Ezekiel 16:16-20 WEB

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 16:15-34

In these verses we have an account of the great wickedness of the people of Israel, especially in worshipping idols, notwithstanding the great favours that God had conferred upon them, by which, one would think, they should have been for ever engaged to him. This wickedness of theirs is here represented by the lewd and scandalous conversation of that beautiful maid which was rescued from ruin, brought up and well provided for by a kind friend and benefactor, that had been in all respects as a... read more

John Gill

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

And of thy garments thou didst take ,.... Which were made of fine linen, silk, and broidered work; which God had given them, and they were richly clad with: and deckedst thy high places with divers colours ; that is, with garments of divers colours; either they erected tents on their high places, made with these; or they covered their altars with them, which were on their high places for the ornament of them, as harlots deck their beds to allure their lovers; see Proverbs 7:16 ; or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:17

Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold, and of my silver, which I had given thee ,.... Or "thy glorious vessels of gold and silver" F8 כלי תפארתך מזהבי ומכספי "vasa gloriae tuae de auro meo, et de argento meo", Pagninus, Montanus; "vasa tua insigniora et elegantiora, facta ex auro meo?" Vatablus. ; meaning either the vessels of gold and silver in the temple, as Jerom thinks, which they converted to idolatrous uses; or rather their own household vessels of gold and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:18

And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them ,.... The images of men, the idols they worshipped; see Jeremiah 10:4 ; so the Papists at this day cover their idols, the images of the Virgin Mary, and other saints, with rich apparel, to draw the attention, admiration, and reverence of the people to them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them ; the oil which the Lord gave them for food, the land of Canaan being a land of oil olive; or which was to light the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:19

My meat also which I gave thee ,.... Or "my bread" F9 ולחמי "et panem meum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Starckius. ; a general name for all eatables. The Targum renders it, "my good things.' The Jews apply it to the manna, which, they say, descended the same day the molten calf was made, and they set it before it. This interpretation Jarchi and Kimchi make mention of; it includes what follows: fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee ; for the land of Canaan was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:20

Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters ,.... Their own flesh and blood; which were more than to take their clothes, and cover their idols with them, and their food, and set it before them to part with them was much, but to part with these, and that in such a shocking manner as after mentioned, was so irrational and unnatural, as well as impious and wicked, as is not to be paralleled; and what increased their wickedness was, that these were not only their own, but the Lord's: ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 16:17

And madest to thyself images of men - זכר צלמי tsalmey zachar , male images. Priapi are here meant, which were carried about in the ceremonies of Osiris, Bacchus, and Adonis; and were something like the lingam among the Hindoos. Herodotus, lib. ii, c. 48, 49, gives us an account of these male images: Πηχυαια αγαλματα νευροσπαστα, τα περιφορεουσι κατα κωμας ται γυναικες, νευον το αιδοιον, ου πολλῳ τεῳ ελασσον εον του αλλου σωματος . This was done at the worship of Bacchus in Egypt:... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 16:18

Hast set mine oil and mine incense before them - It appears that they had made use of the holy vestments, and the different kinds of offerings which belonged to the Lord, to honor their idols. read more

John Calvin

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

Verse 16 He says that the Jews erected houses of ill fame for themselves; and the language is mixed, because the Prophet, expresses simply the kind of harlotry of which he is speaking, and yet in the meantime mingles another figure; for he says that they took garments and made themselves altars. No doubt he compares the high places to tents, just as if a harlot wished to attract a number of eyes to herself, and, through desire of a crowd, should place her standard on a lofty place. So also the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 16:17

Verse 17 The Prophet reproves them because they used silver and gold in making idols for themselves. He not only condemns idolatry, but ingratitude, since they turned to God’s dishonor the gifts which he had bestowed. First, the profanation of his gifts was base; besides this, they had rashly and purposely abused his liberality to his dishonor, and that was not to be endured. He reproves at the same time their blind intemperance, since they willingly gave themselves up to licentiousness, and... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 16:15-34

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:20

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 16:17

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 16:18

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

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 16:17

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