Ezekiel 16:30

How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord GOD, seeing thou doest all these [things], the work of an imperious whorish woman;

How weak {H535} is thine heart {H3826}, saith {H5002} the Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}, seeing thou doest {H6213} all these things, the work {H4639} of an imperious {H7986} whorish {H2181} woman {H802};

"'You are so weak-willed!' says Adonai ELOHIM. 'You do all these things, behaving like a shameless whore,

How weak-willed is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, while you do all these things, the acts of a shameless prostitute!

How weak is thy heart, saith the Lord Jehovah, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an impudent harlot;

Commentary

Ezekiel 16:30 is a poignant and severe indictment from the Lord GOD against Jerusalem, personified as an unfaithful wife. It expresses divine astonishment and sorrow over the depth of her moral decay and spiritual rebellion, highlighting the brazen and unrestrained nature of her idolatry and alliances with foreign nations.

Historical and Cultural Context

The prophet Ezekiel delivered this message to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. Chapter 16 is a lengthy and vivid allegory where God recounts His relationship with Jerusalem (representing the nation of Judah). He likens her to a foundling baby rescued, nurtured, and adorned by Him, eventually becoming His bride through a covenant. However, she then turned away to spiritual harlotry, using the very blessings God had given her to pursue illicit relationships with idols and foreign powers. This verse comes after a detailed description of her promiscuous actions, emphasizing that her unfaithfulness was not out of necessity but out of a perverse desire and moral depravity.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Adultery and Idolatry: The primary theme is Jerusalem's profound unfaithfulness to God, depicted as a "whorish woman." This metaphor powerfully conveys the betrayal inherent in turning from the one true God to worship idols or rely on human alliances.
  • God's Disappointment and Judgment: The phrase "How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord GOD" conveys God's profound disappointment and sorrow. It suggests a lack of moral fortitude and a complete disregard for the covenant relationship. This weakness leads inevitably to judgment.
  • Brazenness of Sin: The term "imperious" (or "wanton" in some translations) highlights the unbridled, arrogant, and unrestrained nature of Jerusalem's sin. Her actions were not hidden but flaunted, demonstrating a complete abandonment of shame and a defiance of God's commands, as seen in the extensive list of her transgressions in Ezekiel 16:15-29.
  • Covenant Unfaithfulness: At its core, this verse speaks to the breaking of the sacred covenant between God and His people, likened to a marriage vow.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase translated "How weak is thine heart" is 'amlah levavech (ืืžืœื” ืœื‘ื‘ืš). 'Amlah implies being faint, languishing, or withered, but in this context, it carries a strong moral and spiritual sense of being morally feeble, lacking integrity, or having no conviction. It's not a physical weakness, but a profound moral and spiritual one that allows for such depravity.

The phrase "imperious whorish woman" uses the Hebrew 'ishshah zonah sharechet (ืืฉื” ื–ื•ื ื” ืฉืจืฆืช). The word sharechet (ืฉืจืฆืช) suggests an overflowing, teeming, or unrestrained abundance. It emphasizes that her harlotry was not done out of need or compulsion, but out of an excessive, wanton, and unbridled desire, making her actions even more reprehensible in God's eyes.

Related Scriptures

This powerful imagery of spiritual infidelity is a recurring theme in the Old Testament prophets who condemned Israel's idolatry. Similar allegories can be found in the book of Hosea, particularly Hosea 1-3, where God commands the prophet to marry an unfaithful woman as a symbol of Israel's unfaithfulness. Jeremiah also frequently denounces Judah's idolatry as spiritual harlotry, as seen in Jeremiah 3:8-9. This theme culminates in the New Testament with the depiction of "Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots" in Revelation 17:1-5, symbolizing ultimate spiritual corruption.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 16:30 serves as a powerful warning for believers today. Our "heart" must remain strong and devoted to God, guarding against any form of spiritual "harlotry" โ€“ whether it be idolatry in the form of worshipping material possessions, career, or self, or seeking security and satisfaction apart from Him. The "imperious" nature of Jerusalem's sin reminds us that complacency and deliberate rebellion are particularly offensive to God. This verse calls us to examine our own hearts, ensuring our devotion to God is wholehearted, not weak or unrestrained in pursuing worldly desires that pull us away from our covenant relationship with Him. It underscores the importance of repentance and returning to a faithful walk with the Lord.

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

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 3:3

    Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

  • Jeremiah 4:22

    For my people [is] foolish, they have not known me; they [are] sottish children, and they have none understanding: they [are] wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

  • Isaiah 1:3

    The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: [but] Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

  • Isaiah 3:9

    ยถ The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide [it] not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

  • Proverbs 9:13

    ยถ A foolish woman [is] clamorous: [she is] simple, and knoweth nothing.

  • Proverbs 7:11

    (She [is] loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

  • Proverbs 7:13

    So she caught him, and kissed him, [and] with an impudent face said unto him,