Ezekiel 16:4 NIV

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:1-63

JERUSALEM-AN IDEAL HISTORYEzekiel 16:1-63IN order to understand the place which the sixteenth chapter occupies in this section of the book, we must remember that a chief source of the antagonism between Ezekiel and his hearers was the proud national consciousness which sustained the courage of the people through all their humiliations. There were, perhaps, few nations of antiquity in which the flame of patriotic feeling burned more brightly than in Israel. No people with a past such as theirs... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Ezekiel 16:1-63

Ezekiel 16:1-63 . This chapter consists of four sections: 1. The parable of the abandoned child. 2. Jerusalem’s idolatries and moral degradation (Ezekiel 16:15-34 ). 3. The doom of Jerusalem and the promise of restoration (Ezekiel 16:35-59 ). 4. The covenant remembered (Ezekiel 16:60-63 ). The parable of the abandoned child, and what the gracious Lord did for the little one is a most beautiful demonstration of what He had done in His sovereign love and grace for Jerusalem. It must be read first... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Ezekiel 16:4

16:4 And [as for] thy nativity, in the day thou wast {b} born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to cleanse [thee]; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.(b) When I first brought you out of Egypt and planted you in this land to be my Church. read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:1-63

PARABLES AND RIDDLES THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE (Ezekiel 16:0 ) The theme of chapter 16 is Jerusalem and her abominations (Ezekiel 16:1-2 ), but it is worked out in parabolic form, Jerusalem, or the nation of Israel, being personified as a female. There are five stages in the story: (1) Jehovah adopts her as an infant (Ezekiel 16:1-7 ); (2) when attained to marriageable age she becomes his wife (Ezekiel 16:8-14 ); (3) as a wife she proves unfaithful (Ezekiel 16:15-34 ); (4) punishment follows... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Ezekiel 16:4-5

We have not only the weakness and helplessness of every man's state by nature here represented to us, but, what is more to the purpose, and indeed the great object intended to be shown from Ezekiel's preaching, we have the total ruin of that nature by the fall set forth. Every son and daughter of Adam may be truly said to be cast out to the loathing of their person, and left everlastingly to perish for any help or any pity all the creatures of God could give. Reader! pause over it, and... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:4

Cut. By this the infant received nourishment in the womb. Now it seems to be exposed by its parents. (Calmet) --- The Jews in Egypt were abandoned to idolatry and distress. (Theodoret, in Canticle of Canticles) --- Health. Many plunged the infant in cold water to brace its nerves, (Calmet) or to wash it. Salt was also used to dry up the humidity and stop the pores, (St. Jerome) or it was mixed with water to harden the skin and navel. (Avicen. Gall. San. i. 7.) --- Clouts, to keep the body... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 16:1-58

1-58 In this chapter God's dealings with the Jewish nation, and their conduct towards him, are described, and their punishment through the surrounding nations, even those they most trusted in. This is done under the parable of an exposed infant rescued from death, educated, espoused, and richly provided for, but afterwards guilty of the most abandoned conduct, and punished for it; yet at last received into favour, and ashamed of her base conduct. We are not to judge of these expressions by... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Ezekiel 16:1-14

God's Early Grace upon his People v. 1. Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, v. 2. Son of man, cause Jerusalem, where the remnant of the Lord's people were now concentrated, to know her abominations, an open exposure of Jerusalem and a frank discussion of her guilt being intended to bring her to repentance, v. 3. and say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem, Thy birth and thy nativity, namely, in the spiritual sense, is of the land of Canaan, for the inhabitants of Jerusalem... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Ezekiel 16:1-63

5. The Story of the Lewd Adulteress (Ezekiel 16:0.)1And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, cause Jeru salem to know her abominations; 3And say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah unto Jerusalem: Thy origin [extraction] and thy birth is of the land of the Canaanite; 4thy father was the Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite. And [as regards] thy birth, in the day that thou wast born, thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed with water for cleansing; and thou wast not rubbed with... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Ezekiel 16:1-63

The second figure was that of the adulteress, and this the prophet wrought out at great length. Jerusalem was arraigned on account of her abominations, which were described under the figure of that spiritual adultery and harlotry which Hosea had so graphically and powerfully set forth. Ezekiel traced the whole history of the city. Her origin was of the land of the Canaanite, an Amorite her father, and a Hittite her mother. She was an abandoned child, born and forsaken. In this condition of... read more