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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 16:44-59

The prophet here further shows Jerusalem her abominations, by comparing her with those places that had gone before her, and showing that she was worse than any of them, and therefore should, like them, be utterly and irreparably ruined. We are all apt to judge of ourselves by comparison, and to imagine that we are sufficiently good if we are but as good as such and such, who are thought passable; or that we are not dangerously bad if we are no worse than such and such, who, though bad, are not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:49

Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom ,.... Namely, the first after mentioned, the source and spring of the rest; the causes and means of which are declared; and the same, as is suggested, was the sin of Jerusalem: namely, pride ; which was the sin of the devils, and the cause of their ruin; the sin of our first parents, by which they fell, and destroyed themselves, and their posterity; and is the prevailing, governing, sin of human nature: it has been the ruin of kingdoms... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 16:49

This was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom - If we are to take this place literally, Sodom was guilty of other crimes besides that for which she appears to have been especially punished; in addition to her unnatural crime, She is charged with pride, luxury, idleness, and uncharitableness; and these were sufficient to sink any city to the bottomless pit. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 16:49

Verse 49 Here God begins to show the reason why he extenuated the wickedness of Sodom in comparison with that of his own people: for if he had spoken generally, without explaining the counsel of God, his language would have been incredible, and so would have been ineffectual. But now God shows that he did not pronounce rashly what we heard before, namely, that the Jews were worse than the Sodomites. How so? for this was the iniquity of Sodom thy sister, says he, first pride, then fullness of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 16:1-63

The thought that underlies Ezekiel's parable, that Israel was the bride of Jehovah, and that her sin was that of the adulterous wife, was sufficiently familiar. Isaiah ( Isaiah 1:21 ) had spoken of the "faithful city that had become a harlot." Jeremiah ( Jeremiah 2:2 ) had represented Jehovah as remembering "the kindness of her youth, the love of her espousals." What is characteristic of Ezekiel's treatment of that image is that he does not recognize any period in which Israel had been... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 16:15-59

Inexcusable infidelity. Universal consent accounts that woman vile who, married to a kind and honourable husband, in order to gratify her own unchastened desires, commits adultery with her neighbours and acquaintances, and expends her husband's substance in rewarding her numerous and profligate admirers. The guilt of Jerusalem must indeed have been great if it could only be adequately set forth under the similitude of guilt so flagrant and abominable as that described in this most... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 16:44-52

A picture of comparative iniquity. "Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying. As is the mother, so is her daughter," etc. The following observations are suggested by this paragraph. I. THE HEINOUSNESS OF SIN IS PROPORTIONATE TO THE POSITION AND PRIVILEGES OF THE SINNERS . "The more mercies people enjoy, the greater are their sins if they answer not those mercies." It is by the application of this principle that the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 16:44-59

Sin seen in the light of comparison. If men are so encased in worldliness that they cannot see their sin in the light of God's perfect righteousness, they may yet discover some features of their sin in the light of others' conduct, in the light of others' doom. God has employed manifold methods for convincing men of sin. I. SIN MAY BE SEEN IN THE LIGHT OF ANOTHER 'S FALL . In the case of Israel it might have been seen in a parent's disaster and doom. For their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 16:49-50

It is noticeable that what we commonly speak of as the specific sin of the cities of the plain is not mentioned here. The prophet fixes on the point which made Sodom a luxurious and sensual city, the graver evil being just hinted at in the word abominations , and as the outcome of the evil tendencies. So in like manner the special sin of Samaria, the worship of the calves, is not named, but taken for granted. ( For fulness of bread , see Proverbs 30:9 : Hosea 13:6 ; Deuteronomy 8:12 ... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezekiel 16:49-50

Ezekiel 16:49-50. Behold, this was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, &c. The inhabitants of Sodom “abused that plenty which God gave them to pride and idleness, which gave rise to those enormities that they afterward were guilty of. The Scripture takes notice of the fruitfulness of the soil where Sodom stood,” Genesis 13:10. Lowth. Such is the depravity of human nature, that plenty, and a freedom from toil and danger, often prove people’s ruin; and therefore, if we were... read more

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