Ezekiel 22:11

And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father's daughter.

And one {H376} hath committed {H6213} abomination {H8441} with his neighbour's {H7453} wife {H802}; and another {H376} hath lewdly {H2154} defiled {H2930} his daughter in law {H3618}; and another {H376} in thee hath humbled {H6031} his sister {H269}, his father's {H1} daughter {H1323}.

In you, one commits an abomination with his neighbor's wife; another commits some lewd act defiling his daughter-in-law; still another humbles his sister, his own father's daughter.

One man commits an abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another wickedly defiles his daughter-in-law; and yet another violates his sister, his own father’s daughter.

And one hath committed abomination with his neighbor’s wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.

Ezekiel 22:11 is a stark indictment of the rampant sexual immorality and moral decay prevalent in Jerusalem during the prophet Ezekiel's time. This verse forms part of a longer catalog of grievous sins for which God declares His impending judgment upon the city.

Context

Chapter 22 of Ezekiel vividly portrays Jerusalem as a "bloody city," highlighting its profound spiritual corruption and violation of God's covenant. The prophet, speaking for God, lists various transgressions, from bloodshed and idolatry to oppression of the poor and disrespect for sacred things. Verse 11 specifically details three heinous sexual sins: adultery, incest with a daughter-in-law, and incest with a sister. These acts were not merely private failings but indicative of a widespread moral collapse that permeated society, contributing to the nation's spiritual sickness and justifying the severe divine judgment to come, as seen throughout Ezekiel chapter 22.

Key Themes

  • Flagrant Sexual Immorality: The verse explicitly names three forms of sexual perversion, each a direct violation of God's law. These are not isolated incidents but represent a pervasive disregard for divine commands regarding purity and family structure.
  • Violation of Family and Covenant: Adultery breaks the covenant of marriage, a direct violation of the Seventh Commandment (Exodus 20:14). Incestuous relationships (daughter-in-law, sister) defile the sanctity of family bonds and violate explicit prohibitions in the Mosaic Law concerning forbidden degrees of kinship (Leviticus 18:6-18), specifically addressing a sister (Leviticus 18:9) and a daughter-in-law (Leviticus 18:15). These acts demonstrated a complete breakdown of moral order.
  • Spiritual Decay and Impending Judgment: Such sexual sins were not merely social aberrations but symptoms of a deeper spiritual apostasy. They reflected a people who had abandoned God's ways, leading directly to the pronouncement of judgment and the eventual Babylonian exile (Ezekiel 22:15).

Linguistic Insights

  • The term "abomination" (Hebrew: to'evah, תּוֹעֵבָה) used for adultery signifies something utterly detestable and morally repugnant to God, often associated with idolatry and practices contrary to divine law.
  • "Lewdly defiled" (Hebrew: tame', טָמֵא) implies making something ceremonially or morally unclean. Here, it underscores the profound impurity and desecration caused by the incestuous act with the daughter-in-law.
  • "Humbled his sister" (Hebrew: 'anah, עָנָה) in this context is a euphemism for sexual violation or rape, emphasizing the violence and degradation inherent in the act, especially against a close family member.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 22:11 serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of moral compromise and sexual sin within any society or individual life. It reminds us that God's standards for purity and the sanctity of marriage and family are foundational. The consequences of disregarding these standards, whether individually or corporately, are severe, leading to spiritual decay and ultimately, divine displeasure. For believers today, this verse underscores the call to live lives of holiness, respecting the integrity of relationships and upholding God's design for human sexuality, as affirmed in the New Testament (e.g., 1 Corinthians 6:18).

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.

  • Leviticus 18:9

    The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, [whether she be] born at home, or born abroad, [even] their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

  • 2 Samuel 13:14

    Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

  • Leviticus 20:17

    And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it [is] a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.

  • Leviticus 18:15

    Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she [is] thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

  • Leviticus 20:12

    And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood [shall be] upon them.

  • Leviticus 20:10

    ¶ And the man that committeth adultery with [another] man's wife, [even he] that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

  • Ezekiel 18:11

    And that doeth not any of those [duties], but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,

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