Ezekiel 16

1. Again the Word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2. “Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations.

3. And say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem, “Your origin and your birth is of the land of Canaan. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite.

4. And as for your birth, in the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you. And you were not salted, nor swaddled at all.

5. No eye pitied you, to do any of these for you, to have compassion on you. But you were thrown out into the open field because your life was despised in the day that you were born.

6. And when I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yea, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’

7. I have caused you to multiply like the growth of the field, and you increased and grew up, and became exceedingly beautiful; Your breasts are formed, and your hair is grown, yet you were naked and bare.

8. And I passed by you and looked on you, and, behold, your time was the time of love. And spread my skirt over you and covered your nakedness. And I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you,” says the Lord GOD. “And you became Mine.”

9. “And I washed you with water; I washed away your blood from you, and I anointed you with oil.

10. I also clothed you with embroidered work, and I shod you with leather sandals. And I wrapped you in fine linen, and I covered you with silk.

11. And I adorned you with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon your hands and a chain on your neck.

12. And I put a ring on your nose, and earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.

13. And you were adorned with gold and silver; and your clothing was of fine linen and silk and embroidered work. You ate fine flour and honey and oil; and you were exceedingly beautiful. And you advanced into a kingdom.

14. And your name went out among the nations because of your beauty; for it was perfect through My splendor, which I had put on you,” says the Lord GOD.

15. “But you trusted in your beauty, and played the harlot because of your name, and poured out your fornications on all who passed by—on any who would have it.

16. And you took from your clothes and adorned your high places with different colors, and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen, nor should ever be!

17. And you have taken of your beautiful jewels of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and made images of men, and did commit whoredom with them.

18. And you took your embroidered dresses and covered them, and you have given to them My oil and My incense.

19. Also My food which I gave you, fine flour and oil and honey with which I fed you, you have given it to them for a sweet savour. And so it was,” says the Lord GOD.

20. “And you have taken your sons and your daughters, whom you have borne to Me, and you sacrificed them unto these images to be devoured. Is this, your whoredoms so small a matter?

21. You have slaughtered My children and delivered them up and caused them to pass through the fire.

22. And in all your hateful deeds and your whoredoms you have not remembered the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, and squirming in your own blood.

23. ‘Woe, woe to you says the Lord GOD!’ For it came to pass after all your wickedness,

24. That you have also built yourself an eminent place, and you have made for yourself a high place in every square.

25. You have built your high place at the head of every crossroad, and have made your beauty to be despised, and have opened your feet to everyone who passed by, and have multiplied your whoredoms.

26. You have also whored with the Egyptians, your neighbors, great of flesh, and have multiplied your whoredoms to provoke Me to anger.

27. And, behold, therefore I have stretched out My hand over you, and diminished your allotted portion. And I gave you over to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd way.

28. You have played the whore also with the Assyrians, because you were insatiable; yea, you played the whore also, and yet you could not be satisfied.

29. Moreover you have multiplied your whoredoms in the land of Canaan, to the Chaldean, and yet even in this you were not satisfied.

30. How weak is your heart,” says the Lord GOD, “since you do all these, the work of a woman, an imperious harlot;

31. In that you build your eminent place at the head of every crossroad, and make your high place in every square. Yet you have not been as a harlot, in that you scorn any payment to you from your lovers.

32. You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her own husband!

33. To all whores men give gifts, but instead you give your gifts to all your lovers, and bribe them to come to you from all around, for your whoredoms.

34. And in you was the opposite from other women in your whoredoms, since no one whores after you, and in that you give payment, and payment is not given to you. Therefore you are contrary.”

35. Therefore, O harlot, hear the Word of the LORD.

36. Thus says the Lord GOD, “Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness was bared in your whoredoms with your lovers, and because of all the idols of your abominations, and because of the blood of your children that you gave to them;

37. Behold, therefore I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have taken pleasure, even all whom you loved, with all whom you have hated; I will even gather them against you from all around, and will expose your nakedness to them, and they will see all your nakedness.

38. And I will judge you with the judgments of adulteresses, and as one who sheds blood. And I will bring upon you the blood of fury and jealousy.

39. And I will also give you into their hands, and they will tear down your eminent places, and will demolish your high places. They shall also strip you of your clothes, and shall take your beautiful jewels, and leave you naked and bare.

40. They shall also raise a company against you, and they shall stone you with stones, and thrust you through with their swords.

41. And they shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women. And I will make you stop whoring; and also, you shall no longer hire lovers any more.

42. And I will satisfy My fury upon you, and My jealousy shall depart from you, and I will be quiet and will be angry no more.

43. Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have troubled Me in all these things; so, behold, I will also repay your own way upon your head,” says the Lord GOD. “And you shall no longer commit this wickedness above all your abominations.

44. Behold, all who use proverbs shall use this proverb against you, saying, ‘As is the mother, so is her daughter.’

45. You are your mother’s daughter, who despises her husband and her sons. And you are the sister of your sisters, who despise their husbands and their sons. Your mother was a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

46. And your older sister is Samaria, she and her daughters who dwell at your left hand. And your younger sister, who dwells at your right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.

47. Yet you have not only walked according to their ways, nor have only done according to their hateful deeds; but, as if it were a very little thing, you were even corrupted more than they were in all your ways.

48. As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “Neither Sodom your sister, nor her daughters, have done as you have done, you and your daughters.

49. Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom; pride, fullness of bread and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters. Nor did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

50. And they were haughty and did abominable things before Me, therefore I took them away as I saw fit.

51. Nor has Samaria sinned as much as half your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters in all your abominations which you have done.

52. You also, who have judged your sisters, will bear your own shame for your sins which you have committed—for you have been more abominable than they. By comparison they are more righteous than you! Yea, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, since you have made your sisters appear righteous.

53. And I shall bring them back from captivity, and the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and the captives of your captivity among them;

54. So that you may bear your shame, and blush in all that you have done, since you are a comfort to them.

55. And your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, and you and your daughters shall return to your former estate.

56. For your sister Sodom was not mentioned by your mouth in the day of your pride,

57. Before your wickedness was uncovered, as at the time of your reproach for the daughters of Edom, and of all her neighbors, the daughters of the Philistines who hated you from all around.

58. You have borne your lewdness and your abominations,” says the LORD.

59. For thus says the Lord GOD, “I will even deal with you as you have done, in that you have despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

60. But I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish to you an everlasting covenant.

61. And you shall remember your ways and be ashamed, when you shall receive your sisters, your older and your younger. And I will give them to you for daughters, but not because of your covenant.

62. And I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall know that I am the LORD;

63. So that you may remember and be ashamed; and it will not be possible to open your mouth any more because of your shame; in that I make an atonement for you for all that you have done,” says the Lord GOD.’ ”