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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 16:46

And thine elder sister is Samaria ,.... The metropolis of the ten tribes; "sister" to the Jews, because of the same descent, having one and the same father; the "elder" or "greater" F24 הגדולה "major", V. L. Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius. , because more in number and power; the kingdom of Israel consisted of ten tribes, and the kingdom of Judah but of two; and the ten tribes also were the first in the apostasy from the true worship of God: she and her... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:47

Yet hast thou not walked after their ways ,.... But in ways more evil; were not content to keep pace with them, and do as they did; but outwent them, outstripped them in wickedness: nor done after their abominations ; but committed greater abominations than they did; sins of a more heinous nature, and attended with more aggravated circumstances; having more power and wealth, more Wisdom and understanding; the means of grace, the word and ordinances of God: but, as if that were a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:48

As I live, saith the Lord God ,.... This is an oath, which the Lord God swore; who, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, by his life; and this he did to confirm what he had and was about to say, that the sins of Judah were greater than those of Samaria and Sodom; which might not be easily believed, but it was as true as he was the living God: Sodom thy sister hath, or done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters ; that is, the inhabitants... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:50

And they were haughty ,.... Sodom and her daughters, the inhabitants of that place, and the cities adjacent; they lifted up themselves above God and man; they were above regarding the poor and needy; and were elated and swelled with their plenty and prosperity, and behaved very insolently, both to fellow citizens and strangers; see Genesis 19:4 ; and committed abomination before me ; perhaps referring to that sin, which has its name from them; a sin abominable to God, and scandalous to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:51

Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins ,.... The sins of Samaria, or the ten tribes, of which Samaria was the metropolis, were the worshipping of the calves at Dan and Bethel; but the gods of Judah were according to the number of their cities, and they even set up their idols in the temple of Jerusalem, Jeremiah 2:28 , Ezekiel 8:5 ; and, besides, their sins were aggravated by the benefits privileges they enjoyed; having the temple, the place of worship, among them; the priests... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:52

Thou also which hast judged thy sisters ,.... Sodom and Samaria, by censuring and condemning them for their sins; see 2 Chronicles 13:8 ; in which sense Jarchi and Kimchi interpret the word; or by defending and patronizing them, acquitting and absolving them, by committing the same sins, and more heinous ones: bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they ; look upon thy sins, and blush at them; confess them with shame and confusion of face; take... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:53

When I shall bring again their captivity ,.... The captivity of Sodom and Samaria, as after mentioned: the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters ; which some understand as what never will be, as it never yet has been: Sodom remains to this day a dead sea, and the ten tribes are not returned: then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them ; that is, it shall never be brought again, according to the above... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 16:54

That thou mayest bear thine own shame ,.... So long as the captivity remains; even until Sodom and Samaria, the Gentiles, and the ten tribes, are called and converted: and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done ; or, "for all that thou hast done" F5 מכל אשר עשית "propter omnia quae fecisti", Junius & Tremellius, Polanus, Piscator. ; for and because of all the abominable sins they had been guilty of: in that thou art a comfort to them ; to Sodom and Samaria;... read more

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