Ezekiel 16:37

Ezekiel 16:37-39 . Behold, I will gather all thy lovers — Those allies, whose friendship thou hast courted, by complying with their idolatries; with all them that thou hast hated — As Edom, Moab, and Ammon: who were always of an envious and hostile disposition toward the Jews, and insulted over their calamities. And I will discover thy nakedness to them — They shall see thee carried away captive, stripped, and bare, without any covering to thy nakedness, according to the barbarous custom of conquerors in those times. The words allude to the punishment that used to be inflicted on common harlots and adulteresses, which was to strip them naked and expose them. And I will judge thee as women that break wedlock, and shed blood — I will inflict upon thee the punishment of adultery and murder: that is, some of thy people shall be stoned, and some killed by the sword: for these were the punishments of adultery and murder. Jerusalem might be properly said to be stoned when the Chaldeans, from their slings and engines, flung large stones into the city; for this was usual in the besieging of places in those days. And I will give thee blood in fury and in jealousy — I will punish thee with severity, as a jealous and provoked husband does a wife that has wronged him. Or, I will pour out the blood of thy slain like water: I will make an utter destruction of thine inhabitants.

They shall throw down thine eminent place — Probably the temple is here meant, called their eminent place, because they had filled it with idols; and shall break down thy high places — Dedicated to idolatrous worship. They shall strip thee also of thy clothes — They shall take away thy walls: or they shall plunder thee of every thing before they carry thee away captive. And shall take thy fair jewels — Hebrew, כלי תפארתךְ , the vessels of thy ornament, or glory. The vessels of the temple seem to be here intended.

(37) Thou hast loved . . . hast hated. —Not only those with whom Israel had sought alliances, but those who had been her hereditary foes, like the Philistines and Edomites, shared in the spoil of her land. Much of this had been already accomplished (see 2Kings 16:6 ; 2Chronicles 28:17-18 , &c). Israel’s weakness and wickedness should be fully exposed to all her enemies. Benson CommentaryEzekiel 16:37-39. Behold, I will gather all thy lovers — Those allies, whose friendship thou hast courted, by complying with their idolatries; with all them that thou hast hated — As Edom, Moab, and Ammon: who were always of an envious and hostile disposition toward the Jews, and insulted over their calamities. And I will discover thy nakedness to them — They shall see thee carried away captive, stripped, and bare, without any covering to thy nakedness, according to the barbarous custom of conquerors in those times. The words allude to the punishment that used to be inflicted on common harlots and adulteresses, which was to strip them naked and expose them. And I will judge thee as women that break wedlock, and shed blood — I will inflict upon thee the punishment of adultery and murder: that is, some of thy people shall be stoned, and some killed by the sword: for these were the punishments of adultery and murder.

Jerusalem might be properly said to be stoned when the Chaldeans, from their slings and engines, flung large stones into the city; for this was usual in the besieging of places in those days. And I will give thee blood in fury and in jealousy — I will punish thee with severity, as a jealous and provoked husband does a wife that has wronged him. Or, I will pour out the blood of thy slain like water: I will make an utter destruction of thine inhabitants. They shall throw down thine eminent place —Probably the temple is here meant, called their eminent place, because they had filled it with idols; and shall break down thy high places — Dedicated to idolatrous worship. They shall strip thee also of thy clothes — They shall take away thy walls: or they shall plunder thee of every thing before they carry thee away captive. And shall take thy fair jewels — Hebrew, כלי תפארתךְ, the vessels of thy ornament, or glory. The vessels of the temple seem to be here intended.Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary16:1-58 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.

Verse 37. - I will gather all thy lovers, etc. Interpreting the parable, the" lovers" are the nations with which Judah had allied herself, and whose religion she had adopted. In that confederacy of Moabites, Ammonites, Syrians, Philistines, Edomites and Chaldeans them should be small difference between those whom she had loved and those whom she had hated. All alike would exult in her shame and her fall (comp. Psalm 137:7 ; 2 Kings 24:2 ). Ezekiel 16:37

Behold, therefore I will gather all {r} thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them on every side against thee, and will uncover thy nakedness to them, that they may see all thy nakedness. (r) Egyptians, Assyrians and Chaldeans whom you took to be your lovers will come and destroy you, Eze 23:9.

Filthiness - Or, brass, i. e., money, is lavished. The Hebrews generally speak of money as gold Isaiah 46:6 , but brass coins were not unknown in the time of the Maccabees. Compare Matthew 10:9 ; Mark 12:41 . Ezekiel may here have put brass for gold contemptuously. Compare Isaiah 1:22-25 ; Isaiah 48:10 .