Ezekiel 16:41

16:1-58 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. We are not to judge of these expressions by modern ideas, but by those of the times and places in which they were used, where many of them would not sound as they do to us. The design was to raise hatred to idolatry, and such a parable was well suited for that purpose.

And they shall burn thine houses with fire,.... As the houses in Jerusalem were by Nebuchadnezzar's army, even the temple, the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and the houses of great men, even all the houses in the city, Jeremiah 52:13 ; and as was commanded to be done to idolatrous cities, Deuteronomy 13:16 ; and this also may be said in allusion to the burning of adulterous persons, Genesis 38:24 ; and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women; or provinces, as the Targum; meaning the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites, who would rejoice in their ruin; the judgments design those before mentioned: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more; their idols, high places, and altars, being demolished, and they plundered of their substance; and after the Babylonish captivity the Jews never returned to idolatry any more.

Verse 41. - They shall burn thine houris with fire, etc. (comp. 2 Kings 25:9 and Jeremiah 52:13 , for the fulfilment of the prediction). The women stand for the "cities" which looked on, with awe or exultation, at the destruction of the guilty. Possibly, however, the words may include a literal sense, as in Lamentations 2:10 . Ezekiel 16:41

41 . thine houses with fire ] A summary method of punishment often adopted, as by the Philistines on Samson’s father-in-law ( Jdg 15:6 ); threatened by Ephraim on Jephthah ( Jdg 12:1 ). Comp. also the summary act of Absalom against Joab for his inattention to the prince’s messages ( 2 Samuel 14:30 ), cf. Joshua 7:25 . sight of many women ] The neighbouring states. There may be reference to a custom of making women witness the fate of the adulteress, that they might take warning.

I will give thee blood in fury - Rather, "I will make thee a bloody sacrifice to fury and jealousy." By the Law of Moses, death was the penalty for murder Exodus 21:12 , and for adultery ( Leviticus 20:10 ; e. g., by stoning, Ezekiel 16:40 ). The circumstances of the siege of Jerusalem corresponded with the punishment of the adulteress; the company gathered around her were the surrounding armies, the fury of the jealous husband was the fury of the attacking army, the stripping off her ornaments was the rapine of the siege, the stoning the battering-rams, the bloody death being the slaughter in the battle.

They; that company mentioned Ezekiel 16:40 . Shall burn thine houses; as harlots and idolaters were to be punished; intimating also the burning Jerusalem, the temple and houses in it, as 2 Kings 25:9 2 Chronicles 36:19 . Execute, as God’s instruments to do his will, and also as men that satisfy their own rage, judgments, all kind of cruelty, upon thee, O Jerusalem, and thine inhabitants, in the sight of many women; the people that were gathered to besiege, take, and spoil Jerusalem, and the daughters thereof. I will cause thee: it is not said how this shall be done, whether by changing their minds, or by utterly ruining them; but this shall be done: this is the effect of the Divine judgments. From playing the harlot; from idolatry, and adulteries, which attend it. Thou also, who hast been so lavish and inclined to this course, shalt give no hire any more; so poor, thou canst not, or so changed, that thou wilt no more, hire paramours to come in to thee.

41. The result of the awful judgment shall be, when divine vengeance has run its course, it shall cease. burn—(De 13:16; 2Ki 25:9). women—the surrounding Gentile nations to whom thou shalt be an object of mocking (Ps 137:7). I will cause thee to cease … harlot—(Eze 23:27). Thou shalt no longer be able to play the harlot through My judgments. thou … shall give … no hire … any more—Thou shalt have none to give.

As Israel has been worse than all the heathen, Jehovah will punish it notwithstanding its election, so that its shame shall be uncovered before all the nations ( Ezekiel 16:36-42 ), and the justice of the judgment to be inflicted upon it shall be made manifest ( Ezekiel 16:43-52 ). According to these points of view, the threat of punishment divides itself into two parts in the following manner: - In the first ( Ezekiel 16:35-42 ) we have, first of all (in Ezekiel 16:36 ), a recapitulation of the guilty conduct described in vv. 16-34; and secondly, an announcement of the punishment corresponding to the guilt, as the punishment of adultery and murder ( Ezekiel 16:37 and Ezekiel 16:48 ), and a picture of its infliction, as retribution for the enormities committed ( Ezekiel 16:39-42 ). In the second part ( Ezekiel 16:43-52 ) there follows a proof of the justice of this judgment. Ezekiel 16:35-42 The punishment will correspond to the sin. - Ezekiel 16:35. Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of Jehovah! Ezekiel 16:36. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Because thy brass has been lavished, and thy shame exposed in thy whoredom with thy lovers, and because of all the idols of thine abominations, and according to the blood of thy sons, which thou hast given them; Ezekiel 16:37.

Therefore, behold, I will gather together all thy lovers, whom thou hast pleased, and all whom thou hast loved, together with all whom thou hast hated, and will gather them against thee from round about, and will expose thy shame to them, that they may see all thy shame. Ezekiel 16:38. I will judge thee according to the judgment of adulteresses and murderesses, and make thee into blood of wrath and jealousy. Ezekiel 16:39. And I will give thee into their hand, that they may destroy thy arches, and pull down thy heights; that they may strip thy clothes off thee, and take thy splendid jewellery, and leave thee naked and bare. Ezekiel 16:40. And they shall bring up a company against thee, and stone thee, and cut thee in pieces with their swords. Ezekiel 16:41. And they shall burn thy houses with fire, and execute judgment upon thee before the eyes of many women. Thus do I put an end to thy whoredom.; and thou wilt also give payment no more. Ezekiel 16:42. And I quiet my fury toward thee, and will turn away my jealousy from thee, that I may repose and vex myself no more. - In the brief summary of the guilt of the whore, the following objects are singled out, as those for which she is to be punished: (1) the pouring out of her brass and the exposure of her shame; (2) the idols of her abominations (with על before the noun, corresponding to יען before the infinitive); (3) the blood of her sons, with the preposition כּ, according to, to indicate the measure of her punishment.