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Young's Literal Translation
`Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, and thou hast said:
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Commentary on Ezekiel 16 verses 1–5
1 ¶ Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.
4 And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.
5 None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.
Ezekiel is now among the captives in Babylon; but, as Jeremiah at Jerusalem wrote for the use of the captives though they had Ezekiel upon the spot with them (ch. 29), so Ezekiel wrote for the use of Jerusalem, though Jeremiah himself was resident there; and yet they were far from looking upon it as an affront to one another's help both by preaching and writing. Jeremiah wrote to the captives for their consolation, which was the thing they needed; Ezekiel here is directed to write to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for their conviction and humiliation, which was the thing they needed.
I. This is his commission (Eze 16:2): "Cause Jerusalem to know her abominations (that is, her sins); set them in order before her." Note, 1. Sins are not only provocations which God is angry at, but abominations which he hates, as contrary to his nature, and which we ought to hate, Jer 44:4. 2. The sins of Jerusalem are in a special manner so. The practice of profaneness appears most odious in those that make a profession of religion. 3. Though Jerusalem is a place of great knowledge, yet she is loth to know her abominations; so partial are men in their own favour that they are hardly made to see and own their own badness, but deny it, palliate or extenuate it. 4. It is requisite that we should know our sins, that we may confess them, and may justify God in what he brings upon us for them. 5. It is the work of ministers to cause sinners, sinners in Jerusalem, to know their abominations, to set before them the glass of the law, that in it they may see their own deformities and defilements, to tell them plainly of their faults. Thou art the man.
II. That Jerusalem may be made to know her abominations, and particularly the abominable ingratitude she had been guilty of, it was requisite that she should be put in mind of the great things God had done for her, as the aggravations of her bad conduct towards him; and, to magnify those favours, she is in these verses made to know the meanness and baseness of her original, from what poor beginnings God raised her, and how unworthy she was of his favour and of the honour he had put upon her. Jerusalem is here put for the Jewish church and nation, which is here compared to an outcast child, base-born and abandoned, which the mother herself has no affection nor concern for. 1. The extraction of the Jewish nation was mean: "Thy birth is of the land of Canaan (Eze 16:3); thou hadst from the very first the spirit and disposition of a Canaanite." The patriarchs dwelt in Canaan, and they were there but strangers and sojourners, had no possession, no power, not one foot of ground of their own but a burying-place. Abraham and Sarah were indeed their father and mother, but they were only inmates with the Amorites and Hittites, who, having the dominion, seemed to be as parents to the seed of Abraham, witness the court Abraham made to the children of Seth (Gen 23:4, Gen 23:8), the dependence they had upon their neighbours the Canaanites, and the fear they were in of them, Gen 13:7; Gen 34:30. If the patriarchs, at their first coming to Canaan, had conquered it, and made themselves masters of it, this would have put an honour upon their family and would have looked great in history; but, instead of that, they went from one nation to another (Psa 105:13), as tenants from one farm to another, almost as beggars from one door to another, when they were but few in number, yea, very few. And yet this was not the worst; their fathers had served other gods in Ur of the Chaldees (Jos 24:2); even in Jacob's family there were strange gods, Gen 35:2. Thus early had they a genius leading them to idolatry; and upon this account their ancestors were Amorites and Hittites. 2. When they first began to multiply their condition was really very deplorable, like that of a new-born child, which must of necessity die from the womb if the knees prevent it not, Job 3:11, Job 3:12. The children of Israel, when they began to increase into a people and became considerable, were thrown out from the country that was intended for them; a famine drove them thence. Egypt was the open field into which they were cast; there they had no protection or countenance from the government they were under, but, on the contrary, were ruled with rigour, and their lives embittered; they had no encouragement given them to build up their families, no help to build up their estates, no friends or allies to strengthen their interests. Joseph, who had been the shepherd and stone of Israel, was dead; the king of Egypt, who should have been kind to them for Joseph's sake, set himself to destroy this man-child as soon as it was born (Rev 12:4), ordered all the males to be slain, which, it is likely, occasioned the exposing of many as well as Moses, to which perhaps the similitude here has reference. The founders of nations and cities had occasion for all the arts and arms they were masters of, set their heads on work, by policies and stratagems, to preserve and nurse up their infant states. Tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem - So vast were the efforts requisite to the establishment of the Roman name. Virgil. But the nation of Israel had no such care taken of it, no such pains taken with it, as Athens, Sparta, Rome, and other commonwealths had when they were first founded, but, on the contrary, was doomed to destruction, like an infant new-born, exposed to wind and weather, the navel-string not cut, the poor babe not washed, not clothed, no swaddled, because not pitied, Eze 16:4, Eze 16:5. Note, We owe the preservation of our infant lives to the natural pity and compassion which the God of nature has put into the hearts of parents and nurses towards new-born children. This infant is said to be cast out, to the loathing of her person; it was a sign that she was loathed by those that bore her, and she appeared loathsome to all that looked upon her. The Israelites were an abomination to the Egyptians, as we find Gen 43:32; Gen 46:34. Some think that this refers to the corrupt and vicious disposition of that people from their beginning: they were not only the weakest and fewest of all people (Deu 7:7), but the worst and most ill-humoured of all people. God giveth thee this good land, not for thy righteousness, for thou art a stiff-necked people, Deu 9:6. And Moses tells them there (Eze 16:24), You have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you. They were not suppled, nor washed, nor swaddled; they were not at all tractable or manageable, nor cast into any good shape. God took them to be his people, not because he saw any thing in them inviting or promising, but so it seemed good in his sight. And it is a very apt illustration of the miserable condition of all the children of men by nature. As for our nativity, in the day that we were born we were shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin, our understandings darkened, our minds alienated from the life of God, polluted with sin, which rendered us loathsome in the eyes of God. Marvel not then that we are told, You must be born again.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–5. Public domain.
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Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 6:1
Why is it that I admire Ezekiel? Because the order was given him to make known to Jerusalem its abominations, and he did not place before his eyes any danger that would result from his preaching, but in order to keep only the precepts of God, he spoke whatever he was told. Let us realize that there was a mystery, that there was the revelation of a mysterious kind on the subject of Jerusalem and all that is said against it. Nevertheless, he prophesied, and accused it of fornication.
John ChrysostomAD 407
HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 43
What do you say, prophet? God punishes, and shall I grieve for those whom he is punishing? Certainly. For God, who punishes, wants us to grieve, since he does not want to punish us, and he grieves when carrying out punishment. Do not rejoice at this. One will say, “If they are justly punished, we ought not to grieve.” What we ought to grieve for is this, that they were found worthy of punishment. When you see your son undergoing medical or surgical treatment, do you not grieve? You do not say to yourself, “What is this?” This cutting is for health, to speed his recovery; it is for his deliverance, this burning? But for all that, when you hear him crying out and unable to bear the pain, you grieve, and the hope of health being restored is not enough to carry off the shock to nature.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Chapter 16, Verses 1, 2.) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, make known the abominations of Jerusalem and say: Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem. LXX: And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, testify against Jerusalem for her iniquities, and say to her: Thus says the Lord God. In which the brief summary of each prophecy was, we have included the entire chapter, immediately following as it seemed to us. However, because this discourse is directed to Jerusalem, testifying and teaching about the sins it has committed; and it extends nearly to the number of two hundred verses, to that place where it is written: 'When I am appeased by you for all that you have done,' says the Lord God, we must divide every prophecy into parts; and we must adapt proper explanations to those things which we have proposed. Under the person of a prostitute woman who was first joined to the company of men, Jerusalem is intertwined with birth, and upbringing, and puberty, and marriage, and adultery, and divorce, and again reinstatement; so that the mercy and judgement of the husband, and the crimes of the adulteress and prostitute may be known, while after all punishments, he raises for her an eternal covenant: that she may remember her iniquity, and be confounded, and may no longer have the courage to speak because of her shame, when he has been appeased by her for all that she has done. For it is very beneficial for sinners to know what they have done. Thus, the repentant one speaks: For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me (Psalm 50:4). However, Jerusalem can be understood in four ways: Either as that which was burned with the fire of the Babylonians and Romans; or as the celestial city of the first ones; or as the Church, which is interpreted as the vision of peace; or as the souls of individuals who, through faith, see God. And that which many think should be interpreted as the celestial Jerusalem, the Church does not accept, lest we be compelled to include in it all the ruins and torments of the heavenly powers, as well as the restoration to their original state, that are woven into the present prophecy.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 16:2 initiates one of the Bible's most profound and extended allegories, where God commands the prophet Ezekiel to confront Jerusalem with the full, unvarnished truth of her spiritual unfaithfulness. This verse serves as a stark, divine indictment, setting the stage for a meticulous exposition of Jerusalem's desolate origins, God's lavish and redemptive care for her, and her subsequent, egregious acts of spiritual adultery and idolatry, which are unequivocally termed "abominations." It underscores God's unwavering commitment to expose sin, call His covenant people to account for their violations, and reveal the depth of their rebellion against His holy character.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 16:2 immediately employs several potent literary devices that set the tone and framework for the entire chapter. The direct address, Apostrophe, "Son of man," establishes the prophet's divine commission and the direct, authoritative origin of the message, imbuing the subsequent pronouncements with solemnity and weight. More significantly, the verse initiates a pervasive and central use of Personification, treating Jerusalem not merely as a geopolitical entity or a nation, but as a living, sentient being, specifically a woman. This personification is absolutely crucial for the extended Allegory that unfolds throughout the chapter, where Jerusalem's entire history is vividly depicted as the life of an abandoned, helpless infant miraculously rescued, nurtured, and adorned by God, who then matures into a beautiful woman, only to shamefully betray her divine Benefactor through egregious spiritual harlotry. This allegorical framework allows for a deeply emotional, visceral, and graphically detailed portrayal of Israel's unfaithfulness and God's righteous indignation. Furthermore, the command to "cause Jerusalem to know her abominations" carries a strong element of Irony, as Jerusalem, despite her privileged, intimate relationship with God and access to His truth, has become utterly ignorant or willfully blind to the grievous nature and extent of her sins, necessitating a divine intervention to brutally reveal her true, detestable spiritual state.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 16:2 is a foundational verse for comprehending the profound gravity of spiritual unfaithfulness and the inevitability of God's righteous judgment. It unequivocally underscores the biblical truth that God, in His perfect holiness, does not overlook sin, especially among His covenant people. The "abominations" of Jerusalem represent any act, attitude, or allegiance that violates God's holiness and His covenant demands, with a particular emphasis on idolatry and spiritual harlotry. This divine indictment reveals God's immutable character as both just and holy, a God who holds His people strictly accountable for their actions and covenant violations. While the immediate context is one of severe judgment, the very act of revealing sin is paradoxically an act of divine mercy, providing a final, albeit often unheeded, opportunity for repentance. The detailed exposure of Jerusalem's sins serves as a timeless warning against spiritual complacency and the insidious, corrupting nature of idolatry, which can manifest in prioritizing anything—whether material possessions, power, or even self-righteousness—over a singular, devoted allegiance to God.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 16:2, though a specific divine command to an ancient prophet concerning ancient Jerusalem, carries profound and timeless implications for contemporary believers and the church today. The imperative to "cause Jerusalem to know her abominations" serves as a timeless call to rigorous introspection and radical spiritual honesty. Just as God meticulously exposed the hidden and overt sins of His covenant people, He desires for us to confront the "abominations" in our own lives—anything that subtly or overtly takes precedence over Him, compromises our exclusive devotion, or violates His holy standards. This may not manifest as overt idol worship in the traditional sense, but as more subtle, insidious forms of idolatry such as the relentless pursuit of wealth, status, comfort, personal pleasure, or even seemingly good causes that ultimately eclipse our primary allegiance to God. Understanding our own spiritual condition, acknowledging our failures, and recognizing what is truly detestable in God's holy sight is the essential first step toward genuine repentance, profound humility, and a deeper, more authentic relationship with our Creator. It calls us to a rigorous, Spirit-led self-examination, to allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate areas of unfaithfulness, and to respond with brokenness, confession, and a renewed, unwavering commitment to Christ as our sole Lord and Treasure.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of God calling Ezekiel "Son of man"?
Answer: The title "Son of man" (Hebrew: ben 'adam) is God's characteristic address to Ezekiel throughout the book, appearing over ninety times. Its primary significance lies in emphasizing Ezekiel's humanity and mortality, contrasting his finite, earthly nature with the infinite authority and power of God, who is speaking through him. This recurring address serves to remind both Ezekiel and his audience that the prophet is a mere mortal delivering a powerful, divine word, not speaking on his own authority or wisdom. It highlights the transcendence of God's message and the humble, instrumental role of the prophet in delivering it, as vividly illustrated from Ezekiel's initial call and commission in Ezekiel 2:1.
What exactly are Jerusalem's "abominations" in this context?
Answer: In Ezekiel 16, Jerusalem's "abominations" (Hebrew: tôwʻêbah) refer primarily to her profound spiritual unfaithfulness and rampant idolatry. This includes adopting the detestable religious practices of surrounding pagan nations, such as worshipping foreign gods, engaging in ritual prostitution, and, most horrifyingly, sacrificing her own children to pagan deities. These acts are depicted as spiritual harlotry, a grievous betrayal of the exclusive covenant relationship Jerusalem had with Yahweh, who is consistently portrayed as her faithful and loving Husband. The term "abomination" signifies practices that are utterly repugnant, morally disgusting, and offensive to God's holy character and covenant demands, representing a direct and egregious violation of the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me" (e.g., Exodus 20:3).
Why does God command Ezekiel to "cause Jerusalem to know" her abominations, rather than just stating them?
Answer: The divine command to "cause Jerusalem to know" implies far more than a simple declaration or casual informing; it signifies a forceful, divine act of unveiling, conviction, and judicial indictment. God intends for Jerusalem to come to a full, undeniable, and experiential awareness of the depth, heinousness, and extensive scope of her sins. This is a public and inescapable reckoning designed to leave no room for denial, excuse, or self-deception. While this revelation ultimately leads to severe judgment in this chapter, the purpose of revealing sin in Scripture is often dual: to establish divine justice and to provide a basis for repentance and potential restoration. By laying bare her "abominations" in such graphic detail, God forces Jerusalem to confront her profound guilt, even if her ultimate response is one of continued rebellion leading to deserved judgment.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 16:2, with its stark command to expose Jerusalem's "abominations" and spiritual harlotry, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in several profound and redemptive ways. First, Jesus Christ is the Truth Incarnate who perfectly reveals the Father's holiness and exposes the true, insidious nature of sin. Just as Ezekiel was commanded to make Jerusalem "know her abominations," Jesus, through His authoritative teachings and His perfectly holy life, brought unparalleled light into the darkness, revealing the hidden depths of human sinfulness—not merely overt acts but also the subtle, internal sin of the heart (e.g., Matthew 5:27-28). Second, while Ezekiel's message led to a just judgment for unrepentant Jerusalem, Christ came not to condemn the world in its sin but to save it from its sin (e.g., John 3:17). He is the ultimate Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (e.g., John 1:29), offering complete forgiveness and cleansing for the very "abominations" that provoked God's righteous wrath in the Old Testament. Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Christ bore the full judgment for humanity's spiritual harlotry and idolatry, making a way for radical reconciliation with a holy God. Finally, the New Covenant, established in Christ's precious blood, offers a profound spiritual transformation where God's law is written not on tablets of stone but on the heart of believers, enabling true fidelity and preventing the spiritual adultery that plagued ancient Israel (e.g., Hebrews 8:10-12). Thus, Christ not only reveals the depth of our "abominations" but also provides the divine means for their forgiveness and the indwelling power to live in faithful, unwavering devotion to God.