Ezekiel 16:26

Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger.

Thou hast also committed fornication {H2181} with the Egyptians {H1121}{H4714} thy neighbours {H7934}, great {H1432} of flesh {H1320}; and hast increased {H7235} thy whoredoms {H8457}, to provoke me to anger {H3707}.

You had sex with your big-membered Egyptian neighbors and engaged in fornication over and over, just to provoke me.

You prostituted yourself with your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, and increased your promiscuity to provoke Me to anger.

Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians, thy neighbors, great of flesh; and hast multiplied thy whoredom, to provoke me to anger.

Commentary

Ezekiel 16:26 is part of a powerful and extended allegory in which the prophet Ezekiel portrays Jerusalem (and by extension, Israel) as an abandoned infant raised by God, who then becomes a beautiful woman, but ultimately turns into an unfaithful prostitute. This verse specifically condemns Judah's reliance on and alliance with Egypt, equating it to spiritual adultery.

Context

The entire sixteenth chapter of Ezekiel uses vivid, often shocking, imagery to describe Jerusalem's spiritual infidelity. God recounts how He found Jerusalem abandoned, raised her, adorned her, and entered into a covenant with her, making her His own. However, she then turned away from Him, engaging in egregious acts of idolatry and seeking alliances with surrounding pagan nations, treating these political and religious deviations as acts of prostitution. Verse 26 highlights her alliance with Egypt, a nation often seen as a symbol of worldly power and a source of temptation for Israel to trust in human might rather than divine provision. This act of seeking security from Egypt was a direct violation of God's covenant, provoking His righteous anger.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Adultery and Idolatry: The primary theme is Israel's unfaithfulness to God. Just as a wife is unfaithful to her husband, Israel is accused of spiritual "fornication" and "whoredoms" by pursuing alliances with pagan nations and adopting their idolatrous practices. This is a recurring theme throughout the prophetic books, emphasizing that God expected exclusive devotion from His people, a concept akin to the first commandment against having other gods.
  • Reliance on Worldly Power: By seeking alliances with Egypt, Israel was implicitly trusting in the strength of a foreign nation rather than in the Lord, who had delivered them from Egyptian bondage. This misplaced trust is a form of spiritual rebellion, a rejection of God as their sole protector and provider. Isaiah similarly warns against relying on Egypt's chariots and horses.
  • Provoking God's Anger: The repeated and escalating acts of unfaithfulness ("increased thy whoredoms") directly resulted in God's righteous indignation. This highlights the serious consequences of spiritual rebellion and the breaking of covenant with a holy God.

Linguistic Insights

The terms "fornication" (zanah in Hebrew) and "whoredoms" are used metaphorically throughout the Old Testament to describe Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness, particularly their idolatry and pursuit of alliances with pagan nations. It's not referring to literal prostitution in this context, but the betrayal of a sacred covenant relationship. The phrase "great of flesh" (Χ’ΦΌΦ°Χ“ΦΉΧœΦ΅Χ™ Χ‘ΦΈΧ©Χ‚ΦΈΧ¨, g'dolei basar) used to describe the Egyptians, likely refers to their perceived physical strength, military might, or perhaps even their sensuality and pagan rituals, making them an attractive but ultimately destructive alliance for Israel.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 16:26 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual compromise. For believers today, this verse underscores the importance of maintaining an undivided devotion to God. It challenges us to examine where our trust and security lie: is it in worldly systems, financial stability, political power, or in God alone? Any reliance on external forces that diminishes our dependence on God can be seen as a modern form of spiritual "adultery." We are called to be friends of God, not friends of the world, maintaining a pure and exclusive devotion to Him who has redeemed us.

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

Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 23:19

    Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.

  • Ezekiel 23:21

    Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth.

  • Ezekiel 20:7

    Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God.

  • Ezekiel 20:8

    But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

  • Jeremiah 7:18

    The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead [their] dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

  • Jeremiah 7:19

    Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: [do they] not [provoke] themselves to the confusion of their own faces?

  • Joshua 24:14

    Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
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