Ezekiel 16:16

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].

And of thy garments {H899} thou didst take {H3947}, and deckedst {H6213} thy high places {H1116} with divers colours {H2921}, and playedst the harlot {H2181} thereupon: the like things shall not come {H935}, neither shall it be so.

You took your clothes and used them to decorate with bright colors the high places you made for yourself, and there you continued prostituting yourself. Such things shouldn't happen, and in the future they won't.

You took some of your garments and made colorful high places for yourself, and on them you prostituted yourself. Such things should not have happened; never should they have occurred!

And thou didst take of thy garments, and madest for thee high places decked with divers colors, and playedst the harlot upon them: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.

Ezekiel 16:16 KJV is a powerful and poignant verse within a larger prophetic allegory where God describes Jerusalem (representing Israel) as a foundling girl He rescued, raised, adorned, and married, only for her to become an unfaithful harlot.

Context

Chapter 16 of Ezekiel is a detailed, graphic indictment of Jerusalem's spiritual adultery and idolatry. God recounts how He found Israel in a desolate state (Ezekiel 16:6), brought her into a covenant relationship (Ezekiel 16:8), and lavished her with blessings, beauty, and riches, symbolized by fine clothing, jewels, and exquisite adornment (Ezekiel 16:10-14). Verse 16 highlights the depth of her betrayal: taking these very gifts from God and using them to facilitate her idolatrous practices on the high places.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Adultery and Idolatry: The core theme is Israel's profound unfaithfulness to God, depicted as a wife playing the harlot. They turned away from the one true God to worship pagan deities.
  • Misuse of Divine Blessings: Israel used the prosperity and resources God had given them (symbolized by "thy garments") to adorn and engage in pagan worship on "high places." This is a severe indictment, showing a profound disrespect and perversion of God's grace.
  • Unprecedented Depravity: The phrase "[the like things] shall not come, neither shall it be [so]" emphasizes the extreme and unparalleled nature of Jerusalem's spiritual perversion. It suggests that such a profound betrayal, especially after receiving so much from God, was shockingly unheard of among nations.

Linguistic Insights

The term "high places" (Hebrew: bamot) refers to elevated altars or shrines, often associated with Canaanite fertility cults and child sacrifice, which Israel adopted despite God's clear commands against them (Deuteronomy 12:2-3). The imagery of "playing the harlot" (Hebrew: zanah) is consistently used in the Old Testament to describe Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness and idolatry, equating it to prostitution against their covenant husband, Yahweh.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a stark warning about the dangers of spiritual complacency and idolatry in any form. It challenges us to examine:

  • How we use our blessings: Are the resources, talents, and prosperity God has given us being used for His glory, or are they being subtly (or overtly) diverted to serve selfish desires, worldly pursuits, or anything that takes precedence over Him?
  • The nature of our worship: Is our worship pure and directed solely towards God, or have we incorporated elements that dilute our devotion or compromise our spiritual integrity? The call to serve God alone remains timeless.
  • The severity of unfaithfulness: God takes spiritual unfaithfulness seriously. This passage reminds us that He is a jealous God who desires exclusive devotion from His people (Exodus 34:14).

Ultimately, Ezekiel 16:16 underscores the profound sorrow and anger of God when His beloved people betray His covenant and desecrate His gifts through idolatry.

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.

  • 2 Kings 23:7

    And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that [were] by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

  • Hosea 2:8

    For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, [which] they prepared for Baal.

  • Ezekiel 7:20

    As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations [and] of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them.

  • 2 Chronicles 28:24

    And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back