Ezekiel 16:37

Translation
King James Version
Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Behold, therefore I will gather H6908 all thy lovers H157, with whom thou hast taken pleasure H6149, and all them that thou hast loved H157, with all them that thou hast hated H8130; I will even gather H6908 them round about H5439 against thee, and will discover H1540 thy nakedness H6172 unto them, that they may see H7200 all thy nakedness H6172.
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Complete Jewish Bible
therefore, look! I am going to gather all your lovers, to whom you have been so very nice, all the ones you hate right along with all the ones you love - I will gather them against you from all over the place and expose your private parts to them, so that they will see you completely naked.
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Berean Standard Bible
therefore I will surely gather all the lovers with whom you found pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and expose you before them, and they will see you completely naked.
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American Standard Version
therefore behold, I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them against thee on every side, and will uncover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.
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World English Bible Messianic
therefore see, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have taken pleasure, and all those who you have loved, with all those who you have hated; I will even gather them against you on every side, and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Beholde, therefore I wil gather all thy louers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loued, with al them that thou hast hated: I will euen gather them round about against thee, and will discouer thy filthines vnto them, that they may see all thy filthines.
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Young's Literal Translation
Therefore, lo, I am assembling all thy lovers, To whom thou hast been sweet, And all whom thou hast loved, Besides all whom thou hast hated; And I have assembled them by thee round about, And have revealed thy nakedness to them, And they have seen all thy nakedness.
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See also
Hosea 2:3Hosea 2:10Jeremiah 13:22Revelation 17:16Hosea 8:10Lamentations 1:8Ezekiel 23:9
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Jerusalem the Adulterous Wife
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Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 16:37 delivers a powerful declaration of divine judgment against Jerusalem, personified as an unfaithful wife or harlot. This verse reveals God's sovereign intent to gather the very nations with whom Jerusalem had formed illicit alliances ("lovers") and those she had opposed ("hated") to publicly expose her spiritual nakedness and profound shame. It underscores the severe, inescapable consequences of covenant unfaithfulness and the ultimate futility of relying on worldly powers instead of the Lord God.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 16 stands as one of the most vivid and extended allegories in the prophetic corpus, meticulously detailing the tumultuous relationship between Yahweh and Jerusalem. The chapter commences with God's profound grace, depicting Jerusalem as an abandoned, helpless infant whom He rescued, nurtured, adorned with splendor, and ultimately entered into a solemn, binding covenant with, making her His own cherished bride, as beautifully described in Ezekiel 16:1-14. However, despite this lavish divine favor and covenant fidelity, Jerusalem, in her pride, turned to spiritual prostitution, forming illicit alliances with pagan nations and adopting their idolatrous practices, which God unequivocally viewed as spiritual adultery, detailed in Ezekiel 16:15-34. Verse 37 is strategically positioned within the section (vv. 35-43) where God pronounces the severe and just judgment for this profound unfaithfulness, explicitly stating His intention to use the very "lovers" and "haters" as instruments of her public disgrace and comprehensive punishment.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical setting for Ezekiel's prophecy is the tumultuous period leading up to and during the Babylonian exile (6th century BCE). Jerusalem, as the capital of Judah, possessed a long and tragic history of vacillating between covenant loyalty to Yahweh and pragmatic, often idolatrous, alliances with powerful regional empires such as Egypt, Assyria, and later Babylon, all pursued for political and military security. These alliances invariably involved the adoption of foreign religious practices and deities, constituting a direct and egregious violation of the exclusive covenant God had established with Israel at Mount Sinai, particularly the first two commandments found in Exodus 20:3-5. Culturally, within the ancient Near East, public nakedness was the quintessential symbol of shame, humiliation, and utter defeat. It was a punitive measure frequently inflicted upon conquered enemies, slaves, or unfaithful women to strip them of dignity and status. The vivid imagery of "discovering nakedness" would have resonated profoundly with Ezekiel's audience, evoking an immediate and visceral sense of inescapable disgrace, vulnerability, and the complete stripping away of Jerusalem's false glory and self-reliant pride.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to and amplifies several overarching theological and narrative themes prevalent within the book of Ezekiel and the broader prophetic tradition. It prominently features Divine Judgment, emphasizing God's active, righteous, and inescapable role in orchestrating and bringing about the just consequences of Israel's persistent sin and egregious covenant breaking. Central to the entire chapter is the pervasive theme of Spiritual Adultery or harlotry, where Jerusalem's profound unfaithfulness to God through idolatry and foreign alliances is graphically depicted as a betrayal of her sacred marriage covenant. The chilling phrase "discover thy nakedness" powerfully underscores the theme of Exposure of Shame, signifying public humiliation and complete disgrace, where God Himself will reveal Jerusalem's true, morally depraved, and spiritually bankrupt state before the very nations she sought to impress or manipulate. Finally, it starkly illustrates the Consequences of Misplaced Alliance, demonstrating the inherent futility and grave danger of relying on transient human powers and worldly systems over unwavering and exclusive faithfulness to the Lord. This theme is a recurring motif across prophetic literature, notably echoed by Hosea, who similarly employs the imagery of spiritual harlotry to describe Israel's unfaithfulness, as seen in Hosea 1:2.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • gather (Hebrew, qâbats', H6908): This primitive root (H6908) means "to grasp, i.e. collect; assemble (selves), gather (bring) (together, selves together, up), heap, resort, [idiom] surely, take up." In Ezekiel 16:37, it emphasizes God's active, deliberate, and sovereign orchestration of events. It is not a passive occurrence but a divine act of bringing together disparate nations for a specific, punitive purpose, demonstrating His absolute control over human affairs.
  • taken pleasure (Hebrew, ʻârêb', H6149): This root (H6149), closely associated with the idea of intimate connection, means "to be agreeable; be pleasant(-ing), take pleasure in, be sweet." It highlights the consensual, even delightful, nature of Jerusalem's illicit alliances with foreign powers. She willingly engaged with these nations, finding them "agreeable" or "pleasant," which underscores the profound depth of her spiritual betrayal and the undeniable justice of her impending judgment.
  • nakedness (Hebrew, ʻervâh', H6172): Derived from a root meaning "to be bare," this noun (H6172) signifies "nudity, literally (especially the pudenda) or figuratively (disgrace, blemish)." In this context, it is primarily figurative, representing Jerusalem's utter disgrace, moral depravity, and extreme vulnerability. It is the ultimate symbol of shame and humiliation in ancient culture, often associated with sexual impropriety or the public shaming of a prostitute, vividly conveying her exposed spiritual condition.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure,": This opening clause serves as a solemn declaration of God's active and decisive role in orchestrating judgment. The "lovers" represent the foreign nations (e.g., Egypt, Assyria, Babylon) with whom Jerusalem (Judah) had formed political and military alliances, finding "pleasure" or advantage in these relationships, which constituted spiritual adultery and a profound betrayal of her covenant with God.
  • "and all [them] that thou hast loved, with all [them] that thou hast hated;": This expands the comprehensive scope of the gathered nations. It includes not only those she courted and "loved" for alliance and benefit but also those she "hated" or opposed, such as traditional enemies. This demonstrates God's absolute sovereignty over all nations, using both friends and foes alike as instruments of His righteous judgment, allowing no escape.
  • "I will even gather them round about against thee,": This emphasizes the complete encirclement and hostile intent of the gathered nations. Jerusalem will be surrounded by her former allies and enemies, signifying a complete lack of escape, an overwhelming force, and the inescapable nature of the impending doom, leaving her utterly vulnerable.
  • "and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.": This is the climactic and most devastating act of public humiliation. God Himself will strip Jerusalem of her false glory, her pride, and her deceptive facade, exposing her utter moral and spiritual depravity before the very nations she sought to impress or manipulate. The powerful repetition of "nakedness" underscores the completeness, severity, and inescapable public nature of her disgrace and vulnerability.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 16:37 is profoundly rich in literary devices that amplify its powerful and disturbing message. The entire chapter functions as an extended Allegory, where Jerusalem is vividly personified as an unfaithful wife or harlot, and God is depicted as her wronged, yet righteous, husband. This specific verse employs powerful Personification by attributing human relationships—"lovers," "loved," "hated"—to abstract entities like nations and to Jerusalem herself. The central and most potent image, "discovering thy nakedness," is a searing Metaphor for public shame, utter disgrace, and extreme vulnerability, drawing on the ancient Near Eastern cultural understanding of physical nakedness as the ultimate humiliation and exposure. There is also a profound element of Irony at play, as the very nations Jerusalem relied upon for security and sought pleasure from will become the instruments of her downfall and public exposure, turning her misplaced trust into devastating judgment. Furthermore, the deliberate repetition of the word "nakedness" ("discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness") serves as powerful Emphasis, underscoring the profound, inescapable, and comprehensive nature of her disgrace and public humiliation.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 16:37 profoundly illustrates God's unwavering commitment to His covenant and His righteous indignation against spiritual idolatry and unfaithfulness. It reveals that God's judgment is not arbitrary or capricious but a just and inevitable consequence of persistent rebellion, where the very sources of a people's misplaced trust and illicit alliances become the instruments of their downfall. This verse underscores the absolute sovereignty of God over all nations and human affairs, demonstrating His ability to use both allies and enemies to accomplish His divine purposes and execute His justice. It serves as a stark and timeless reminder that true security, honor, and prosperity come only from exclusive and undivided devotion to the Lord, and that spiritual harlotry—any compromise of loyalty to God for worldly gain or security—inevitably leads to public disgrace and divine retribution.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 16:37, though a passage of severe divine judgment, offers profound and timeless lessons for believers today. It calls us to a sober and honest reflection on the nature of our covenant relationship with God, powerfully reminding us that He desires and justly demands our undivided loyalty and exclusive devotion. Just as Jerusalem's spiritual adultery and pursuit of worldly alliances led to public shame and divine retribution, so too can our own compromises with prevailing worldly values, our pursuit of fleeting pleasures, or our reliance on human systems and self-sufficiency over divine truth lead to spiritual barrenness, a loss of our witness, and ultimately, God's corrective discipline. This verse challenges us to deeply examine where our true affections and ultimate trust lie, and to repent of any "spiritual nakedness"—any areas of our lives where we have traded God's glory, His truth, or His sufficiency for something less, something temporal, or something idolatrous. It profoundly encourages us to cultivate a deep, abiding, and unwavering trust in God alone, recognizing that He is our ultimate and sole source of security, significance, and satisfaction, and that true honor and lasting joy are found only in humble, persistent faithfulness to Him.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what subtle or overt ways might I be prone to "spiritual adultery" by seeking security, affirmation, or satisfaction in worldly alliances, possessions, or achievements rather than in God alone?
  • How does the concept of God "discovering nakedness" challenge my understanding of sin's public and private consequences, both personally and within the community of faith?
  • What practical and intentional steps can I take to cultivate a more undivided loyalty to Christ in my daily life, ensuring my trust and devotion are solely and exclusively in Him?
  • How does this verse inspire me to live a life of greater transparency, humility, and authentic dependence before God, acknowledging my constant need for His grace and mercy?

FAQ

Who are "thy lovers" and "them that thou hast hated" in this verse?

Answer: In the rich allegory of Ezekiel 16, "thy lovers" metaphorically refer to the foreign nations with whom Jerusalem (representing Judah) formed political and military alliances. These alliances often led to the adoption of their idolatrous practices and constituted spiritual prostitution in God's eyes. Historically, these included powerful empires like Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon, from whom Jerusalem sought perceived pleasure, security, or advantage. "Them that thou hast hated" refers to other nations or peoples whom Jerusalem traditionally opposed or had hostile relations with, such as the Philistines or Edomites. The verse powerfully emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty, demonstrating His ability to use both those Jerusalem trusted and those she opposed as instruments of His righteous judgment and divine purpose.

What does "discover thy nakedness" mean in this context?

Answer: "Discover thy nakedness" is a profoundly powerful and culturally significant metaphor for public humiliation, utter disgrace, and the complete exposure of shame. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, public nakedness was a severe form of punishment and a potent symbol of utter defeat, often inflicted upon conquered enemies, slaves, or unfaithful women to strip them of all dignity and honor. Spiritually, for Jerusalem, it signifies the stripping away of her false glory, her deceptive pride, and her superficial facade, revealing her true state of moral depravity and spiritual bankruptcy before the very nations she had sought to impress, manipulate, or gain favor from. It means God will fully expose her unfaithfulness, her idolatry, and the futility of her misplaced trust for all to see.

Is God being vindictive or cruel by exposing Jerusalem's nakedness?

Answer: While the imagery used in Ezekiel 16:37 is undeniably severe and jarring, God's actions are presented not as vindictive cruelty but as righteous judgment and the just, inevitable consequence of Jerusalem's persistent and egregious covenant unfaithfulness. Throughout Ezekiel 16, God painstakingly recounts His lavish grace, His covenant initiation, and His faithful provision, all of which Jerusalem repeatedly violated through spiritual adultery, idolatry, and rebellion. The exposure of nakedness is a fitting and proportionate recompense for a people who had shamelessly prostituted themselves to other gods and nations, openly defying their covenant vows. It serves to vindicate God's holiness, justice, and unwavering commitment to His covenant, demonstrating that He will not tolerate unbridled rebellion indefinitely, as further elaborated in Ezekiel 16:43.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 16:37, with its stark imagery of judgment and exposed shame for an unfaithful people, finds its ultimate and most profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While Israel's nakedness and disgrace were revealed due to her profound sin and covenant breaking, Christ, as the true Israel and the perfect covenant keeper, voluntarily took upon Himself the ultimate shame and exposure, not for His own sin, but for the sins of humanity. On the cross, Jesus was stripped bare, both literally and figuratively, bearing the "nakedness" of humanity's sin, shame, and disgrace, as vividly recounted in John 19:23-24. He, who knew no sin, became sin for us, so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God, as powerfully declared in 2 Corinthians 5:21. Through His atoning sacrifice, the shame, judgment, and exposure due to our spiritual unfaithfulness are fully absorbed and satisfied. Believers, once spiritually "naked" in their sin and rebellion, are now graciously clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ, as beautifully symbolized in Galatians 3:27. The New Covenant, established in His precious blood, ensures that those who are in Christ are no longer exposed to the judgment and public shame that justly fell upon unfaithful Jerusalem, but are instead presented as a pure and spotless bride, adorned for her husband, eagerly awaiting the glorious marriage supper of the Lamb, as prophesied in Revelation 19:7-8.

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Commentary on Ezekiel 16 verses 35–43

Adultery was by the law of Moses made a capital crime. This notorious adulteress, the criminal at the bar, being in the foregoing verses found guilty, here has sentence passed upon her. It is ushered in with solemnity, Eze 16:35. The prophet, as the judge, in God's name calls to her, O harlot! hear the word of the Lord. Our Saviour preached to harlots, for their conversion, to bring them into the kingdom of God, not as the prophet here, to expel them out of it. Note, An apostate church is a harlot. Jerusalem is so if she become idolatrous. How has the faithful city become a harlot! Rome is so represented in the Revelation, when it is marked for ruin, as Jerusalem here. Rev 17:1, Come, and I will show thee the judgments of the great whore. Those who will not hear the commanding word of the Lord and obey it shall be made to hear the condemning word of the Lord and shall tremble at it. Let us attend while judgment is given.

I. The crime is stated and the articles of the charge are summed up (Eze 16:36) and (as is usual) with the attendant aggravations (Eze 16:43); for when God speaks in wrath he will be justified, and clear when he judges, clear when he is judged; and sinners, when they are condemned, shall have their sins so set in order before them that their mouth shall be stopped and they shall not have a word to object against the equity of the sentence. The crimes which this harlot stands convicted of, and is now to be condemned for, are, 1. The violation of the first two commandments of the first table by idolatry, which is here called her whoredoms with her lovers (so she called them, Hos 2:12, because she loved them as if they had been indeed her benefactors), that is, with all the idols of her abominations, the abominable idols which she served and worshipped. This was the sin which provoked God to jealousy. 2. The violation of the first two commandments of the second table by the murder of their own innocent infants: The blood of thy children which thou didst give unto them. It is not strange if those that have cast off God and his fear break through the strongest and most sacred bonds of natural affection. Their sins are aggravated from the consideration, (1.) Of the dishonour they had thereby done to themselves: "Hereby thy filthiness was poured out; the uncleanness that was in thy heart was hereby discovered and brought to light, and thy nakedness was exposed to view, and thou wast thereby exposed to contempt." God is displeased with his professing people for shaming themselves by their sins. (2.) Their base ingratitude is another aggravation of their sins: "Thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, and the kindness that was done thee then, when otherwise thou wouldst have perished," Eze 16:43. And, (3.) The vexation which their sins gave to God, whom they ought to have pleased: "Thou hast fretted me in all these things, not only angered me, but grieved me." It is a strange expression, and, one would think, enough to melt a heart of stone, that the great God, who cannot admit any uneasiness, is pleased to speak of the sins and follies of his professing people as fretting to him. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation.

II. The sentence is passed in general: I will judge thee as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged (Eze 16:38), and those two crimes were punished with death, with an ignominious death. "Thou hast shed blood, and therefore I will give thee blood; thou hast broken wedlock, and therefore I will give it thee, not only in justice, but in jealousy, not only as a righteous Judge, but as an injured and incensed husband, who will not spare in the day of vengeance," Pro 6:34, Pro 6:35. He will recompense their way upon their head, Eze 16:43. In all the judgments God executes upon sinners we must see their own way recompensed upon their head; they are dealt with not only as they deserved, but as they procured. It is the end which their sin, as a way, had a direct tendency to. More particularly, 1. This criminal must be (as is usually done with criminals) exposed to public shame, Eze 16:37. Malefactors are not executed privately, but are made a spectacle to the world. Care is here taken to bring spectators together: "All those whom thou hast loved, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, shall come to be witnesses of the execution, that they may take warning and prevent their own like ruin; and those also whom thou hast hated, who will insult over thee and triumph in thy fall." Both ways the calamities of Jerusalem will be aggravated, that they will be the grief of her friends and the joy of her foes. These shall not only be gathered around her, but gathered against her; even those with whom she took unlawful pleasure, with whom she contracted unlawful leagues, the Egyptians and Assyrians, shall now contribute to her ruin. As, when a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him, so when a man's ways displease the Lord he makes even his friends to be at war with him; and justly makes those a scourge and a plague to sinners, and instruments of their destruction, who were their tempters, and with whom they were partakers in wickedness. Those whom they have suffered to strip them of their virtue shall see them stripped, and perhaps help to strip them, of all their other ornaments; to see the nakedness of the land will they come. It is added, to the same purport (Eze 16:41), I will execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women; thou shalt be made an example of in terrorem - that others may see and fear and do no more presumptuously. 2. The criminal is condemned to die, for her sins are such as death is the wages of (Eze 16:40): They shall bring up a company (that is, a company shall be brought up) against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords; so great a death, so many deaths in one, is this adulteress adjudged to. When the walls of Jerusalem were battered down with stones shot against them, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were put to the sword, then this sentence was executed in the letter of it. 3. The estate of the criminal is confiscated, and all that belonged to her destroyed with her (Eze 16:39): They shall throw down thy eminent place, and (Eze 16:41) they shall burn thy houses, as the habitations of bad women are destroyed, in detestation of their lewdness. Their high places, erected in honour of their idols, by which they thought to ingratiate themselves with their neighbours, shall be an offence to them, and even they shall break them down. It was long the complaint, even in some of the best reigns of the kings of Judah, that the high places were not taken away; but now the army of the Chaldeans, when they lay all waste, shall break them down. If iniquity be not taken away by the justice of the nation, it shall be taken away by the judgments of God upon the nation. 4. Thus both the sin and the sinners shall be abolished together, and an end put to both: Thou shalt cease from playing the harlot; there shall be no remainders of idolatry in the land, because the inhabitants shall be wholly extirpated, and they shall give no more hire because they shall have no more to give. Some that will not leave their sins live till their sins leave them. When all that with which they honoured their idols is taken from them they shall not give hire any more (Eze 16:41): "Then thou shalt not commit this lewdness of sacrificing thy children, which was a crime provoking above all thy abominations, for thy children shall all be cut off by the sword or carried into captivity, so that thou shalt have none to sacrifice," Eze 16:43. Or it may be meant of the reformation of those of them that escape and survive the punishment; they shall take warning, and shall do no more presumptuously. The captivity in Babylon made the people of Israel to cease for ever from playing the harlot; it effectually cured them of their inclination to idolatry. And then all shall be well, when this is the fruit, even the taking away of sin; then (Eze 16:42) my jealousy shall depart. I will be quiet, and no more angry. When we begin to be at war with sin God will be at peace with us; for he continues the affliction no longer than till it has done its work. When sin departs God's jealousy will soon depart, for he is never jealous but when we give him just cause to be so. Yet some understand this as a threatening of utter ruin, that God will make a full end and the fire of his anger shall burn as long as there is any fuel for it. His fury shall rest upon them, and not remove. Compare this with that doom of unbelievers, Joh 3:36. The wrath of God abideth on them. They shall drink the dregs of the cup, and then God will be no more angry, for he is eased of his adversaries (Isa 1:24), is satisfied in the abandoning of them, and therefore will be no more angry, because there are no more for his anger to fasten upon. They had fretted him, when judgment and mercy were contesting; but now he is quiet, as he will be in the eternal damnation of sinners, wherein he will be glorified, and therefore he will be satisfied.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 35–43. Public domain.
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Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 35 and following) Therefore, prostitute, listen to the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God: Because your bronze has been poured out, and your disgrace has been revealed in your fornication (in your adulteries), with your lovers, and with the idols of your abominations, in the blood of your sons, whom you have given to them. Behold, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have mingled, and all those whom you have loved with all those whom you have hated, and I will gather them against you from all sides, and I will uncover your disgrace before them, and they will see all your shame. And I will judge you with the judgments of adulteresses, and those who shed blood, and I will give you into the blood (Vulg. blood) of fury and zeal, and I will give you into their hands, and they will destroy your brothel, and they will demolish your prostitution house, and they will strip you of your clothes, and they will take away the vessels of your beauty, and they will leave you naked, full of shame. And they will bring a multitude upon you, and they will stone you with stones, and they will kill (Al. mutilate) you with their swords. And they will burn your houses with fire, and they will bring judgment upon you in the eyes of many women, and you will cease to fornicate and no longer give bribes. And my indignation will rest on you, and my jealousy will be taken away from you, and I will rest and not be angry anymore, because you have not remembered the days of your youth and you have provoked me in all these things. Therefore, I have given you your ways upon your head, says the Lord God, and I have not acted according to your wickedness in all your abominations. LXX: Therefore, prostitute, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God: Because you have poured out your wrath and your shame will be revealed in your prostitution to your lovers, and in all your wicked thoughts, and in the blood of your sons, whom you have given to them. Therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have mingled, and all those you loved with all those you hated, and I will gather them against you from all around, and I will reveal your evil deeds to them, and they will see all your shame. And I will avenge on you the vengeance of adulteries and the shedding of blood, and I will put you in the blood of fury and zeal, and I will deliver you into their hands: and they shall demolish your brothel, and destroy your foundation, and they shall strip you of your garments, and they shall take away the vessels of your glory, and they shall leave you naked and full of shame, and they shall bring a multitude upon you, and they shall stone you with stones, and they shall cut you with their swords. And they shall set fire to your houses, and they shall execute punishments on you in the presence of many women: and I will turn you away from fornication, and you shall no longer give rewards, and I will unleash my fury upon you, and my zeal shall depart from you, and I will rest and will be no longer concerned: because you have not remembered the days of your infancy, and you have grieved me in all these things. And behold, I will bring your ways upon your head, declares the Lord God, so that you have done wickednesses above all your other wickednesses. We lay the foundations of the story first. Because you have done these things and those things which the previous speech comprehends: therefore hear, O harlot, what you have done and what you will suffer. You poured out your brass which you received from me, and you gave payment to your lovers, which you should have received, and you killed your sons as you offered them to idols: so that you have become not only an adulteress, but also a murderer of your own children. Therefore, I will gather all your lovers with whom you have prostituted yourself, both those whom you have loved and those whom you have hated, and I will expose you as an adulteress and reveal your nakedness, so that all may see your shame and the genitals for which you were once consumed with passion. All these things are said metaphorically of an adulterous and murderous woman, who not only committed acts of adultery against her husband, but also killed her children. They are spoken concerning Jerusalem and the gathering of all the nations against her, of which she worshiped idols and turned all of God's gifts into their worship, and the temple of Baal must be destroyed and the altars of every city must be overturned by fire, so that nothing remains in her. And just as it is customary for all to throw stones at the adulteress and to slay the harlot, so that she may be killed by the wounds of each: so shall all women see the punishment of the fornicator. Thus, in the sight of others, in the surrounding cities and nations, Jerusalem shall be abandoned. And this shall be done, so that she may cease her whoring and no longer give wages to her lovers, and the anger of God may rest, and He may not be angered by her when she ceases to love. From this we understand that there is great offense, not taken care of by God, but allowed for man's crimes and sins. My zeal will be removed from you, I will rest, and no longer be angry, as if it were someone else, and what has departed from me, and which I have handed over to eternal nakedness. But if Jerusalem has endured this, because it fornicated with idols, what do we think it will endure, when it has killed God's Son? And you have done all these things, forgetting past kindnesses, and you have provoked me to anger, or saddened me, when you should have provoked me to joy with your good works. Therefore, I have also rendered your deeds upon your head. And when I destroy you, O adulteress, I will exercise less of my anger against you than you deserve, so that divine mercy may be shown, that sins may be greater than punishments. According to tropology, every soul receives spiritual money from God, according to the Gospel (Mt. 25, Lk. 19) which is spoken in five and two parables, and of one talent, and ten servants receiving each a single mina, who, when they act negligently, become debtors of fifty (or ten) denarii and five hundred, and because of this, in the presence of lovers, whom we understand as demons and contrary virtues, the ignominy of Jerusalem is revealed, either on the day of judgment or at the time of repentance when they are reproached. And indeed only the omnipotent God sees hidden things, as the Gospel says: And the Father who sees in secret (Matthew 6:6). And in another place: God, who searches the heart and reins (Psalm 7:10). And in the book of Kings: You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men (2 Kings 8). But when it is fulfilled: There is nothing hidden that will not be made manifest, nor secret that will not be revealed (Luke 12:2). And in another place: Judge not before the time, until the Lord comes, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise from God (1 Corinthians 4:5); and when the time of correction comes, then shall be fulfilled what Hosea says: Now their own thoughts have surrounded them (Hosea 7:2). And in another place: Mutual accusations or defenses of thoughts, on the day when God will judge the hidden things of men (Rom. II, 15). And again: Behold the man, and his works before his face. And all who had fornicated with her before will see her disgrace, and God will give it to them in the blood of fury and zeal. For the fury of a man is full against an adulterous wife, and it cannot be redeemed at any price. And the blood of the children can be understood in this way, that we call the good thoughts of men implanted by God in them the children of Jerusalem; the adulteress kills them when she turns to evil deeds. It is also advantageous for Jerusalem, that its brothel be dug up, and the entire seedbed of fornication be destroyed. For when this has been done, it will no longer provide wages, and the wrath of God will rest, and he will not be jealous of its chastity: namely, according to those who understand in a positive sense what is said. Others, however, as we have said above, take the opposite view, that it is a great anger of God not to be angry, since he has once despised the fornicator, and has despaired of his salvation. But if heretics who do not accept the old Testament according to the Septuagint edition criticize this passage that was said: And you were grieved in all these; because God not only receives wrath but also submits to sorrow and sadness, let us ask them how they accept what is certainly a commandment of the good God: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed on the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). Whatever they may say in defense of that testimony, we will include it in the satisfaction of the present discourse.
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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