiah 3:8, Isaiah 54:5).

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "playedst the harlot" and "fornications" is zanah (זָנָה), which literally means "to commit fornication" or "to be a harlot." In prophetic literature like Ezekiel, it is almost universally used metaphorically to describe Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness to God through idolatry or alliances with pagan nations. The "beauty" (Hebrew: yophi, יֹפִי) refers to the splendor and glory God had bestowed upon Jerusalem, making her desirable, which she then shamefully misused.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 16:15 serves as a powerful warning for believers today:

  • Beware of Pride: It cautions against trusting in our own strengths, accomplishments, or even the blessings God has given us, rather than in God Himself. When we take credit for what God has done or rely on our own resources, we fall into a form of spiritual pride.
  • Guard Against Spiritual Compromise: The "harlotry" represents any turning away from God, whether through direct idolatry, seeking security in worldly systems, or allowing anything to take His rightful place in our hearts. We must be vigilant against the allure of the world that seeks to draw our allegiance away from Christ.
  • Value God's Grace: The passage underscores the immense grace God showed Jerusalem. Similarly, we are reminded of God's undeserved favor in our lives and the need to respond with unwavering devotion, rather than misusing His blessings for unholy purposes.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 16:25

    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.

  • Isaiah 57:8

    Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered [thyself to another] than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee [a covenant] with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest [it].

  • Jeremiah 2:20

    ¶ For of old time I have broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

  • Ezekiel 23:3

    And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.

  • Jeremiah 7:4

    Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, [are] these.

  • Isaiah 1:21

    ¶ How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

  • Ezekiel 23:8

    Neither left she her whoredoms [brought] from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her.