Ezekiel

Contains visions and prophecies of judgment and restoration for Israel and the nations.

Chapter 16

1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

*Once more, God's message came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,

*Son of man, tell Jerusalem about her wrongdoings.

3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.

*And say, This is what the Lord God tells Jerusalem: Your beginning and where you were born are from the land of Canaan. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite.

4 And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.

*In other words, when you were born, they didn't cut your umbilical cord or wash you in water to make it easier for you. You weren't made salty or wrapped tightly in cloth either.

5 None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.

*No one felt sorry for you to help in any way or show kindness. You were left alone in an open field, hated because of who you are, on the very day you were born.

6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.

*And as I walked past you, seeing you covered in your own blood, I told you while you were in that blood, "Live! Yes, I said to you while in that blood, "Live."

7 I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare.

*I made you grow like a plant in a field. You have become bigger and better, with nice decorations. Your breasts and hair have changed, when you were before without them.

8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.

*When I saw you, I noticed it was time to show love. So I covered you and made you part of my promise, says the Lord God.

9 Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.

*Then I cleaned you with water; yes, I completely washed off your blood from you, and I put special oil on you.

10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.

*I dressed you in embroidered clothing, covered your feet with badger fur, wrapped you in fine linen, and covered you with silk.

11 I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.

*I decorated you with accessories and put bracelets on your wrists, and a necklace around your neck.

12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.

*I placed a gem on your forehead, earrings in your ears, and a lovely crown on your head.

13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.

*So you were covered in gold and silver, and your clothes were made of fine linen, silk, and embroidery. You ate delicious bread, sweet honey, and oil. You were very beautiful and became a great king.

14 And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.

*Your fame spread among non-believers because of your beauty. It was complete because of my attractiveness that I gave to you, says the Lord God.

15 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.

*But you trusted in your own attractiveness and acted immorally because of your fame, and you offered yourself to others who passed by. This was wrong.

16 And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.

*You took your clothes and decorated your special spots with many colors, acting like a prostitute there. Such things will not happen again, and it won't be like that.

17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

*You have also taken your beautiful treasures from my gold and silver, which I gave you, and made images of people for yourself, then committed adultery with them.

18 And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them.

*And you took my embroidered clothes and covered them; you also placed my oil and incense in front of them.

19 My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD.

*The food I provided you, like flour, oil, and honey, that I nourished you with, you offered to others as a delicious treat. This is what happened, says the Lord God.

20 Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter,

*Furthermore, you took your children born from me and offered them as sacrifices for them to eat. Is the extent of your prostitution a minor issue?

21 That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?

*Why did you kill my children and then deliver them to be burned in fire for them?

22 And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood.

*In all your disgusting actions and sinful behavior, you haven't remembered the days of your youth when you were vulnerable and unprotected, covered in blood from your impurity.

23 And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saith the LORD GOD;)

*Then, after you did many bad things, (oh, how terrible for you! says the Lord God),

24 That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street.

*You have also created a prominent spot for yourself and established a tall place in every street.

25 Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.

*You have created your special place everywhere, making your beauty unliked, showing your feet to everyone passing by, and increasing your acts of sexual sin.

26 Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger.

*You have also slept with your neighboring Egyptians, who are well-built. You have increased your unfaithfulness, making me very angry.

27 Behold, therefore I have stretched out my hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way.

*Look, so I reached out my hand to you and reduced your usual food, and handed you over to the people who don't like you, the daughters of the Philistines, who feel embarrassed by your bad behavior.

28 Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied.

*You have been unfaithful to God, acting like a prostitute with the Assyrians, because you were never satisfied; you even engaged in immoral acts with them, but still couldn't find satisfaction.

29 Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith.

*You also increased your unfaithfulness in the land of Canaan to Chaldea, but it still wasn't enough for you.

30 How weak is thine heart, saith the LORD GOD, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman;

*"How weak is your heart, says the Lord God, since you do all these things, like the work of a proud, unfaithful woman?"

31 In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire;

*In whatever location you build your prominent spot at the top of every road, and establish your elevated place on every street; and do not act like a prostitute by seeking payment.

32 But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband!

*But like a wife who commits adultery, choosing strangers over her husband.

33 They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom.

*They give presents to prostitutes: but you give gifts to your lovers and pay them, so they can come to you from all directions because of your unfaithfulness.

34 And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary.

*And you are different from other women in your actions, as nobody follows you to do such things. Also, when you give a reward, you don't get one in return, which makes you opposite to others.

35 Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:

*So, prostitute, listen to what God is saying:

36 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;

*So says the Lord God: Since your impurity was revealed and your shame exposed because of your sexual sins with your lovers and all the detestable idols you worshiped, along with the blood of the children you handed over to them,...

37 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.

*Look, so I will bring together everyone you've loved and enjoyed being with, as well as those you've disliked. I will surround you with them and reveal your vulnerability to them, so they can see all your weaknesses.

38 And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.

*I will judge you like those who break marriage promises and cause bloodshed. I will make you experience blood in my anger and jealousy.

39 And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.

*I will hand you over to them, and they will destroy your important place and demolish your tall structures. They will take away your valuable possessions, your beautiful jewelry, leaving you with nothing but naked and exposed.

40 They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.

*They will attack you with a large group and throw stones at you, also stabbing you with their swords.

41 And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more.

*They will set your homes on fire and punish you in front of many women. I will stop you from being unfaithful and you won't pay anyone anymore.

42 So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.

*I will calm my anger towards you, and my jealousy will go away. Then I will be peaceful and not be mad anymore.

43 Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord GOD: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.

*Because you didn't remember your youth days, but kept bothering me in everything, I will pay you back for it by doing it to your head, says the Lord God. You must not do this wicked act, which is worse than all your detestable actions.

44 Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.

*Look, everyone who uses wise sayings will use this saying against you, saying, Just like the mother, so is her daughter.

45 Thou art thy mother’s daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

*You are your mother's daughter, who dislikes her husband and children. You are also the sister of your other sisters, who also disliked their husbands and children. Your mom is from the Hittite group, and your dad is from the Amorite group.

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.

*Your older sister is Samaria, who lives on your left side, along with her daughters. Your younger sister on your right side is Sodom, along with her daughters.

47 Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways.

*You didn't follow their ways or do their wicked acts, but you went even further in doing wrong things compared to them.

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.

*"As I live," says the Lord God, "Sodom, your sister city, hasn't done what you have done, neither it nor its children. You and your children have done this."

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.

*Look, this is what made your sister Sodom wrong: they were proud, had lots of food, and too much free time. They didn't help the poor and needy either.

50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.

*And they were proud and did terrible things: so I punished them as I thought best.

51 Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.

*Samaria didn't commit as many sins as you did. You have done even worse things and defended your actions, making your sisters seem just as bad because of what you did.

52 Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.

*You too, who has judged your sisters, share your own disgrace for the sins you've committed, which are even worse than theirs. They are more righteous than you. Yes, be confused as well and feel ashamed because you have defended your sisters.

53 When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:

*When I return the people captured from Sodom and its daughters, along with those from Samaria and its daughters, I will also free your captured people among them.

54 That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them.

*So that you can feel your own embarrassment and confusion about everything you've done, because you are a source of comfort to them.

55 When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.

*When Sodom and her children go back to how they were before, and Samaria and her children do the same, then you and your children will also go back to how things were before.

56 For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride,

*You didn't talk about your sister Sodom when you were proud.

57 Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about.

*Before your wrongdoing was found out, like when you criticized the daughters of Syria and all nearby areas, including the daughters of Philistia who disdained you, you were respected.

58 Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD.

*You have endured your wickedness and your detestable acts, says the Lord.

59 For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

*So says the Lord God: I will treat you the same way you treated others, since you disregarded the promise and broke the agreement.

60 Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.

*Even so, I won't forget my promise to you during your young years, and I will create a lasting agreement for you.

61 Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.

*Then you will recall your actions and feel embarrassed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but they won't be part of your special agreement.

62 And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD:

*I will make a special agreement with you, and you will understand that I am God.

63 That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.

*So you won't forget what happened and feel really bad about it, and you'll stop talking because of your embarrassment, even after I forgive you for everything, says the Lord God.

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