Ezekiel 16:36

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;

Thus saith {H559} the Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}; Because thy filthiness {H5178} was poured out {H8210}, and thy nakedness {H6172} discovered {H1540} through thy whoredoms {H8457} with thy lovers {H157}, and with all the idols {H1544} of thy abominations {H8441}, and by the blood {H1818} of thy children {H1121}, which thou didst give {H5414} unto them;

Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because your filth has been poured out and your privates exposed through your acts of fornication with your lovers, and because of all the idols of your disgusting practices, and because of the blood of your children, which you gave them,

This is what the Lord GOD says: Because you poured out your wealth and exposed your nakedness in your promiscuity with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children which you gave to them,

Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness uncovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers; and because of all the idols of thy abominations, and for the blood of thy children, that thou didst give unto them;

Ezekiel 16:36 KJV Commentary

Context

Ezekiel chapter 16 delivers one of the most striking allegories in the Old Testament, portraying Jerusalem as an unfaithful wife. God recounts how He found her abandoned and destitute, brought her up, adorned her with splendor, and entered into a solemn covenant with her. However, instead of remaining loyal, Jerusalem turned to spiritual prostitution, forming alliances with foreign nations and, most grievously, worshipping their pagan gods. Verse 36 is part of the Lord's detailed indictment against Jerusalem, specifying the egregious sins that have provoked His righteous judgment and led to her impending downfall.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Adultery and Idolatry: The verse graphically describes Jerusalem's unfaithfulness to God using the imagery of "whoredoms with thy lovers" and "all the idols of thy abominations." This powerfully conveys God's perspective on idol worship as a profound betrayal of the divine covenant, akin to marital infidelity.
  • Public Shame and Exposure of Sin: The phrase "thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered" signifies the public revelation and deep disgrace resulting from Jerusalem's moral corruption. God declares that her hidden sins, which she committed brazenly, will be openly exposed, leading to humiliation and judgment.
  • The Abomination of Child Sacrifice: The most heinous sin explicitly mentioned is "the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them." This refers to the horrific practice of child sacrifice, often to pagan deities like Molech, a ritual deeply condemned by God and a direct violation of His covenant. This practice is strongly forbidden in scriptures like Leviticus 18:21.
  • Divine Judgment as Consequence: The opening declaration "Thus saith the Lord GOD" emphasizes that these actions are not merely moral failings but direct affronts to the Almighty, warranting severe divine judgment as a just and unavoidable consequence.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV translation of "filthiness" (Hebrew: נְחֻשֶׁת - nechosheth) in this context can imply "brazenness" or "wantonness," highlighting the unashamed and overt nature of Jerusalem's sin. The term "whoredoms" (זָנָה - zanah) is consistently used throughout the Old Testament to describe spiritual unfaithfulness, illustrating the intimate and exclusive relationship God desired with His chosen people. "Abominations" (תּוֹעֵבָה - to'evah) refers to practices that are utterly detestable and repugnant to God, particularly idolatry and its associated evil rituals like child sacrifice, which are considered a profound insult to the Creator's holiness.

Related Scriptures

The theme of God's people turning to idols and false gods is a recurring motif in the Old Testament. The first commandment explicitly forbids having other gods before Him. Prophets like Jeremiah also extensively lament Jerusalem's spiritual adultery and the practice of child sacrifice, as seen in passages such as Jeremiah 7:31 and Jeremiah 32:35, strongly echoing Ezekiel's condemnation.

Practical Application

While Ezekiel 16:36 directly addresses ancient Jerusalem, its principles offer timeless lessons for believers today:

  • God Abhors Idolatry: Modern idolatry may not involve physical statues but can manifest as placing anything—money, career, power, relationships, or even self—above God in our hearts. We are called to put off such earthly desires and affections that compete with our devotion to Christ.
  • Sin Leads to Exposure: Unconfessed and unrepented sin, like Jerusalem's "filthiness," ultimately leads to exposure and spiritual nakedness, bringing shame and separation from God. There is a clear call to confess and forsake sin for true repentance and restoration.
  • The Sanctity of Life: The severe condemnation of child sacrifice underscores the profound value and sanctity of human life, particularly the innocent, from its earliest stages, a principle that remains vital in ethical considerations today.
  • Exclusive Faithfulness to God: The passage serves as a powerful reminder for believers to examine their hearts for any "lovers" or "idols" that might compete with their exclusive devotion to the Lord, encouraging a life of unwavering faithfulness to the one true God.
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 23:10

    These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among women; for they had executed judgment upon her.

  • Ezekiel 22:15

    And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.

  • Revelation 3:18

    I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

  • Lamentations 1:9

    Her filthiness [is] in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified [himself].

  • Ezekiel 24:13

    In thy filthiness [is] lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.

  • Ezekiel 16:15

    ¶ But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.

  • Ezekiel 16:22

    And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, [and] wast polluted in thy blood.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back