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Ezekiel 16

Ezekiel 16:4

Jerusalem’s Unfaithfulness · Ezekiel 16:1–34
Read Ezekiel 16

Translations

Modern
On the day of your birth your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing. You were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.
Traditional
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.
Literal
And of your birth, on the day you were born, your cord was not cut, and you were not washed in water for cleansing, and you were not rubbed with salt, and you were not wrapped in swaddling cloths.
Latin
Et quando nata es, in die ortus tui non est præcisus umbilicus tuus, et aqua non es lota in salutem, nec sale salita, nec involuta pannis.

Original

Hebrew
English
On the day of your birth your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing. You were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.

Notes

Ezekiel 16:4–5

Jerusalem’s parents are described as cruel and uncaring. They did not care for her when she was born. They did not do the normal things people did to help a newborn baby.

Usually, someone cut the umbilical cord. They washed the baby. They rubbed salt and oil on the child’s skin to clean and protect her. Then they wrapped the baby tightly in cloth to keep her warm and safe.

But none of this happened to Jerusalem. Instead, she was thrown into an open field and left there. In the ancient world, people often abandoned baby girls in this way. She was left alone to die.

Ezekiel 16:1–63

In Ezekiel 16, Jerusalem is described as an unfaithful wife and a prostitute. This language is very strong. Even in English, the chapter can be difficult to read. In its ancient setting, it would have sounded even more shocking.

Ezekiel used graphic language to show how serious Judah’s sin was. He did not try to make his message softer or more polite. He spoke in a direct and forceful way.

This strong language is the main point of the chapter. Ezekiel wanted the people to feel how terrible their sin was in God’s sight. The shocking description helped them understand that God’s judgment was not unfair.

If Ezekiel had used softer words, the people might not have understood the full seriousness of their sin. The strong picture was necessary to show why God’s judgment was justified (that is, right and fair).

Ezekiel 15:1–24:14

This section includes eight metaphors, each showing from a different angle the certainty of Jerusalem's upcoming judgment. The images are of:

  1. a worthless vine (Ezekiel 15);

  2. a faithless wife (Ezekiel 16);

  3. a vine and two eagles (Ezekiel 17);

  4. Sour grapes (Ezekiel 18);

  5. a lion and her cubs (Ezekiel 19);

  6. a sword (Ezekiel 21);

  7. two corrupt sisters (Ezekiel 23); and

  8. a cooking pot (Ezekiel 24).

Events

Glossary

Adultery Bathe, Bathing Bride of Christ Ezekiel, Book of Hittites Sexual Immorality

Topics

Ablution of Infants Adoption is of God's Grace Children: Treatment of, After Birth, Noticed Children: Treatment of, at Birth God: Love of, Exemplified Ingratitude to God: Illustrated Midwifery: General Scriptures Concerning Navel: Treatment of, at Birth Obstetrics: General Scriptures Concerning Salt used for Strengthening New-Born Infants Sanitation: Childbirth Swaddle: (Wrapping, Bundling) of Children