1I stalo se ke mně Hospodinovo slovo: 2Lidský synu, pouč Jeruzalém o jeho ohavnostech. 3Řekneš: Toto praví Panovník Hospodin o Jeruzalému: Svým původem a svým rodištěm jsi z kenaanské země, tvůj otec je Emorejec a tvá matka Chetejka. 4A ohledně tvého narození: V den, kdy ses narodila, nebyla přeříznuta tvá pupeční šňůra a nebylas obmyta vodou k očištění, vůbec jsi nebyla potřena solí a vůbec jsi nebyla obvinuta plenkami. 5Žádné oko se nad tebou neslitovalo, aby pro tebe udělali jednu z těchto věcí ze soucitu nad tebou, ale bylas pohozena na povrchu pole v hnusu nad tvou bytostí v den, kdy ses narodila. 6Procházel jsem nad tebou, viděl jsem tě, jak se zmítáš ve vlastní krvi, a řekl jsem ti, když jsi ležela ve své krvi: Zůstaň naživu. Řekl jsem ti, když jsi ležela ve své krvi: Zůstaň naživu. 7Dal jsem ti vzrůst jako stéblu na poli, rostla jsi, vzmáhala ses a předstoupila jsi v nádherné ozdobě. Prsy se zpevnily, vlasy ti bohatě narostly a ty jsi byla obnažená a nahá. 8Procházel jsem nad tebou, viděl jsem tě a hle, byl tvůj čas, čas něžností. Rozprostřel jsem nad tebou cíp svého pláště a přikryl jsem tvou nahotu. Přísahal jsem ti a vešel jsem s tebou ve smlouvu, je výrok Panovníka Hospodina, a stala ses mou. 9Umyl jsem tě vodou, opláchl jsem z tebe tvou krev a pomazal jsem tě olejem. 10Oblékl jsem ti pestře utkané šaty, obul jsem ti tachaší opánky, ovinul jsem tě jemným plátnem a zakryl jsem tě hedvábím. 11Ozdobil jsem tě ozdobami, na tvé ruce jsem dal náramky a na tvé hrdlo náhrdelník. 12Dal jsem ti kroužek na nos, náušnice do uší a krásný věnec na hlavu. 13Zdobila ses zlatem a stříbrem, tvým oděvem bylo jemné plátno, hedvábí a pestře utkané šaty. Jedla jsi jemnou mouku, med a olej, stala ses převelice krásnou a uchvátila jsi královskou autoritu. 14Tvé jméno proniklo mezi národy pro tvou krásu, protože byla dokonalá díky mé důstojnosti, kterou jsem na tebe vložil, je výrok Panovníka Hospodina. 15Spoléhala jsi však na svou krásu a smilnila jsi proti svému jménu, vylévala jsi své smilnění na každého kolemjdoucího, jen ať je to jeho. 16Brala jsi ze svých rouch, dělala jsi pro sebe strakatá návrší a smilnila jsi na nich, jak se to dříve nedělo a nemá dít. 17Brala jsi i své ozdobné předměty z mého zlata a z mého stříbra, které jsem ti dal, a dělala jsi pro sebe mužské obrazy a smilnila jsi s nimi. 18Brala jsi pestře utkaná roucha, přikrývala jsi je a před ně jsi položila můj olej a mé kadidlo. 19I můj pokrm, který jsem ti dal — nakrmil jsem tě jemnou moukou, olejem a medem — kladla jsi jej před ně jako příjemnou vůni. A to se skutečně dělo, je výrok Panovníka Hospodina. 20Brala jsi i své syny a své dcery, které jsi mi porodila, a obětovala jsi jim je k jídlu. Bylo snad tvého smilnění málo? 21Zabíjela jsi mé syny a vydávala jsi je jim, když jsi je pro ně prováděla ohněm. 22Při všech svých ohavnostech a svém smilnění sis nevzpomněla na dny svého mládí, kdy jsi byla obnažená a nahá, zmítající se ve své krvi. 23I stalo se po všem tvém zlu — běda, běda tobě, je výrok Panovníka Hospodina — 24že jsi pro sebe postavila násep a udělala jsi pro sebe výšinu na každém náměstí. 25Na každé křižovatce jsi postavila svou výšinu. Opovrhovala jsi svou krásou, roztahovala jsi své nohy pro každého kolemjdoucího a množila jsi své smilnění. 26Smilnila jsi se syny Egypta, svými sousedy statného těla, a množila jsi své smilnění, abys mě provokovala ke hněvu. 27A hle, vztáhl jsem proti tobě svou ruku, zkrátil jsem tvůj podíl a vydal jsem tě touze těch, kdo tě nenávidí, pelištejských dcer, které se stydí za tvé hnusné jednání. 28Nenasytně jsi smilnila se syny Asýrie, smilnila jsi s nimi a ještě ses nenasytila. 29Rozšířila jsi své smilnění po zemi kramářů ke Chaldejcům a ani tím ses nenasytila. 30Jak zchřadlé je tvé srdce, je výrok Panovníka Hospodina, že pácháš všechny tyto věci, činy nestydaté prostitutky, 31když jsi postavila násep na každé křižovatce a svou výšinu jsi udělala na každém náměstí? Ale nebylas jako prostitutka, když jsi pohrdala nevěstčí mzdou. 32Cizoložnice namísto svého muže přijímá cizáky. 33Všem prostitutkám dávají dar, zatímco ty jsi dávala své dary všem svým milencům a odměňovala jsi je, aby k tobě vcházeli z okolí za tvým smilněním. 34Bylas odlišná od jiných žen při smilnění. Ty jsi totiž kvůli smilstvu nebyla vyhledávána, když jsi sama dávala nevěstčí mzdu, zatímco tobě nevěstčí mzda dávána nebyla; tím jsi byla odlišná. 35Proto slyš Hospodinovo slovo, prostitutko. 36Toto praví Panovník Hospodin: Jelikož byl rozhazován tvůj bronz a byla odhalována tvá nahota při smilnění s tvými milenci a se všemi tvými ohavnými bůžky, stejně jako prolitá krev tvých synů, které jsi jim vydala, 37proto hle, shromažďuji všechny tvé milence, s nimiž ses těšila, a všechny, které jsi milovala, se všemi, které jsi nenáviděla. Shromáždím je k tobě z okolí, odhalím před nimi tvou nahotu a oni všechnu tvou nahotu uvidí. 38Budu tě soudit podle právních nařízení pro cizoložnice a pro ty, které prolévají krev, a vydám tě krveprolití se zlobou a žárlivostí. 39Vydám tě do jejich ruky. Zboří tvůj násep a strhnou tvé výšiny, svléknou ti tvá roucha, seberou tvé ozdobné předměty a ponechají tě obnaženou a nahou. 40Přivedou proti tobě shromáždění, budou na tebe házet kamení a probodnou tě svými meči. 41Tvé domy spálí ohněm a vykonají nad tebou soudy před očima mnohých žen. Odradím tě od prostituce a také nevěstčí mzdu už nebudeš dávat. 42Zanechám své zloby proti tobě a má žárlivost se od tebe odvrátí, budu mít klid a již se nebudu hněvat. 43A proto jako ty sis nevzpomněla na dny svého mládí a dráždila jsi mě tímhle vším, právě tak jsem zase já uvalil tvou cestu na tvou hlavu, je výrok Panovníka Hospodina. Nespáchala jsi tu hanebnost navíc ke všem svým ohavnostem? 44Hle, každý, kdo užívá pořekadla, o tobě užije toto: Jaká matka, taková její dcera. 45Jsi dcerou své matky, která si oškliví svého muže i své syny, a jsi sestrou svých sester, které si zošklivily své muže i své syny. Vaše matka je Chetejka a váš otec Emorejec. 46Tvou starší sestrou je pak Samaří se svými dcerami sídlící po tvé levici a tvou mladší sestrou sídlící zprava od tebe je Sodoma a její dcery. 47Nejen že jsi chodila po jejich cestách, páchala jsi jejich ohavnosti, ale zakrátko omrzelá ses vrhala na všech svých cestách do zkázy více než ony. 48Jakože jsem živ, je výrok Panovníka Hospodina, tvá sestra Sodoma se svými dcerami nespáchala to, co jsi spáchala ty a tvé dcery. 49Hle, toto byla zvrácenost tvé sestry Sodomy: Vznešenost, nasycenost chlebem a utěšená bezstarostnost, to měla ona i její dcery, ale ruku chudého a nuzného neposilovala. 50Povyšovaly se a páchaly přede mnou ohavnost. Odstranil jsem je tedy, jakmile jsem to spatřil. 51Samaří nezhřešilo ani do poloviny tvých hříchů. Rozmnožila jsi své ohavnosti více než ony, a tak jsi své sestry prohlásila za spravedlivé všemi svými ohavnostmi, které jsi spáchala. 52Ano, ty tedy nes svou ostudu, kterou jsi přisoudila svým sestrám. Pro hříchy, jimiž jsi jednala ohavněji než ony, budou spravedlivější než ty. Ano, ty se tedy styď a nes svou ostudu, když jsi své sestry prohlásila za spravedlivé. 53I změním jejich úděl, úděl Sodomy a jejích dcer, úděl Samaří a jeho dcer a také úděl, tvůj úděl uprostřed nich, 54abys nesla svou ostudu a zahanbila se za všechno, co jsi spáchala, když ses pro ně stala útěchou. 55Tvé sestry, Sodoma a její dcery, se navrátí k svému dřívějšímu stavu. I Samaří a její dcery se navrátí k svému dřívějšímu stavu a také ty a tvé dcery se navrátíte k svému dřívějšímu stavu. 56V době, kdy byla znát tvá vznešenost, nebylo z tvých úst o tvé sestře Sodomě slyšet, 57dříve než bylo odhaleno tvé zlo jako v době tupení od dcer Aramu a celého jeho okolí, pelištejských dcer, které tebou ze všech stran opovrhují. 58Sama poneseš svou hanebnost a své ohavnosti, je Hospodinův výrok. 59Neboť toto praví Panovník Hospodin: Budu s tebou tedy jednat tak, jako jsi jednala ty, když jsi pohrdla přísahou, takže jsi porušila smlouvu. 60Já si však vzpomenu na svou smlouvu s tebou, uzavřenou ve dnech tvého mládí, a ustanovím pro tebe smlouvu věčnou. 61Pak si vzpomeneš na své cesty a budeš zahanbena, až přijmeš své sestry, od těch starších než jsi ty, po ty mladší než jsi ty, a dám ti je za dcery, ne však podle smlouvy s tebou. 62Já tedy ustanovím svou smlouvu s tebou a poznáš, že já jsem Hospodin, 63aby ses rozpomenula a styděla ses a už sis kvůli své ostudě nedovolila otevřít ústa, až se s tebou usmířím za všechno, co jsi spáchala, je výrok Panovníka Hospodina.
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
Iz 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 (
Eze 21:30).
an Amorite . . . an Hittite--These, being the most powerful tribes, stand for the whole of the Canaanite nations (compare
Joz 1:4;
Am 2:9), which were so abominably corrupt as to have been doomed to utter extermination by God (
Kpł 18:24-
Kpł 18:25,
Kpł 18:28;
Pwt 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 (
Rdz 15:16). "The Hittite" is made their "mother"; alluding to Esau's wives, daughters of Heth, whose ways vexed Rebekah (
Rdz 26:34-
Rdz 26:35;
Rdz 27:46), but pleased the degenerate descendants of Jacob, so that these are called, in respect of morals, children of the Hittite (compare
Eze 16:45).
4 Israel's helplessness in her first struggling into national existence, under the image of an infant (
Oz 2:3) cast forth without receiving the commonest acts of parental regard. Its very life was a miracle (
Wj 1:15-
Wj 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 (
Dz 7:14) [CALVIN]. But see
Wj 12:37-
Wj 12:38.
excellent ornaments--literally, "ornament of ornaments."
naked . . . bare-- (
Oz 2:3). Literally, "nakedness . . . bareness" itself; more emphatic.
8 thy time of love--literally, "loves" (compare
PnP 2:10-
PnP 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 (
Rdz 15:13-
Rdz 15:14;
Dz 7:6-
Dz 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 (
PnP 1:3-
PnP 1:6;
Jer 31:3;
Mal 1:2).
spread my skirt over thee--the mode of espousals (
Rut 3:9). I betrothed thee (
Pwt 4:37;
Pwt 10:15;
Oz 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" (
Iz 54:5;
Jer 3:14;
Oz 2:19-
Oz 2:20;
Mal 2:14).
thou . . . mine-- (
Wj 19:5;
Jer 2:2).
9 washed I thee--as brides used to pass through a preparatory purification (
Est 2:12). So Israel, before the giving of the law at Sinai (
Wj 19:14); "Moses sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes." So believers (
1Ko 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
Iz 61:10). It is Messiah who provides the wedding garment (
Obj 3:18;
Obj 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 (
Wj 26:14), and the material of the shoes worn by the Hebrews on festival days. (See on
Wj 25:5).
fine linen--used by the priests (
Kpł 6:10); emblem of purity.
11 The marriage gifts to Rebekah (
Rdz 24:22,
Rdz 24:47).
12 jewel on thy forehead--rather, "a ring in thy nose" (
Iz 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" (
Wj 19:6; compare
Obj 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 (
Pwt 32:13-
Pwt 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" (
1Kl 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 (
Pwt 32:15;
Jer 7:4;
Mi 3:11), and then wantonly devoted them to her idols (
Oz 2:8; compare
Łk 15:12-
Łk 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 (
Iz 1:21;
Iz 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")
2Kl 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-- (
Ag 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 (
Wj 30:22-
Wj 30:25). Also that used in sacrifices (
Kpł 2:1-
Kpł 2:2).
19 My meat . . . I gave-- (
Oz 2:8).
set it before them--as a minchah or "meat offering" (
Kpł 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 (
Kpł 18:21) without hurt, but to pass through so as to be made the food of the flame in honor of idols (see on
Iz 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 (
Mi 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
Eze 16:43, to which
Eze 16:60 forms a lovely contrast (
Jer 2:2;
Oz 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 (
Prz 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 (
Eze 20:7-
Eze 20:8;
Eze 23:19-
Eze 23:21).
to provoke me--wantonly and purposely.
27 The consequent judgments, which, however, proved of no avail in reforming the people (
Iz 9:13;
Jer 5:3).
delivered thee unto . . . Philistines-- (
2Kl 16:6;
2Kn 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 (
Eze 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 (
Eze 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" (
Prz 10:29).
31 Repetition of
Eze 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 (
Eze 16:33-
Eze 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
Lb 5:19-
Lb 5:20,
Lb 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" (
Eze 16:31,
Eze 16:33-
Eze 16:34).
blood of thy children-- (
Eze 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], (
Iz 47:3;
Jer 13:26;
Oz 2:12;
Nah 3:5).
all . . . thou hast hated--the Edomites and Philistines; also Moab and Ammon especially (
Pwt 23:3).
I . . . will discover thy nakedness--punishment in kind, as she had "discovered her nakedness through whoredoms" (
Eze 16:36); the sin and its penalty corresponded. I will expose thee to public infamy.
38 judge thee, as women that break wedlock-- (
Kpł 20:10; compare
Eze 16:2). In the case of individual adulteresses, stoning was the penalty (
Jn 8:4-
Jn 8:5). In the case of communities, the sword. Also apostasy (
Pwt 13:10) and sacrificing children to Molech (
Kpł 20:1-
Kpł 20:5) incurred stoning. Thus the penalty was doubly due to Israel; so the other which was decreed against an apostate city (
Pwt 13:15-
Pwt 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-- (
Rdz 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
Eze 16:24), the temple which Israel had converted into a place of spiritual fornication with idols, to please the Chaldeans (
Eze 23:14-
Eze 23:17).
strip thee of . . . clothes-- (
Eze 23:26;
Oz 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 (
Eze 23:10,
Eze 23:47). Compare as to the destruction under Titus,
Łk 19:43-
Łk 19:44.
41 The result of the awful judgment shall be, when divine vengeance has run its course, it shall cease.
burn-- (
Pwt 13:16;
2Kl 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-- (
Eze 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
Eze 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 (
Eze 16:22;
Ps 78:42). In gratitude for God's favors to her in her early history.
fretted me-- (
Iz 63:10;
Ef 4:30).
thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations--that is, this the wickedness (compare
Za 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
Kpł 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 (
Eze 16:3).
45 mother's . . . that loatheth her husband--that is, God ("haters of God,"
Rz 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,"
Rdz 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
Lb 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" (
1Kl 11:5,
1Kl 11:7).
corrupted more than they--So it is expressly recorded of Manasseh (
2Kl 21:9).
48 Sodom-- (
Mt 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 (
Iz 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 (
Rdz 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 (
Iz 16:3-
Iz 16:4;
Jer 48:27;
Łk 16:19-
Łk 16:21;
Jak 5:1-
Jak 5:5).
50 haughty--puffed up with prosperity.
abomination before me--"sinners before the Lord" (
Rdz 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 (
Rdz 18:20;
Rdz 19:5).
I took them away-- (
Rdz 19:24).
as I saw good--rather, "according to what I saw"; referring to
Rdz 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;
Mt 12:41-
Mt 12:42).
52 Thou . . . which hast judged . . . bear thine own-- (
Mt 7:1-
Mt 7:2;
Rz 2:1,
Rz 2:17-
Rz 2:23). Judah had judged Sodom (representing "the heathen nations") and Samaria (Israel), saying they were justly punished, as if she herself was innocent (
Łk 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
Hi 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 (
Pwt 32:32).
captivity of thy captives--literally, "of thy captivities." However, the gracious promise rather begins with the "nevertheless" (
Eze 16:60), not here; for
Eze 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 (
Eze 16:55), that is, never. This applies to the guilty who should be utterly destroyed (
Eze 16:41-
Eze 16:42); but it does not contradict the subsequent promise of restoration to their posterity (
Lb 14:29-
Lb 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 (
Eze 14:22-
Eze 14:23).
55 (See on
Eze 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 (
2Pt 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 (
2Kl 16:5;
2Kn 28:18;
Iz 9:11-
Iz 9:12).
58 borne thy lewdness--that is, the punishment of it (
Eze 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 (
Pwt 29:12,
Pwt 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" (
Eze 16:22,
Eze 16:43); also "My covenant," with "Thy covenant" (
Eze 16:61;
Ps 106:45); then the effect produced on her is (
Eze 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 (
2Ko 3:3,
2Ko 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-- (
Eze 37:26;
2Sm 23:5;
Iz 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 (
Eze 16:60;
Eze 20:43;
Eze 36:31).
ashamed--the fruit of repentance (
2Ko 7:10-11). None please God unless those who displease themselves; a foretaste of the Gospel (
Łk 18:9-
Łk 18:14).
I will give them unto thee for daughters-- (
Iz 54:1;
Iz 60:3-
Iz 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;
Iz 2:2-
Iz 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
Rz 3:3).
62 (
Oz 2:19-
Oz 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 (
Rz 3:19), when thou seest thine own exceeding unworthiness, and My superabounding grace which has so wonderfully overcome with love thy sin (
Rz 5:20). "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged" (
1Ko 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 (
Łk 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].