Ezekiel 16:46

And thine elder sister [is] Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, [is] Sodom and her daughters.

And thine elder {H1419} sister {H269} is Samaria {H8111}, she and her daughters {H1323} that dwell {H3427} at thy left hand {H8040}: and thy younger {H6996} sister {H269}, that dwelleth {H3427} at thy right hand {H3225}, is Sodom {H5467} and her daughters {H1323}.

Moreover, your older sister is Shomron, who lives at your left, she and her daughters; and your younger sister, living at your right, is S'dom with her daughters.

Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to your north; and your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to your south.

And thine elder sister is Samaria, that dwelleth at thy left hand, she and her daughters; and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.

Ezekiel 16:46 is a pivotal verse within a powerful and extended allegory where God confronts Jerusalem (representing the kingdom of Judah) with her profound spiritual unfaithfulness. In this verse, God identifies Jerusalem's "sisters" to highlight the extreme nature of her sin.

Context

Chapter 16 of Ezekiel is a vivid and stark indictment of Jerusalem's history of rebellion against God, depicted as a beautiful, chosen bride who turned into a harlot. God traces her origins, His gracious provision, and her subsequent betrayal through idolatry and alliances with foreign nations. Before verse 46, God details Jerusalem's abominations. This verse sets the stage for the shocking assertion that Jerusalem's wickedness surpassed even that of these notorious "sisters." The comparison serves to underscore the gravity of Judah's spiritual adultery and breaking of the covenant made with God.

Key Themes

  • Unparalleled Sin: The primary theme is the shocking depth of Jerusalem's apostasy. By comparing her to Samaria and Sodom, God emphasizes that Jerusalem's sins were not only comparable but, in some respects, even worse than those of famously wicked cities.
  • Spiritual Adultery: The entire chapter uses the metaphor of a wife's infidelity to describe Jerusalem's departure from God through idolatry and reliance on foreign powers.
  • Divine Judgment: The strong condemnation in this verse and chapter foreshadows the inevitable judgment and destruction that would come upon Jerusalem, culminating in the Babylonian exile.

Linguistic Insights

The terms "elder sister" and "younger sister" are used metaphorically to establish a lineage of sin. "Samaria," the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, is called the "elder sister" because the Northern Kingdom had already fallen due to its persistent idolatry and rejection of God's commands (see 2 Kings 17:18). "Sodom," though historically much older, is ironically called the "younger sister" because Jerusalem's current state of depravity made even Sodom's historical wickedness seem less egregious by comparison. The phrase "daughters" refers to the surrounding towns and dependencies, implying that the sins of these central cities had spread their corrupting influence.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 16:46 serves as a powerful reminder that spiritual privilege does not guarantee faithfulness. Jerusalem, chosen and blessed by God, fell into greater sin than even those who did not have the same covenant relationship. This verse calls us to:

  • Self-Examination: It prompts us to critically examine our own spiritual state and guard against complacency, pride, or hypocrisy. Are we, despite our knowledge and blessings, harboring hidden sins that might make us worse than those we judge?
  • Gravity of Sin: It underscores the seriousness of spiritual unfaithfulness and idolatry, which can take many forms today, from worshipping material possessions to placing trust in human institutions above God.
  • God's Justice: It affirms God's righteous judgment against sin, reminding us that He holds His people to a higher standard. While God's grace is abundant, His justice is also sure (Romans 6:23).

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 23:4

    And the names of them [were] Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus [were] their names; Samaria [is] Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.

  • Jeremiah 3:8

    And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

  • Jeremiah 3:11

    And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

  • Ezekiel 16:48

    [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.

  • Ezekiel 16:49

    Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

  • Genesis 13:10

    ¶ And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it [was] well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, [even] as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

  • Genesis 13:13

    But the men of Sodom [were] wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

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