Ezekiel 16:19

My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, [wherewith] I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and [thus] it was, saith the Lord GOD.

My meat {H3899} also which I gave {H5414} thee, fine flour {H5560}, and oil {H8081}, and honey {H1706}, wherewith I fed {H398} thee, thou hast even set {H5414} it before {H6440} them for a sweet {H5207} savour {H7381}: and thus it was, saith {H5002} the Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}.

and you took my food, which I had given you - my fine flour, olive oil and honey, that I had given you to eat - and set it in front of them to give a pleasant aroma. That is how it was,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

And you set before them as a pleasing aroma the food I had given you—the fine flour, oil, and honey that I had fed you. That is what happened, declares the Lord GOD.

My bread also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou didst even set it before them for a sweet savor; and thus it was, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Ezekiel 16:19 is a poignant indictment within a powerful allegorical chapter where God describes Jerusalem (representing Israel) as an unfaithful bride who has prostituted herself. This specific verse highlights the depth of her ingratitude and spiritual infidelity.

Context

Chapter 16 of Ezekiel uses the vivid metaphor of a foundling child, rescued and raised by God, who then grows into a beautiful woman, adorned and covenanted to Him (Ezekiel 16:8). This woman, representing Jerusalem and the nation of Israel, then shamelessly turns away from her Husband (God) to commit spiritual adultery with idols and foreign alliances. Verses 10-14 detail God's lavish provision for her—fine linen, silk, jewels, and rich food. Verse 19 directly follows this, accusing her of taking these very gifts and offering them to false gods, thereby defiling what was sacred and demonstrating profound unfaithfulness.

Key Themes

  • Divine Provision and Grace: The verse emphasizes that the "fine flour, and oil, and honey" were unequivocally "My meat also which I gave thee," underscoring God's generous and consistent provision for Israel's sustenance and well-being.
  • Profound Ingratitude and Betrayal: Israel's sin is not merely disobedience but a deep betrayal of the covenant relationship. She used God's own blessings, intended for her nourishment and His glory, to honor pagan deities.
  • Spiritual Adultery/Idolatry: The act of setting God's provisions "before them for a sweet savour" to idols is a stark portrayal of spiritual harlotry. It twisted the very essence of worship, offering what belonged to God to abominable false gods. This perversion of worship is a recurring theme in the prophets regarding Israel's unfaithfulness (see Jeremiah 3:6).
  • God's Solemn Accusation: The concluding phrase, "and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD," serves as a divine affirmation of the truth and severity of Israel's transgression, leaving no room for denial.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "sweet savour" (Hebrew: reah nihoah) is significant. In other Old Testament contexts, it typically describes an offering that is pleasing or acceptable to God, signifying a sacrifice made in obedience and faith (e.g., Noah's offering in Genesis 8:21). Here, its use is deeply ironic and damning. Israel took the very provisions given by God, meant to sustain her and perhaps be offered back to Him in thanks, and instead presented them as a pleasing aroma to idols. This highlights the absolute perversion of worship and the audacious nature of her spiritual betrayal.

Practical Application

For believers today, Ezekiel 16:19 serves as a powerful warning and a call to introspection:

  • Stewardship of Blessings: We are called to recognize that all we have—our talents, resources, time, and even life itself—comes from God. How are we using these gifts? Are we investing them for His glory, or are we, metaphorically, offering them to "idols" like wealth, status, pleasure, or self-gratification?
  • Avoiding Modern Idolatry: Idolatry isn't just bowing down to statues. It's placing anything before God in our affections and priorities. This verse challenges us to examine our hearts and ensure that our ultimate devotion and thanksgiving are directed solely to the Lord who provides.
  • Faithfulness in Response to Grace: God's grace and provision are immense. This verse underscores the responsibility that comes with receiving such grace—a call to unwavering faithfulness and gratitude, rather than ingratitude and spiritual wandering.
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.

  • Ezekiel 16:13

    Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment [was of] fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.

  • 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.

  • Hosea 2:13

    And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD.

  • Deuteronomy 32:14

    Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.

  • Deuteronomy 32:17

    They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new [gods that] came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

  • Genesis 8:21

    And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart [is] evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

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