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Commentary on Ezekiel 16 verses 15–34
In these verses we have an account of the great wickedness of the people of Israel, especially in worshipping idols, notwithstanding the great favours that God had conferred upon them, by which, one would think, they should have been for ever engaged to him. This wickedness of theirs is here represented by the lewd and scandalous conversation of that beautiful maid which was rescued from ruin, brought up and well provided for by a kind friend and benefactor, that had been in all respects as a father and a husband to her. Their idolatry was the great provoking sin that they were guilty of; it began in the latter end of Solomon's time (for from Samuel's till then I do not remember that we read any thing of it), and thenceforward continued more or less the crying sin of that nation till the captivity; and, though it now and then met with some check from the reforming kings, yet it was never totally suppressed, and for the most part appeared to a high degree impudent and barefaced. They not only worshipped the true God by images, as the ten tribes by the calves at Dan and Bethel, but they worshipped false gods, Baal and Moloch, and all the senseless rabble of the pagan deities.
This is that which is here all along represented (as often elsewhere) under the similitude of whoredom and adultery, 1. Because it is the violation of a marriage-covenant with God, forsaking him and embracing the bosom of a stranger; it is giving that affection and that service to his rivals which are due to him alone. 2. Because it is the corrupting and defiling of the mind, and the enslaving of the spiritual part of the man, and subjecting it to the power and dominion of sense, as whoredom is. 3. Because it debauches the conscience, sears and hardens it; and those who by their idolatries dishonour the divine nature, and change the truth of God into a lie and his glory into shame, God justly punishes by giving them over to a reprobate mind, to dishonour the human nature with vile affections, Rom 1:23, etc. It is a besotting bewitching sin; and, when men are given up to it, they seldom recover themselves out of the snare. 4. Because it is a shameful scandalous sin for those that have joined themselves to the Lord to join themselves to an idol. Now observe here,
I. What were the causes of this sin. How came the people of God to be drawn away to the service of idols? How came a virgin so well taught, so well educated, to be debauched? Who would have thought it? But, 1. They grew proud (Eze 16:15): "Thou trustedst to thy beauty, and didst expect that that should make thee an interest, and didst play the harlot because of thy renown." They thought, because they were so complimented and admired by their neighbours, that, further to ingratiate themselves with them and return their compliments, they must join with them in their worship and conform to their usages. Solomon admitted idolatry, to gratify his wives and their relations. Note, Abundance of young people are ruined by pride and particularly pride in their beauty. Rara est concordia formae atque pudicitiae - Beauty and chastity are seldom associated 2. They forgot their beginning (Eze 16:22) "Thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, how poor, and mean, and despicable thou wast, and what great things God did for thee and what lasting obligations he laid upon thee thereby." Note, It should be an effectual check to our pride and sensuality to consider what we are and how much we are beholden to the free grace of God. 3. They were weak in understanding and in resolution (Eze 16:30): How weak is thy heart, seeing thou dost all these things. Note, The strength of men's lusts is an evidence of the weakness of their hearts; they have no acquaintance with themselves, nor government of themselves. She is weak, and yet an imperious whorish woman. Note, Those that are most foolish are commonly most imperious, and think themselves fit to manage others when they are far from being able to manage themselves.
II. What were the particulars of it. 1. They worshipped all the idols that came in their way, all that they were ever courted to the worship of; they were at the beck of all their neighbours (Eze 16:15): Thou pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. They were ready to close with every temptation of this kind, though ever so absurd. No foreign idol could be imported, no new god invented, but they were ready to catch at it, as a common trumpet that prostitutes herself to all comers and multiplies her whoredoms, Eze 16:25. Thus some common drunkards will be company for every one that puts up the finger to them; how weak are the hearts of such! 2. They adorned their idol-temples, and groves, and high places, with the fine rich clothing that God had given them (Eze 16:16, Eze 16:18): Thou deckedst thy high places with divers colours, with the coats of divers colours, like Joseph's, which God had given them as particular marks of his favour, and hast played the harlot (that is, worshipped idols) thereupon. Of this he saith, "The like things shall not come, neither shall it be so; that is, this is a thing by no means to be suffered; I will never endure such practices as these without showing my resentments." 3. They made images for worship of the jewels which God had given them (Eze 16:17): The jewels of my gold and my silver which I had given thee. Note, It is God that gives us our gold and silver; the products of trade, of art and industry, are the gifts of God's providence to us, as well as the fruits of the earth. And what God gives us the use of he still retains a property in. "It is my silver and my gold, though I have given it to thee." It is his still, so that we ought to serve and honour him with it, and are accountable to him for the disposal of it. Every penny has God's image upon it as well as Caesar's. Should we make our silver and gold, our plate, money, and jewels, the matter of our pride and contention, our covetousness and prodigality, if we duly considered that they were God's silver and his gold? The Israelites began betimes to turn their jewels into idols, when Aaron made the golden calf of their earrings. 4. They served their idols with the good things which God gave them for their own use and to serve him with (Eze 16:18): "Thou hast set my oil and my incense before the, upon their altars, as perfumes to these dunghill-deities; my meat, and fine flour, and oil, and that honey which Canaan flowed with, and wherewith I fed thee, thou hast regaled them and their hungry priests with, hast made an offering of it to them for a sweet savour, to purify them, and procure acceptance with them: and thus it was, saith the Lord God; it is too plain to be denied, too bad to be excused. These things thou hast done. He that knows all things knows it." See how fond they were of their idols, that they would part with that which was given them for the necessary subsistence of themselves and their families to honour them with, which may shame our niggardliness and strait-handedness in the service of the true and living God. 5. They had sacrificed their children to their idols. This is insisted upon here, and often elsewhere, as one of the worst instances of their idolatry, as indeed there was none in which the devil triumphed so much over the children of men, both their natural reason and their natural affection, as in this (see Jer 7:31; Jer 19:5; Jer 32:35): Thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, and not only made them to pass through the fire, or between two fires, in token of their being dedicated to Moloch, but thou hast sacrificed them to be devoured, Eze 16:20. Never was there such an instance of the degenerating of the paternal authority into the most barbarous tyranny as this was. Yet that was not the worst of it: it was an irreparable wrong to God himself, who challenged a special property in their children more than in their gold and silver and their meat: They are my children (Eze 16:21), the sons and daughters which thou hast borne unto me, Eze 16:20. He is the Father of spirits, and rational souls are in a particular manner his; and therefore the taking away of life, human life, unjustly, is a high affront to the God of life. But the children of Israelites were his by a further right; they were the children of the covenant, born in God's house. He had said to Abraham, I will be a God to thee and to thy seed; they had the seal of the covenant in their flesh from eight days old; they were to bear God's name, and keep up his church; to murder them was in the highest degree inhuman, but to murder them in honour of an idol was in the highest degree impious. One cannot think of it without the utmost indignation: to see the pitiless hands of the parents shedding the guiltless blood of their own children, and by offering those pieces of themselves to the devil for buying sacrifices openly avowing the offering up of themselves to him for living sacrifices! How absurd was this, that the children which were born to God should be sacrificed to devils! Note, The children of parents that are members of the visible church are to be looked upon as born unto God, and his children,; as such, and under that character, we are to love them, and pray for them, bring them up for him, and, if he calls for them, cheerfully part with them to him; for may he not do what he will with his own? Upon this instance of their idolatry, which indeed ought not to pass without a particular brand, this remark is made (Eze 16:20), Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter? which intimates that there were those who made a small matter of it, and turned it into a jest. Note, There is no sin so heinous, so apparently heinous, which men of profligate consciences will not make a mock at. But is whoredom, is spiritual whoredom, a small matter? Is it a small matter for men to make their children brutes and the devil their god? It will be a great matter shortly. 6. They built temples in honour of their idols, that others might be invited to resort thither and join with them in the worship of their idols: "After all thy wickedness of this kind committed in private, for which, woe, woe, unto thee" (that comes in in a sad parenthesis, denoting those to be in a woeful condition who are going on in sin, and giving them warning in time, if they would but take it), "thou hast at length arrived at such a pitch of impudence as to proclaim it; thou hast long had a whore's heart, but now thou hast come to have a whore's forehead, and canst not blush," Eze 16:23-35. Thou hast built there an eminent place, a brothel-house (so the margin reads it), and such their idol temples were. Thou hast made for thyself a high place, for one idol or other, in every street, and at every head of the way; and again Eze 16:31. They did all they could to seduce and debauch others, and to spread the contagion, by making the temptations to idolatry as strong as possibly they could; and hereby the ringleaders in idolatry did but make themselves vile, and even those that had courted them to it, finding themselves outdone by them, began to be surfeited with the abundance and violence of their idolatries: Thou hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, even by those that had admired it. The Jewish nation, by leaving their own God, and doting on the gods of the nations round about them, had made themselves mean and despicable in the eyes even of their heathen neighbours; much more was their beauty abhorred by all that were wise and good, and had any concern for the honour of God and religion. Note, Those shame themselves that bring a reproach on their profession. And justly will that beauty, that excellency, at length be made the object of the loathing of others which men have made the matter of their own pride.
III. What were the aggravations of this sin.
1.They were fond of the idols of those nations which had been their oppressors and persecutors. As, (1.) The Egyptians. They were a people notorious for idolatry, and for the most sottish senseless idolatries; they had of old abused Israel by their barbarous dealings, and of late by their treacherous dealings - were always either cruel or false to them; and yet so infatuated were they that they committed fornication with the Egyptians their neighbours, not only by joining with them in their idolatries, but by entering into leagues and alliances with them, and depending upon them for help in their straits, which was an adulterous departure from God. (2.) The Assyrians. They had also been vexatious to Israel: "And yet thou hast played the whore with them (Eze 16:28); though they lived at a greater distance, yet thou hast entertained their idols and their superstitious usages, and so hast multiplied thy fornications unto Chaldea, hast borrowed images of gods, patterns of altars, rites of sacrificing, and one foolery or other of that kind, from that remote country, that enemy's country, and hast imported them into the land of Canaan, enfranchised and established them there." Thus Mr. George Herbert long since foretold, or feared at least,
That Seine shall swallow Tiber, and the Thames
By letting in them both pollute her streams.
2.They had been under the rebukes of Providence for their sins, and yet they persisted in them (Eze 16:27): I have stretched out my hand over thee, to threaten and frighten thee. So God did before he laid his hand upon them to ruin and destroy them; and that is his usual method, to try to bring men to repentance first by less judgments. He did so here. Before he brought such a famine upon them as broke the staff of bread he diminished their ordinary food, but them short before he cut them off. When the overplus is abused, it is just with God to diminish that which is for necessity. Before he delivered them to the Chaldeans to be destroyed he delivered them to the daughters of the Philistines to be ridiculed for their idolatries; for they hated them, and, though they were idolaters themselves, yet were ashamed of the lewd way of the Israelites, who had grown more profane in their idolatries than any of their neighbours, who changed their gods, whereas other nations did not change theirs, Jer 2:10, Jer 2:11. For this they were justly chastised by the Philistines. Or it may refer to the inroads which the Philistines made upon the south of Judah in the reign of Ahaz, by which it was weakened and impoverished, and which was the beginning of sorrows to them (Ch2 28:18); but they did not take warning by those judgments, and therefore were justly abandoned to ruin at last. Note, In the account which impenitent sinners shall be called to they will be told not only of the mercies for which they have been ungrateful, but of the afflictions under which they have been incorrigible, Amo 4:11.
3.They were insatiable in their spiritual whoredom: Thou couldst not be satisfied, Eze 16:28 and again Eze 16:29. When they had multiplied their idols and superstitious usages beyond measure, yet still they were enquiring after new gods and new fashions in worship. Those that in sincerity join themselves to the true God find enough in him for their satisfaction; and, though they still desire more of God, yet they never desire more than God. But those that forsake this living fountain for broken cisterns will find themselves soon surfeited, but never satisfied; they have soon enough of the gods they have, and are still enquiring after more.
4.They were at great expense with their idolatry, and laid out a great deal of wealth in purchasing patterns of images and altars, and hiring priests to attend upon them from other countries. Harlots generally had their hire; but this impudent adulteress, instead of being hired to serve idols, hired idols to protect her and accept her homage. This is much insisted on, Eze 16:31-34. "In this respect the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms: others are courted, but thou makest court to those that do not follow thee, art fond of making leagues and alliances with those heathen nations that despise thee; others have gifts given them, but thou givest thy gifts, the gifts which God had graciously given thee, to thy idols; herein thou art like a wife that commits adultery, not for gain, as harlots do, but entirely for the sin's sake." Note, Spiritual lusts, those of the mind, such as theirs after idols were, are often as strong and impetuous as any carnal lusts are. And it is a great aggravation of sin when men are their own tempters, and, instead of proposing to themselves any worldly advantage by their sin, are at great expense with it; such are transgressors without cause (Psa 25:3), wicked transgressors indeed.
And now is not Jerusalem in all this made to know her abominations? For what greater abominations could she be guilty of than these? Here we may see with wonder and horror what the corrupt nature of men is when God leaves them to themselves, yea, though they have the greatest advantages to be better and do better. And the way of sin is down-hill. Nitimur in vetitum - We incline to what is forbidden.
The golden and silver vase, the censers, the cups and the rest of that kind we have in the holy Scriptures. But when we turn the meaning of Scripture into another that is contrary to the truth, we kindle the divine words and turn the things of God into other images.
(Verse 17) And you took the vessels of your adornment from my gold and silver, which I gave to you; and you made for yourself male images, and you committed fornication with them. According to the letter of the Lord's Law, it was commanded that incense burners, vases, candlesticks, the Ark of the Covenant, and all things golden or gilded, and other things made of silver, were to be made. All of these were made in Jerusalem and turned into idols of Baal, Baalim, Chemosh, Ashtaroth, and Milcom. According to spiritual understanding, we make idols out of gold and silver from the Holy Scriptures when we corrupt the grace of perception and eloquence with heretical perversity, and we set our mouth in heaven, while our tongue reaches to the earth. The images in which every heresy commits fornication are called masculine, because each one thinks they are worshipping the most powerful and possessing what they have imagined, and that it cannot be subverted by any attack. These are the images that we have created in our hearts, and which are to be destroyed in the heavenly Jerusalem, of which the Prophet pronounces: Lord, in your city you will scatter their image (Ps. LXXII, 20). For whoever is a man and has lost the name of God, it is said of him: Nevertheless, man walks in an image, nevertheless he is troubled in vain (Ps. XXXVIII, 7). But we have one man, and we worship one image, which is the image of the invisible and omnipotent God.
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 16:17 delivers a scathing indictment of Jerusalem's profound spiritual infidelity, vividly portraying how the city, personified as an unfaithful bride, perverted the very blessings of gold and silver bestowed upon her by God. Instead of utilizing these divine provisions for His glory and the adornment of His covenant relationship, she shamefully fashioned them into "images of men"—idols—and engaged in egregious spiritual "whoredom" with them, thereby betraying her sacred covenant with the Lord. This verse powerfully underscores the depth of ingratitude and rebellion inherent in misusing God's gracious gifts for unholy, idolatrous purposes.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 16:17, deeply embedded within the intricate tapestry of chapter 16, masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. The overarching device is Allegory, where the entire chapter functions as an extended, detailed narrative in which Jerusalem is personified as a woman, and her historical relationship with God is depicted as a marital covenant. Within this elaborate allegory, Personification is central, as Jerusalem is treated as a living, sentient individual capable of receiving gifts, developing beauty, and committing acts of profound betrayal. The most striking and emotionally charged device is Metaphor, specifically the sustained metaphor of Spiritual Adultery or "whoredom" (Hebrew: zânâh). This powerful image transforms the abstract concept of idolatry into a visceral, deeply personal, and emotionally charged act of infidelity against God, her divine husband. The repeated use of "my gold and of my silver" also employs Possession to underscore God's absolute ownership of the blessings and the profound ingratitude of using His gifts against Him. Furthermore, there is a strong element of Irony woven throughout the verse, as the very blessings bestowed by God—intended to signify His favor and adorn His bride—are tragically perverted into instruments of rebellion and objects of worship that directly rival and dishonor Him.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 16:17 profoundly illustrates the nature of idolatry as a fundamental betrayal of the covenant relationship with God. It reveals that idolatry is not merely a deviation from proper worship but an act of spiritual adultery, directly affronting God's exclusive claim on His people's devotion and love. The verse also underscores the inherent danger of misusing divine blessings, demonstrating how material prosperity, beauty, and status, when not consecrated to God, can become insidious tools for sin and rebellion. This highlights a universal spiritual principle: anything God graciously gives us can either be a means of glorifying Him and advancing His kingdom or, if perverted by our own desires, an instrument of sin and self-worship, revealing a heart that has tragically turned from its true source of life, provision, and ultimate satisfaction.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 16:17 serves as a timeless and piercing mirror for self-examination, urging us to deeply consider where our deepest loyalties truly lie and how we utilize the manifold blessings God has graciously entrusted to us. In our contemporary context, idolatry extends far beyond physical statues; it encompasses anything—be it wealth, career success, personal relationships, social reputation, comfort, security, or even self-image—that we elevate to a position of ultimate importance, seeking from it the fulfillment, security, identity, or satisfaction that only God can genuinely provide. This verse challenges us to scrutinize our hearts with brutal honesty: are we faithfully using our talents, resources, time, and influence, which are ultimately gifts from God, to build His kingdom and glorify His holy name? Or are we subtly, perhaps even unconsciously, perverting them to serve our own desires, secure our own standing, or worship the "images of men" that our culture relentlessly exalts? True spiritual faithfulness demands a radical reorientation of our affections and priorities, a profound acknowledgment of God as the sole source of all good things, and a deliberate dedication of every aspect of our lives and every blessing we receive back to Him alone, ensuring that our worship is undivided, pure, and singularly focused on Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "images of men" refer to in this context?
Answer: In Ezekiel 16:17, "images of men" (Hebrew: tselem zâkâr) refers to idols that were fashioned in human form. These were physical representations of pagan deities or ancestral figures, crafted from precious materials like the gold and silver that God had generously given to Jerusalem. The phrase emphasizes that these were man-made objects, finite and powerless, contrasting sharply with the invisible, living God of Israel, who strictly forbade the making of any graven image for worship, as explicitly outlined in the Second Commandment. Worshipping such "images of men" was a direct act of rebellion against Yahweh and a profound violation of His covenant.
Why is idolatry referred to as "whoredom" or "spiritual adultery" in the Bible?
Answer: The Bible, particularly in the prophetic books like Ezekiel, Hosea, and Jeremiah, frequently employs the vivid and emotionally charged metaphor of "whoredom" or "spiritual adultery" to describe idolatry because it powerfully conveys the nature of Israel's covenant relationship with God. God established a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, likening it to a sacred marriage between a faithful Husband (Yahweh) and His chosen wife (Israel). Just as a wife's infidelity breaks the sacred bond of marriage and brings deep pain to her husband, Israel's turning away from Yahweh to worship other gods or engage in pagan practices was seen as a profound betrayal of her covenant vows. It was an act of disloyalty, unfaithfulness, and spiritual promiscuity against the one true God who had chosen, redeemed, sustained, and lavished blessings upon her. This imagery is particularly strong throughout Ezekiel 16, where Jerusalem is graphically depicted as an unfaithful bride who has abandoned her divine Husband for illicit lovers.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 16:17, with its poignant depiction of Israel's spiritual adultery and the tragic misuse of God's lavish blessings, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in several profound and redemptive ways. First, it starkly highlights humanity's persistent and inherent tendency to turn from the true and living God to worship idols, whether they be tangible images or the more subtle idols of self, wealth, power, or human approval. This deep-seated unfaithfulness, so vividly portrayed in Israel's history, underscores the desperate need for a perfect Bridegroom who would remain utterly faithful, even when His bride was not. Jesus Christ is that faithful Bridegroom, who perfectly fulfilled the covenant that Israel continually broke. Unlike Israel, who squandered God's gifts on idols and self-gratification, Christ perfectly honored God with His entire life, culminating in His ultimate, self-sacrificial death on the cross, where He became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He did not use His divine blessings or power for selfish gain but poured out His life to redeem His unfaithful bride, the Church. Through His atoning work, believers are cleansed from the spiritual "whoredom" of idolatry and adorned with His righteousness, becoming a pure and spotless bride for Him. Thus, Ezekiel 16:17, by exposing the depth of Israel's sin and the profound betrayal of divine grace, magnificently magnifies the boundless grace, unwavering faithfulness, and redemptive power of Christ, who transforms those who were once spiritually adulterous into His beloved and redeemed people, now called to worship Him alone in spirit and truth (John 4:24).