Elberfelder Bible - unrevised version (ca. 1900)

1Und das Wort Jehovas geschah zu mir also: 2Menschensohn, tue Jerusalem seine Greuel kund 3und sprich: So spricht der Herr, Jehova, zu Jerusalem: Dein Ursprung und deine Abstammung ist aus dem Lande der Kanaaniter; dein Vater war ein Amoriter, und deine Mutter eine Hethiterin. 4Und was deine Geburt betrifft - an dem Tage, da du geboren wurdest, wurde dein Nabel nicht abgeschnitten, und du wurdest nicht in Wasser gebadet zur Reinigung, und nicht mit Salz abgerieben, und nicht in Windeln gewickelt. 5Kein Auge blickte mitleidig auf dich hin, um dir eines dieser Dinge zu tun, um sich deiner zu erbarmen; und du wurdest auf das freie Feld geworfen, vor Abscheu an deinem Leben, an dem Tage, da du geboren wurdest. - 6Da ging ich an dir vorüber und sah dich zappeln in deinem Blute; und ich sprach zu dir: In deinem Blute lebe! und ich sprach zu dir: In deinem Blute lebe! 7Zu Zehntausenden, wie das Gewächs des Feldes, machte ich dich; und du wuchsest heran und wurdest groß, und du gelangtest zu höchster Anmut; die Brüste rundeten sich, und dein Haar wuchs; aber du warst nackt und bloß. 8Und ich ging an dir vorüber und sah dich, und siehe, deine Zeit war die Zeit der Liebe; und ich breitete meinen Zipfel über dich aus, und bedeckte deine Blöße; und ich schwur dir und trat in einen Bund mit dir, spricht der Herr, Jehova, und du wurdest mein. 9Und ich badete dich in Wasser, und spülte dein Blut von dir ab, und salbte dich mit Öl. 10Und ich bekleidete dich mit Buntgewirktem und beschuhte dich mit Seekuhfellen, und ich umwand dich mit Byssus und bedeckte dich mit Seide; 11und ich schmückte dich mit Schmuck: ich legte Armringe an deine Hände und eine Kette um deinen Hals, 12und legte einen Reif in deine Nase und Ringe in deine Ohren, und setzte eine Prachtkrone auf dein Haupt. 13Und so wurdest du mit Gold und Silber geschmückt, und deine Kleidung war Byssus und Seide und Buntgewirktes; du aßest Feinmehl und Honig und Öl. Und du warst überaus schön und gelangtest zum Königtum. 14Und dein Ruf ging aus unter die Nationen wegen deiner Schönheit; denn sie war vollkommen durch meine Herrlichkeit, die ich auf dich gelegt hatte, spricht der Herr, Jehova. 15Aber du vertrautest auf deine Schönheit, und du hurtest auf deinen Ruf hin und gossest deine Hurereien aus über jeden Vorübergehenden: ihm ward sie. 16Und du nahmst von deinen Kleidern und machtest dir bunte Höhen, und du hurtest auf denselben - was nicht vorkommen und nicht geschehen sollte. 17Und du nahmst deine prächtigen Geschmeide von meinem Golde und von meinem Silber, welches ich dir gegeben hatte, und machtest dir Mannsbilder und hurtest mit ihnen. 18Und du nahmst deine buntgewirkten Kleider und bedecktest sie damit; und mein Öl und mein Räucherwerk setztest du ihnen vor; 19und meine Speise, die ich dir gegeben: Feinmehl und Öl und Honig, womit ich dich gespeist hatte, die setztest du ihnen vor zum lieblichen Geruch. Und das ist geschehen, spricht der Herr, Jehova. - 20Und du nahmst deine Söhne und deine Töchter, die du mir geboren, und opfertest sie ihnen zum Fraß. 21War es zu wenig an deiner Hurerei, daß du meine Kinder schlachtetest und sie hingabst, indem du sie ihnen durch das Feuer gehen ließest? 22Und bei allen deinen Greueln und deinen Hurereien gedachtest du nicht der Tage deiner Jugend, als du nackt und bloß warst, zappelnd in deinem Blute lagst. - 23Und es geschah, nach aller deiner Bosheit (wehe, wehe dir! spricht der Herr, Jehova) 24bautest du dir Gewölbe und machtest dir Höhen auf allen Straßen; 25an jedem Scheidewege bautest du deine Höhen, und du schändetest deine Schönheit und spreiztest deine Füße gegen jeden Vorübergehenden; und du mehrtest deine Hurerei. 26Du hurtest mit den Söhnen Ägyptens, deinen Nachbarn, die groß an Fleisch sind; und du mehrtest deine Hurerei, um mich zu reizen. 27Und siehe, ich streckte meine Hand wider dich aus und verkürzte das dir Bestimmte; und ich gab dich hin der Gier derer, die dich hassen, der Töchter der Philister, die sich vor deinem unzüchtigen Wege schämen. 28Und du hurtest mit den Söhnen Assurs, weil du nie satt werden kannst; und du hurtest mit ihnen und wurdest auch nicht satt. 29Und du mehrtest deine Hurerei nach dem Krämerlande Chaldäa hin; und auch davon wurdest du nicht satt. 30Wie schmachtend ist dein Herz! spricht der Herr, Jehova, indem du dieses alles tust, das Tun eines ausgelassenen Hurenweibes, 31indem du deine Gewölbe baust an jedem Scheidewege und deine Höhen auf allen Straßen machst. Und du warst nicht einmal wie eine Hure, indem du den Lohn verschmähtest; 32das ehebrecherische Weib nimmt statt ihres Mannes Fremde an! 33Allen Huren gibt man Geschenke; du aber gabst deine Geschenke allen deinen Buhlen, und du beschenktest sie, damit sie von ringsumher zu dir kämen, um Hurerei mit dir zu treiben . 34Und es geschah bei dir das Umgekehrte von den Weibern bei deinen Hurereien, daß man nicht dir nachhurte; denn indem du Lohn gabst und dir kein Lohn gegeben wurde, bist du das Umgekehrte gewesen. 35Darum, Hure, höre das Wort Jehovas! 36So spricht der Herr, Jehova: Weil deine Unreinigkeit ausgegossen und deine Blöße aufgedeckt worden ist in deinen Hurereien mit deinen Buhlen, und wegen all deiner greuelhaften Götzen und wegen des Blutes deiner Kinder, die du ihnen gegeben hast: 37darum, siehe, werde ich alle deine Buhlen sammeln, denen du gefielst, und alle, die du geliebt, samt allen, die du gehaßt hast. Und ich werde sie von ringsumher wider dich sammeln und deine Blöße vor ihnen aufdecken, so daß sie deine ganze Blöße sehen werden. 38Und ich werde dich richten nach den Rechten der Ehebrecherinnen und der Blutvergießerinnen, und dich machen zum Blute des Grimmes und der Eifersucht. 39Und ich werde dich in ihre Hand geben, damit sie deine Gewölbe zerstören und deine Höhen niederreißen, und dir deine Kleider ausziehen und deine prächtigen Geschmeide nehmen und dich nackt und bloß liegen lassen. 40Und sie werden eine Versammlung wider dich heraufführen und dich steinigen, und werden dich mit ihren Schwertern durchbohren. 41Und sie werden deine Häuser mit Feuer verbrennen und Gerichte an dir üben vor den Augen vieler Weiber. Und so werde ich dich aufhören lassen, eine Hure zu sein, und du wirst auch keinen Lohn mehr geben. 42Und ich werde meinen Grimm an dir stillen, und mein Eifer wird von dir weichen; und ich werde ruhig sein und mich nicht mehr kränken. - 43Darum, daß du nicht gedacht hast der Tage deiner Jugend und mich durch alles dieses gereizt hast, siehe, so habe auch ich deinen Weg auf deinen Kopf gebracht, spricht der Herr, Jehova, damit du nicht mehr diese Schandtat begehest zu allen deinen Greueln hinzu. 44Siehe, jeder Spruchredner wird über dich das Sprichwort reden und sprechen: Wie die Mutter, so ihre Tochter. 45Du bist die Tochter deiner Mutter, die ihren Mann und ihre Kinder verschmähte; und du bist die Schwester deiner Schwestern, die ihre Männer und ihre Kinder verschmähten. Eure Mutter war eine Hethiterin, und euer Vater ein Amoriter. 46Und deine größere Schwester ist Samaria mit ihren Töchtern , die zu deiner Linken wohnt; und deine Schwester, die kleiner ist als du, und die zu deiner Rechten wohnt, ist Sodom mit ihren Töchtern. 47Aber nicht auf ihren Wegen hast du gewandelt, und nicht nur ein wenig nach ihren Greueln getan; denn du hast verderbter gehandelt als sie auf allen deinen Wegen. 48So wahr ich lebe, spricht der Herr, Jehova, Sodom, deine Schwester, sie und ihre Töchter haben nicht getan, wie du getan hast, du und deine Töchter! 49Siehe, dies war die Missetat Sodoms, deiner Schwester: Hoffart, Fülle von Brot und sorglose Ruhe hatte sie mit ihren Töchtern, aber die Hand des Elenden und des Armen stärkte sie nicht; 50und sie waren hochmütig und verübten Greuel vor meinem Angesicht. Und ich tat sie hinweg, sobald ich es sah. 51Und Samaria hat nicht gesündigt gleich der Hälfte deiner Sünden; und du hast deiner Greuel mehr gemacht als sie , und hast deine Schwestern gerechtfertigt durch alle deine Greuel, die du verübt hast. 52So trage auch du deine Schmach, welche du deinen Schwestern zuerkannt hast; durch deine Sünden, die du greulicher begangen hast als sie, sind sie gerechter als du. Und so werde auch du zu Schanden und trage deine Schmach, weil du deine Schwestern gerechtfertigt hast. 53Und ich werde ihre Gefangenschaft wenden, die Gefangenschaft Sodoms und ihrer Töchter und die Gefangenschaft Samarias und ihrer Töchter, und die Gefangenschaft deiner Gefangenen in ihrer Mitte: 54auf daß du deine Schmach tragest und dich schämest alles dessen, was du getan hast, indem du sie tröstest. 55Und deine Schwestern, Sodom und ihre Töchter, werden zurückkehren zu ihrem früheren Stande; und Samaria und ihre Töchter werden zurückkehren zu ihrem früheren Stande; und auch du und deine Töchter, ihr werdet zurückkehren zu eurem früheren Stande. 56Und Sodom, deine Schwester, wurde nicht erwähnt in deinem Munde am Tage deiner Hoffärtigkeiten, 57ehe deine Bosheit aufgedeckt wurde, wie zur Zeit des Hohnes der Töchter Syriens und aller seiner Umgebungen, der Töchter der Philister, die dich verachteten ringsumher. 58Deine Unzucht und deine Greuel, du wirst sie tragen, spricht Jehova. 59Denn so spricht der Herr, Jehova: Ja, ich will dir tun, so wie du getan, die du den Eid verachtet und den Bund gebrochen hast . - 60Doch ich will gedenken meines Bundes mit dir in den Tagen deiner Jugend, und will dir einen ewigen Bund errichten. 61Und du wirst deiner Wege gedenken und dich schämen, wenn du deine Schwestern empfangen wirst, die größer sind als du, samt denen, die kleiner sind als du, und ich sie dir zu Töchtern geben werde, aber nicht infolge deines Bundes. 62Und ich werde meinen Bund mit dir errichten, und du wirst wissen, daß ich Jehova bin: 63auf daß du eingedenk seiest und dich schämest, und den Mund nicht mehr auftuest wegen deiner Schmach, wenn ich dir alles vergebe, was du getan hast, spricht der Herr, Jehova.


Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary
 2   DETAILED APPLICATION OF THE PARABOLICAL DELINEATION OF THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER TO JERUSALEM PERSONIFIED AS A DAUGHTER. (Eze. 16:1-63)
cause Jerusalem to know--Men often are so blind as not to perceive their guilt which is patent to all. "Jerusalem" represents the whole kingdom of Judah.

 3   birth . . . nativity--thy origin and birth; literally, "thy diggings" (compare Isa 51:1) "and thy bringings forth."
of . . . Canaan--in which Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob sojourned before going to Egypt, and from which thou didst derive far more of thy innate characteristics than from the virtues of those thy progenitors (Ezek 21:30).
an Amorite . . . an Hittite--These, being the most powerful tribes, stand for the whole of the Canaanite nations (compare Josh 1:4; Amos 2:9), which were so abominably corrupt as to have been doomed to utter extermination by God (Lev 18:24-Lev 18:25, Lev 18:28; Deut 18:12). Translate rather, "the Amorite . . . the Canaanite," that is, these two tribes personified; their wicked characteristics, respectively, were concentrated in the parentage of Israel (Gen 15:16). "The Hittite" is made their "mother"; alluding to Esau's wives, daughters of Heth, whose ways vexed Rebekah (Gen 26:34-Gen 26:35; Gen 27:46), but pleased the degenerate descendants of Jacob, so that these are called, in respect of morals, children of the Hittite (compare Ezek 16:45).

 4   Israel's helplessness in her first struggling into national existence, under the image of an infant (Hos 2:3) cast forth without receiving the commonest acts of parental regard. Its very life was a miracle (Exod 1:15-Exod 1:22).
navel . . . not cut--Without proper attention to the navel cord, the infant just born is liable to die.
neither . . . washed in water to supple thee--that is, to make the skin soft. Rather, "for purification"; from an Arabic root [MAURER]. GESENIUS translates as the Margin, "that thou mightest (be presented to thy parents to) be looked upon," as is customary on the birth of a child.
salted--Anciently they rubbed infants with salt to make the skin firm.

 5   cast . . . in . . . open field--The exposure of infants was common in ancient times.
to the loathing of thy person--referring to the unsightly aspect of the exposed infant. FAIRBAIRN translates, "With contempt (or disdainful indifference) of thy life."

 6   when I passed by--as if a traveller.
polluted in . . . blood--but PISCATOR, "ready to be trodden on."
I said--In contrast to Israel's helplessness stands God's omnipotent word of grace which bids the outcast little one "live."
in thy blood--Though thou wast foul with blood, I said, "Live" [GROTIUS]. "Live in thy blood," that is, Live, but live a life exposed to many deaths, as was the case in the beginnings of Israel's national existence, in order to magnify the grace of God [CALVIN]. The former view is preferable. Spiritually, till the sinner is made sensible of his abject helplessness, he will not appreciate the provisions of God's grace.

 7   caused . . . to multiply--literally, "I . . . made thee a myriad."
bud of . . . field--the produce of the field. In two hundred fifty years they increased from seventy-five persons to eight hundred thousand (Acts 7:14) [CALVIN]. But see Exod 12:37-Exod 12:38.
excellent ornaments--literally, "ornament of ornaments."
naked . . . bare-- (Hos 2:3). Literally, "nakedness . . . bareness" itself; more emphatic.

 8   thy time of love--literally, "loves" (compare Song 2:10-Song 2:13). Thou wast of marriageable age, but none was willing to marry thee, naked as thou wast. I then regarded thee with a look of grace when the full time of thy deliverance was come (Gen 15:13-Gen 15:14; Acts 7:6-Acts 7:7). It is not she that makes the advance to God, but God to her; she has nothing to entitle her to such notice, yet He regards her not with mere benevolence, but with love, such as one cherishes to the person of his wife (Song 1:3-Song 1:6; Jer 31:3; Mal 1:2).
spread my skirt over thee--the mode of espousals (Ruth 3:9). I betrothed thee (Deut 4:37; Deut 10:15; Hos 11:1). The cloak is often used as a bed coverlet in the East. God explains what He means, "I entered into . . . covenant with thee," that is, at Sinai. So Israel became "the wife of God's covenant" (Isa 54:5; Jer 3:14; Hos 2:19-Hos 2:20; Mal 2:14).
thou . . . mine-- (Exod 19:5; Jer 2:2).

 9   washed I thee--as brides used to pass through a preparatory purification (Esth 2:12). So Israel, before the giving of the law at Sinai (Exod 19:14); "Moses sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes." So believers (1Cor 6:11).
oil--emblem of the Levitical priesthood, the type of Messiah (Ps 45:7).

 10   Ps 45:13-Ps 45:14, similarly describes the Church (Israel, the appointed mother of Christendom) adorned as a bride (so Isa 61:10). It is Messiah who provides the wedding garment (Rev 3:18; Rev 19:8).
badgers' skin--tahash; others translate, "seal skins." They formed the over-covering of the tabernacle, which was, as it were, the nuptial tent of God and Israel (Exod 26:14), and the material of the shoes worn by the Hebrews on festival days. (See on Exod 25:5).
fine linen--used by the priests (Lev 6:10); emblem of purity.

 11   The marriage gifts to Rebekah (Gen 24:22, Gen 24:47).

 12   jewel on thy forehead--rather, "a ring in thy nose" (Isa 3:21).
a crown--at once the badge of a bride, and of her being made a queen, as being consort of the King; the very name Israel meaning "a prince of God." So they are called "a kingdom of priests" (Exod 19:6; compare Rev 1:6). Though the external blessings bestowed on Israel were great, yet not these, but the internal and spiritual, form the main reference in the kingly marriage to which Israel was advanced.

 13   flour . . . honey . . . oil--These three mixed form the sweetest cakes; not dry bread and leeks as in Egypt. From raiment He passes to food (Deut 32:13-Deut 32:14).
exceeding beautiful-- Ps 48:2, the city; also, Ps 29:2, the temple.
prosper into a kingdom--exercising empire over surrounding nations.

 14   thy renown . . . among . . . heathen--The theocracy reached its highest point under Solomon, when distant potentates heard of his "fame" (1Kgs 10:1, &c.), for example, the queen of Sheba, Hiram, &c. (Lam 2:15).
my comeliness--It was not thine own, but imparted by Me.

 15   Instead of attributing the glory of her privileges and gifts to God, Israel prided herself on them as her own (Deut 32:15; Jer 7:4; Mic 3:11), and then wantonly devoted them to her idols (Hos 2:8; compare Luke 15:12-Luke 15:13).
playedst . . . harlot because of thy renown--"didst play the wanton upon thy name" [FAIRBAIRN], namely, by allowing thy renown to lead thee into idolatry and leagues with idolaters (Isa 1:21; Isa 57:8; Jer 3:2, Jer 3:6). English Version is better, "because of thy renown," that is, relying on it; answering to "thou didst trust in thine own beauty."
his it was--Thy beauty was yielded up to every passer-by Israel's zest for the worship of foul idols was but an anxiety to have the approbation of heaven for their carnal lusts, of which the idols were the personification; hence, too, their tendency to wander from Jehovah, who was a restraint on corrupt nature.

 16   deckedst . . . with divers colours--or, "didst make . . . of divers colors" [FAIRBAIRN]; the metaphor and the literal are here mixed. The high places whereon they sacrificed to Astarte are here compared to tents of divers colors, which an impudent harlot would spread to show her house was open to all [CALVIN]. Compare as to "woven hangings for Astarte" (the right translation for "grove") 2Kgs 23:7.
the like . . . shall not come, neither shall . . . be--rather, "have not come, nor shall be." These thy doings are unparalleled in the past, and shall be so in the future.

 17   my gold . . . my silver-- (Hag 2:8).
images of men--rather, "of the phallus," the Hindu lingam, or membrum virile [HAVERNICK], deified as the emblem of fecundity; man making his lust his god. English Version, however, is appropriate; Israel being represented as a woman playing the harlot with "male images," that is, images of male gods, as distinguished from female deities.

 18   tookest thy . . . garments . . . coveredst them--that is, the idols, as if an adulteress were to cover her paramours with garments which she had received from the liberality of her husband.
my oil--the holy anointing oil sacred to God (Exod 30:22-Exod 30:25). Also that used in sacrifices (Lev 2:1-Lev 2:2).

 19   My meat . . . I gave-- (Hos 2:8).
set it before them--as a minchah or "meat offering" (Lev 2:1).
a sweet savour--literally "a savor of rest," that is, whereby they might be propitiated, and be at peace ("rest") with you; how ridiculous to seek to propitiate gods of wood!
thus it was--The fact cannot be denied, for I saw it, and say it was so, saith Jehovah.

 20   sons and . . . daughters borne unto me--Though "thy children," yet they belong "unto Me," rather than to thee, for they were born under the immutable covenant with Israel, which even Israel's sin could not set aside, and they have received the sign of adoption as Mine, namely, circumcision. This aggravates the guilt of sacrificing them to Molech.
to be devoured--not merely to pass through the fire, as sometimes children were made to do (Lev 18:21) without hurt, but to pass through so as to be made the food of the flame in honor of idols (see on Isa 57:5; Jer 7:31; Jer 19:5; Jer 32:35).
Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, that thou hast slain my children--rather, "Were thy whoredoms a small matter (that is, not enough, but) that thou hast slain (that is, must also slay)," &c. As if thy unchastity was not enough, thou hast added this unnatural and sacrilegious cruelty (Mic 6:7).

 22   not remembered . . . youth--Forgetfulness of God's love is the source of all sins. Israel forgot her deliverance by God in the infancy of her national life. See Ezek 16:43, to which Ezek 16:60 forms a lovely contrast (Jer 2:2; Hos 11:1).

 23   woe, woe unto thee, &c.--This parenthetical exclamation has an awful effect coming like a lightning flash of judgment amidst the black clouds of Israel's guilt.

 24   eminent place--rather, "a fornication-chamber," often connected with the impure rites of idolatry; spiritual fornication, on "an eminent place," answering to "fornication-chamber," is mainly meant, with an allusion also to the literal fornication associated with it (Jer 2:20; Jer 3:2).

 25   at every head of the way--in the most frequented places (Pro 9:14).
thy beauty . . . abhorred, . . . opened . . . feet to every one--The wanton advances were all on Israel's part; the idolatrous nations yielded to her nothing in return. She had yielded so much that, like a worn-out prostitute, her tempters became weary of her. When the Church lowers her testimony for God to the carnal tastes of the world, with a view to conciliation, she loses everything and gains nothing.

 26   fornication with . . . Egyptians--alliances with Egypt, cemented by sharing their idolatries.
great of flesh--of powerful virile parts; figuratively for the gross and lustful religion of Egypt (for example, Isis, &c.), which alone could satisfy the abominable lust of Israel (Ezek 20:7-Ezek 20:8; Ezek 23:19-Ezek 23:21).
to provoke me--wantonly and purposely.

 27   The consequent judgments, which, however, proved of no avail in reforming the people (Isa 9:13; Jer 5:3).
delivered thee unto . . . Philistines-- (2Kgs 16:6; 2Chr 28:18-19).
ashamed of thy lewd way--The Philistines were less wanton in idolatry, in that they did not, like Israel, adopt the idols of every foreign country but were content with their own (Ezek 16:57; Jer 2:11).

 28   unsatiable--Not satisfied with whoredoms with neighbors, thou hast gone off to the distant Assyrians, that is, hast sought a league with them, and with it adopted their idolatries.

 29   multiplied . . . fornication in . . . Canaan unto Chaldea--Thou hast multiplied thy idolatries "in Canaan" by sending "unto Chaldea" to borrow from thence the Chaldean rites, to add to the abominations already practised "in Canaan," before the carrying away of Jehoiachin to Chaldea. The name "Canaan" is used to imply that they had made Judea as much the scene of abominations as it was in the days of the corrupt Canaanites. The land had become utterly Canaanitish (Ezek 23:14, &c.).

 30   weak . . . heart--Sin weakens the intellect ("heart") as, on the contrary, "the way of the Lord is strength to the upright" (Pro 10:29).

 31   Repetition of Ezek 16:24.
not . . . as . . . harlot . . . thou scornest hire--Unlike an ordinary harlot thou dost prostitute thy person gratis, merely to satisfy thy lust. JEROME translates, "Thou hast not been as a harlot in scorning (that is, who ordinarily scorns) a hire offered," in order to get a larger one: nay, thou hast offered hire thyself to thy lovers (Ezek 16:33-Ezek 16:34). But these verses show English Version to be preferable, for they state that Israel prostituted herself, not merely for any small reward without demanding more, but for "no reward."

 32   instead of her husband--referring to Num 5:19-Num 5:20, Num 5:29. FAIRBAIRN translates, "whilst under her husband."

 33   Israel hired her paramours, instead of being, like other harlots, hired by them; she also followed them without their following her.

 35   Here begins the threat of wrath to be poured out on her.

 36   filthiness--literally, "brass"; metaphor for the lowest part of the person [CALVIN]. English Version is better: thy filthy lewdness is poured out without restraint (compare Jer 13:27). As silver is an emblem of purity, brass typifies "filthiness," because it easily contracts rust. HENDERSON explains it, "Because thy money was lavished on thy lovers" (Ezek 16:31, Ezek 16:33-Ezek 16:34).
blood of thy children-- (Ezek 16:20; Jer 2:34).

 37   thy lovers--the Chaldeans and the Assyrians. The law of retribution is the more signally exemplified by God employing, as His instruments of judgment on Israel, those very nations whose alliance and idols Israel had so eagerly sought, besides giving her up to those who had been always her enemies. "God will make him, who leaves God for the world, disgraced even in the eyes of the world, and indeed the more so the nearer he formerly stood to Himself" [HENGSTENBERG], (Isa 47:3; Jer 13:26; Hos 2:12; Nah 3:5).
all . . . thou hast hated--the Edomites and Philistines; also Moab and Ammon especially (Deut 23:3).
I . . . will discover thy nakedness--punishment in kind, as she had "discovered her nakedness through whoredoms" (Ezek 16:36); the sin and its penalty corresponded. I will expose thee to public infamy.

 38   judge thee, as women that break wedlock-- (Lev 20:10; compare Ezek 16:2). In the case of individual adulteresses, stoning was the penalty (John 8:4-John 8:5). In the case of communities, the sword. Also apostasy (Deut 13:10) and sacrificing children to Molech (Lev 20:1-Lev 20:5) incurred stoning. Thus the penalty was doubly due to Israel; so the other which was decreed against an apostate city (Deut 13:15-Deut 13:16) is added, "they shall stone thee with stones and thrust thee through with . . . swords." The Chaldeans hurled stones on Jerusalem at the siege and slew with the sword on its capture.
shed blood . . . judged-- (Gen 9:6).
jealousy--image taken from the fury of a husband in jealousy shedding the blood of an unfaithful wife, such as Israel had been towards God, her husband spiritually. Literally, "I will make thee (to become) blood of fury and jealousy."

 39   thine eminent place--literally, "fornication-chamber" (see on Ezek 16:24), the temple which Israel had converted into a place of spiritual fornication with idols, to please the Chaldeans (Ezek 23:14-Ezek 23:17).
strip thee of . . . clothes-- (Ezek 23:26; Hos 2:3). They shall dismantle thy city of its walls.
fair jewels--literally, "vessels of thy fairness" or beauty; the vessels of the temple [GROTIUS]. All the gifts wherewith God hath adorned thee [CALVIN].

 40   (Ezek 23:10, Ezek 23:47). Compare as to the destruction under Titus, Luke 19:43-Luke 19:44.

 41   The result of the awful judgment shall be, when divine vengeance has run its course, it shall cease.
burn-- (Deut 13:16; 2Kgs 25:9).
women--the surrounding Gentile nations to whom thou shalt be an object of mocking (Ps 137:7).
I will cause thee to cease . . . harlot-- (Ezek 23:27). Thou shalt no longer be able to play the harlot through My judgments.
thou . . . shall give . . . no hire . . . any more--Thou shalt have none to give.

 42   my fury . . . rest--when My justice has exacted the full penalty commensurate with thy awful guilt (see on Ezek 5:13). It is not a mitigation of the penalty that is here foretold, but such an utter destruction of all the guilty that there shall be no need of further punishment [CALVIN].

 43   (Ezek 16:22; Ps 78:42). In gratitude for God's favors to her in her early history.
fretted me-- (Isa 63:10; Eph 4:30).
thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations--that is, this the wickedness (compare Zech 5:8), peculiarly hateful to God, namely, spiritual unchastity or idolatry, over and "above" (that is, besides) all thine other abominations. I will put it out of thy power to commit it by cutting thee off. FAIRBAIRN translates, "I will not do what is scandalous (namely, encouraging thee in thy sin by letting it pass with impunity) upon all thine abominations"; referring to Lev 19:29, the conduct of a father who encouraged his daughter in harlotry. English Version is much better.

 44   As . . . mother . . . her daughter--"Is," and "so is," are not in the original; the ellipsis gives the proverb (but two words in the Hebrew) epigrammatic brevity. Jerusalem proved herself a true daughter of the Hittite mother in sin (Ezek 16:3).

 45   mother's . . . that loatheth her husband--that is, God ("haters of God," Rom 1:30); therefore the knowledge of the true God had originally been in Canaan, handed down from Noah (hence we find Melchisedek, king of Salem, in Canaan, "priest of the most high God," Gen 14:18), but Canaan apostatized from it; this was what constituted the blackness of the Canaanites' guilt.
loathed . . . children--whom she put to death in honor of Saturn; a practice common among the Phśnicians.
sister of thy sisters--Thou art akin in guilt to Samaria and Sodom, to which thou art akin by birth. Moab and Ammon, the incestuous children of Lot, nephew of Abraham, Israel's progenitor, had their origin from Sodom; so Sodom might be called Judah's sister. Samaria, answering to the ten tribes of Israel, is, of course, sister to Judah.

 46   elder sister . . . Samaria--older than Sodom, to whom Judah was less nearly related by kindred than she was to Samaria. Sodom is therefore called her younger sister; Samaria, her "elder sister" [GROTIUS]. Samaria is called the "elder," because in a moral respect more nearly related to Judah [FAIRBAIRN]. Samaria had made the calves at Dan and Beth-el in imitation of the cherubim.
her daughters--the inferior towns subject to Samaria (compare Num 21:25, Margin).
left--The Orientals faced the east in marking the directions of the sky; thus the north was "left," the south "right."
Sodom . . . daughters--Ammon and Moab, offshoots from Sodom; also the towns subject to it.

 47   their abominations--Milcom and Chemosh, the "abominations of Ammon and Moab" (1Kgs 11:5, 1Kgs 11:7).
corrupted more than they--So it is expressly recorded of Manasseh (2Kgs 21:9).

 48   Sodom-- (Matt 11:24). Judah's guilt was not positively, but relatively, greater than Sodom's; because it was in the midst of such higher privileges, and such solemn warnings; a fortiori, the guilt of unbelievers in the midst of the highest of all lights, namely, the Gospel, is the greatest.

 49   pride--inherited by Moab, her offspring (Isa 16:6; Jer 48:26), and by Ammon (Jer 49:4). God, the heart-searcher, here specifies as Sodom's sin, not merely her notorious lusts, but the secret spring of them, "pride" flowing from "fullness of bread," caused by the fertility of the soil (Gen 13:10), and producing "idleness."
abundance of idleness--literally, "the secure carelessness of ease" or idleness.
neither did she strengthen . . . the poor--Pride is always cruel; it arrogates to itself all things, and despises brethren, for whose needs it therefore has no feeling; as Moab had not for the outcast Jews (Isa 16:3-Isa 16:4; Jer 48:27; Luke 16:19-Luke 16:21; Jas 5:1-Jas 5:5).

 50   haughty--puffed up with prosperity.
abomination before me--"sinners before the Lord" (Gen 13:13); said of those whose sin is so heinous as to cry out to God for immediate judgments; presumptuous sins, daring God to the face (Gen 18:20; Gen 19:5).
I took them away-- (Gen 19:24).
as I saw good--rather, "according to what I saw"; referring to Gen 18:21, where God says, "I will go down, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto Me."

 51   Samaria--the kingdom of the ten tribes of Israel less guilty than Judah; for Judah betrayed greater ingratitude, having greater privileges, namely, the temple, the priesthood, and the regular order of kings.
justified thy sisters--made them appear almost innocent by comparison with thy guilt (Jer 3:11; Matt 12:41-Matt 12:42).

 52   Thou . . . which hast judged . . . bear thine own-- (Matt 7:1-Matt 7:2; Rom 2:1, Rom 2:17-Rom 2:23). Judah had judged Sodom (representing "the heathen nations") and Samaria (Israel), saying they were justly punished, as if she herself was innocent (Luke 13:2).
thy shame--ignominious punishment.

 53   Here follows a promise of restoration. Even the sore chastisements coming on Judah would fail to reform its people; God's returning goodness alone would effect this, to show how entirely of grace was to be their restoration. The restoration of her erring sisters is mentioned before hers, even as their punishment preceded her punishment; so all self-boasting is excluded [FAIRBAIRN]. "Ye shall, indeed, at some time or other return, but Moab and Ammon shall return with you, and some of the ten tribes" [GROTIUS].
bring again . . . captivity--that is, change the affliction into prosperity (so Job 42:10). Sodom itself was not so restored (Jer 20:16), but Ammon and Moab (her representatives, as sprung from Lot who dwelt in Sodom) were (Jer 48:47; Jer 49:6); probably most of the ten tribes and the adjoining nations, Ammon and Moab, &c., were in part restored under Cyrus; but the full realization of the restoration is yet future; the heathen nations to be brought to Christ being typified by "Sodom," whose sins they now reproduce (Deut 32:32).
captivity of thy captives--literally, "of thy captivities." However, the gracious promise rather begins with the "nevertheless" (Ezek 16:60), not here; for Ezek 16:59 is a threat, not a promise. The sense here thus is, Thou shalt be restored when Sodom and Samaria are, but not till then (Ezek 16:55), that is, never. This applies to the guilty who should be utterly destroyed (Ezek 16:41-Ezek 16:42); but it does not contradict the subsequent promise of restoration to their posterity (Num 14:29-Num 14:33), and to the elect remnant of grace [CALVIN].

 54   bear thine own shame--by being put on a level with those whom thou hast so much despised.
thou art a comfort unto them--since they see thee as miserable as themselves. It is a kind of melancholy "comfort" to those chastised to see others as sorely punished as themselves (Ezek 14:22-Ezek 14:23).

 55   (See on Ezek 16:53).

 56   Sodom was not mentioned--literally, "was not for a report." Thou didst not deign to mention her name as if her case could possibly apply as a warning to thee, but it did apply (2Pet 2:6).

 57   Before thy wickedness was discovered--manifested to all, namely, by the punishment inflicted on thee.
thy reproach of . . . Syria and . . . Philistines--the indignity and injuries done thee by Syria and the Philistines (2Kgs 16:5; 2Chr 28:18; Isa 9:11-Isa 9:12).

 58   borne thy lewdness--that is, the punishment of it (Ezek 23:49). I do not treat thee with excessive rigor. Thy sin and punishment are exactly commensurate.

 59   the oath--the covenant between God and Israel (Deut 29:12, Deut 29:14). As thou hast despised it, so will I despise thee. No covenant is one-sided; where Israel broke faith, God's promise of favor ceased.

 60   The promise here bursts forth unexpectedly like the sun from the dark clouds. With all her forgetfulness of God, God still remembers her; showing that her redemption is altogether of grace. Contrast "I will remember," with "thou hast not remembered" (Ezek 16:22, Ezek 16:43); also "My covenant," with "Thy covenant" (Ezek 16:61; Ps 106:45); then the effect produced on her is (Ezek 16:63) "that thou mayest remember." God's promise was one of promise and of grace. The law, in its letter, was Israel's (thy) covenant, and in this restricted view was long subsequent (Gal 3:17). Israel interpreted it as a covenant of works, which she while boasting of, failed to fulfil, and so fell under its condemnation (2Cor 3:3, 2Cor 3:6). The law, in its spirit, contains the germ of the Gospel; the New Testament is the full development of the Old, the husk of the outer form being laid aside when the inner spirit was fulfilled in Messiah. God's covenant with Israel, in the person of Abraham, was the reason why, notwithstanding all her guilt, mercy was, and is, in store for her. Therefore the heathen or Gentile nations must come to her for blessings, not she to them.
everlasting covenant-- (Ezek 37:26; 2Sam 23:5; Isa 55:3). The temporary forms of the law were to be laid aside, that in its permanent and "everlasting" spirit it might be established (Jer 31:31-Jer 31:37; Jer 32:40; Jer 50:4-Jer 50:5; Heb 8:8-Heb 8:13).

 61   thou shalt remember--It is God who first remembers her before she remembers Him and her own ways before Him (Ezek 16:60; Ezek 20:43; Ezek 36:31).
ashamed--the fruit of repentance (2Cor 7:10-11). None please God unless those who displease themselves; a foretaste of the Gospel (Luke 18:9-Luke 18:14).
I will give them unto thee for daughters-- (Isa 54:1; Isa 60:3-Isa 60:4; Gal 4:26, &c.). All the heathen nations, not merely Sodom and Samaria, are meant by "thy sisters, elder and younger." In Jerusalem first, individual believers were gathered into the elect Church. From Jerusalem the Gospel went forth to gather in individuals of the Gentiles; and Judah with Jerusalem shall also be the first nation which, as such, shall be converted to Christ; and to her the other nations shall attach themselves as believers in Messiah, Jerusalem's King (Ps 110:2; Isa 2:2-Isa 2:3). "The king's daughter" in Ps 45:12-Ps 45:14 is Judah; her "companions," as "the daughter of Tyre," are the nations given to her as converts, here called "daughters."
not by thy covenant--This does not set aside the Old Testament in its spirit, but in its mere letter on which the Jews had rested, while they broke it: the latter ("thy covenant") was to give place to God's covenant of grace and promise in Christ who "fulfilled" the law. God means, "not that thou on thy part hast stood to the covenant, but that 'I am the Lord, I change not' (Mal 3:6) from My original love to thee in thy youth" (see Rom 3:3).

 62   (Hos 2:19-Hos 2:20).
thou shalt know that I am the Lord--not, as elsewhere, by the judgments falling on thee, but by My so marvellously restoring thee through grace.

 63   never open thy mouth--in vindication, or even palliation, of thyself, or expostulation with God for His dealings (Rom 3:19), when thou seest thine own exceeding unworthiness, and My superabounding grace which has so wonderfully overcome with love thy sin (Rom 5:20). "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged" (1Cor 11:31).
all that thou hast done--enhancing the grace of God which has pardoned so many and so great sins. Nothing so melts into love and humility as the sense of the riches of God's pardoning grace (Luke 7:47).
The date of the prophecy is between the sixth month of Zedekiah's sixth year of reign and the fifth month of the seventh year after the carrying away of Jehoiachin, that is, five years before the destruction of Jerusalem [HENDERSON].