Ezek. 16 Under the similitude of a helpless exposed infant is represented the original state of Jerusalem, Ezek. 16:1–5; whom God is described to have bred up, married, and treated with kind indulgence, Ezek. 16:6–14. Her unnatural whoredoms, Ezek. 16:15–34.

Again, Heb. And, frequently and properly enough rendered as here, again, not pointing out any particular time wherein it came to the prophet. The word of the Lord came unto me; both commanding and directing him what to speak; and it is a very elegant description of God’s dealing with the Jews, and…

Declare to them that are with thee, and to them that are at Jerusalem, to these declare by letter, to those by word of mouth, what state theirs was in their infancy what I did for them, for the whole nation of the Jews, for so I take Jerusalem here to signify.

The proud and blinded Jews thought their original more pure than that of the heathen; this was an old tradition among them, now that the prophet is to acquaint them with the truth of their polluted original, which they will storm and fret at, he comes thus prefacing his discourse with a Divine…

In the day thou wast born; either in the day I called Abraham to leave his idolatry; or when in Egypt you began to multiply into a nation; or when you were brought out of Egyptian bondage. Or whether you fix any other time, it was a helpless and miserable state they were in.

A confirmation of what was said Ezek. 16:4; no hand helped, because no eye pitied them; neither Terah’s family to Abraham, nor the Egyptians to sojourning or departing Israel, showed any bowels of pity to help.

After the manner of man God here speaks, alluding to some traveller or walker abroad, like Pharaoh’s daughter, or the good Samaritan that lighted on this poor forlorn infant. Saw thee, in such manner as to pity and consider how to relieve.

The Lord, who chose Abraham and his seed; by his blessing this people were increased as by millions. How inconsiderable is a clan of seventy-five persons! So many went with Jacob into Egypt, where in two hundred and fifty years they grew to six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty,…

When I passed by thee: see Ezek. 16:6, of the phrase. This second passing by may well be understood of God’s visiting them and calling them out of Egypt. Looked upon thee: see the phrase Ezek. 16:6.

Then, Heb. And: this continueth the allegory, and declareth what more was done to prepare this virgin for advancement by this marriage covenant. Washed I thee: it was a very ancient custom among those Eastern people, as appears Ruth 3:3, Est.

So miserably poor was this creature, that she had not clothes to her back; he gave them who married her. Broidered work; rich and beautiful needle-work of divers colours, much above the state of an abject infant, and suited to the bounty and riches of him who gave them.

If the inventory of this virgin’s goods given to her were hitherto of such things as were needful for her comfort, now follows a particular of what served for state and magnificence, as the phrase Job 40:10; it also expresseth the bravery of a bridegroom, Isa.

A jewel; it was many times of silver, but most commonly of gold, and was of circular figure, hanging by a string fastened above the forehead in such a manner that it lay or rested on the nose, much esteemed among the Eastern people, though of no account with us.

The prophet sums up all again, partly to aver the truth thereof, partly to bring it to her remembrance, and partly to affect her with thankfulness for what she had received, and with shame for what she had done.

Thy renown; thy name was great and honoured. Among the heathen; not only next neighbours, but the uttermost ends of the earth, as it is said of the queen of Sheba, heard thereof.

Hear, O heavens, and be astonished at the complaint God doth make against this unthankful, forgetful, and perfidious woman! Thou didst trust; grew proud, laid aside humility, which became one raised from a most abject state, cast off the modesty, chastity, and fidelity which became a wife.

Of thy garments; hers they were for use, by gift of God, but she looked on them as hers, without respect to either the giver or use intended. Those costly, royal robes, the very wedding clothes and furniture, thou didst take; as an adulteress that parts with the rich gifts of her husband to oblige…

Thy fair jewels; she forgot the property was in God, she reckoned them her own. The word in Hebrew is of larger extent, and includes vessels, instruments, furniture of all sorts, with which, she was abundantly stored, even from their departure out of Egypt, when they spoiled the Egyptians, Ex.

Thy broidered garments, mentioned Ezek. 16:10, given by him who espoused this woman. Coveredst them; didst clothe the adulterers with whom thou didst commit lewdness, or didst clothe the images which thou hadst made, as was the custom of idolaters to suit clothing to their idols.

My meat also; the bread, all that was necessary and proper for thy sustentation in general, which I gave thee, thou hast fed thy paramours withal. Fine flour, & c: here are particularly recounted the things God gave, and this adulteress misemployed, both literally and mystically; for I doubt not…

Thy sons; they were hers by birth, and should have been hers in affection, care, and preservation; but as idolatry is from the father of lies, the old murderer, it is even cruel, and spares neither sons or daughters.

Thy blind superstition called this religion, and accounted it sacrifice, but truth is it was unnatural murder; it is as if thou hadst cut their throat, nay, worse, because it put them to greater torture. The word is used Isa. 57:5, Hos. 5:2.

Thou wast so intent upon and delighted in thy lewd courses, thou never thoughtest what once thou wast, or what again thou mightest be. In all thine abominations, both corporal and spiritual.

It came to pass; it shall come to pass; so the Hebrew may be read, and then this verse will be a dreadful threat of misery to come upon the Jews for all their wickednesses; when they have filled up the measure of their sins, God will fill them with his judgments, and bring one woe after another…

Hast also built, with great charge and pains, as those do. who build, hereby declaring thy purposes of continuing thy lewdness. Unto thee; for thyself, grown so prodigiously public, and followed with such numbers, and such great ones, that no common place was thought great enough, or stately…

Not content with what was done in the city, she built her idol temples and shows in the country, in places where many ways or roads met, wheresoever it was likely passengers would come.

Committed fornication; both figuratively and literally understood; worshipped Egypt’s gods, made covenants with them, kept up a commerce of trade with them, and prostituted themselves to their lusts too, by cohabitation, while the servitude lasted, and by nearness of place, when in Canaan.

Behold; open thine eyes, thou secure and foolish adulteress, see what hath been done against thee, and consider it is for thy lewdness. I have stretched out my hand; I have chastised and punished already in some measure. Over thee; it may be read, against thee. In like phrase Isa. 5:25, Isa.

Thou hast courted their friendship and alliance, and to obtain it hast entertained their religion, manners, and impieties, been all idolatress with them, and committed adulteries with them, though they were far from thee.

Multiplied; both increased the number of thy idolatries, and made them greater, in that thou hast adopted the idols of Canaan, and all that between them and the Chaldeans are owned or worshipped. In the land; the Hebrew may be read towards as well as in.

Weak; unstable, like water that melts away. Neither hast strength of judgment to discern the truth and purity of religion, nor hast strength of resolution to hold fast to it.

Thou buildest; see Ezek. 16:24; whereas the paramours of other lewd women build for them, as it is reported of Solomon, 1 Kings 11:7–8. Here, on the contrary, this unfaithful nation forsake their God, commit fornication with strange gods, and bear the charges both of building their temples, and…

Here begins the antithesis. A wife, adulteress, such as the prophet compareth this nation to, which hath a most rich, bountiful, and kind husband, she differs from common harlots in this point, she hunts not rewards, but forbidden pleasures.

They, unclean fornicators and adulterers, give gifts; the word is of a restrictive sense, speaks not any kind of gifts in general, but peculiarly such gifts as are presented by a wooer, or espouser of a woman, with which she is enriched and adorned; and may perhaps imply the arts, pretences, and…

That which subverts the order of nature, is contrary to the innate modesty of thy sex. Thou followest them, treatest, importunest, promisest, payest, and caressest them.

Her indictment and notoriety of all the charge against her we have heard; her crimes she was guilty of, with the aggravations of them; now follows sentence of condemnation against her.

Thus saith the Lord God: this august title is a preface to give weight to the sentence, and to affect her heart with fear. Thy filthiness; it might be rendered money, with which she hired and bribed her lovers, which she spent upon Baal, as Hos. 2:8.

Behold: God calls her to consider what heavy judgment he pronounceth and will execute. Gather whole herds and droves, for the word implieth such a gathering together. All thy lovers; Chaldeans, Assyrians, Egyptians.

And I, who am thy Lord and Husband, whose authority and kindness thou hast so contemned and abused, will judge thee; both condemn thee to suffer what thou deservest, and execute what thou art condemned to; as women that break wedlock, who were sometimes strangled, sometimes stoned, sometimes burnt,…

This particularly describes the manner in which God will do what he threatens. I will give thee, as a judge delivers the condemned into the hand of the executioner. Their hand; power and exasperated rage.

They; the king of Babylon, and his counsellors, and captains. A company; an assembled army. You had your assemblies for your idol worship, and I will have also an assembly, but it shall be of Chaldeans, Hab. 1:6, and others, to destroy you for your idolatry.

They; that company mentioned Ezek. 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 Chron. 36:19.

It may admit a doubt, whether this be spoken in way of promise and kindness, or of menace and wrath. This latter seems intended, as if God said, The jealousy whereto you have provoked me will never cease till these judgments have utterly destroyed you, and cut you off, as the anger of an abused…

This verse recapitulates the causes of God’s great displeasure against Jerusalem. Thou hast not remembered: see Ezek. 16:22. Hast fretted me; a mixed passion, in which is grief as well as anger, such as moves in the heart of a jealous husband, or such as is the passion of one that is grieved and…

That useth proverbs; that delights to make parables, and useth to taunt at the vices of notorious sinners. Shall use this proverb against thee: this might be read with the former phrase, and render us this sense, Every one that would speak against thee, O Jerusalem, and tartly upbraid thee, shall…

Thou, the nation of the Jews, art thy mother’s daughter; as much for her vicious inclinations, as for thy original derived from her, the most wicked daughter of as wicked a mother.

Thine elder sister, i.e. the greater for power, riches, and numbers of people, not the elder for years. Samaria; metropolis, or mother city, of the revolted and idolatrous ten tribes. Her daughters; lesser cities of the kingdom of Israel, or the people who dwelt in them.

Yet, Heb. And. Walked; lived and behaved thyself as they did, for they, all things considered, were less sinners than thou. Nor done, & c.; the same in other words; their doings were abominable, but thine have been worse. Thou, O Jerusalem! wast corrupted more than they; art deeper dyed in sin.

As I live; an oath which God often confirms his word by, and certainly that may be believed which the God of truth confirms by his own oath. See this oath explained, Ezek. 5:11.

The iniquity; iniquity, either for iniquities, or the fountain and occasion of all amongst the Sodomites. Pride; a haughty mind, swelled with the excellency, beauty, and grandeur of their state, and vaunting of it above their neighbours. Fulness of bread, i.e.

Haughty; insufferably arrogant in their deportment towards good men, they vexed the soul of righteous Lot; and towards the angels, whom they assaulted in Lot’s house; and towards God himself, as both in this verse, and in Gen. 13:13. Committed; worked, as if it were their trade.

Samaria; the ten tribes, or kingdom of Israel, founded in rebellion and idolatry. Committed half of thy sins; a proverbial speech, usual in comparison to set forth the lesser part, as 1 Kings 10:7. But thou hast multiplied: this explains the former.

Thou also; Jerusalem, and all the Jews with her. Hast judged; hast pretended it was wonder a people should sin as Samaria; or hast once condemned their apesracy, whilst thou stoodest; or hast judged their punishment just, that they deserved all they suffered.

It is disputed whether this be a promise or menace; it is most likely to be a threat; and if you consider the difference between a temporal and spiritual restitution, and the difference between an entire and partial restitution, it will be evident.

Thou mayest; thou shalt, so the Hebrew, as well as mayest. Shame; punishment for offences is ever reproachful, and some punishments are more so than others. Such shall the Jews’ punishments be.

This verse is explained in Ezek. 16:53, and needs not a repeated explication; it threatens a perpetual continuance of their low, abject, and miserable state in their outward concerns.

This is the reason why their state should be hopeless as that of Sodom. The sins of Sodom and her plagues were not minded by thee, though thou didst worse in thy prosperity, didst not fear like misery, nor wouldst forbear like sins.

The time of her pride, security, and sin was when they were not afflicted, and despised by the Syrians. Thy wickedness; thy abominable doings were made known to thyself, to thy friends and enemies too, by the execution of the severe menaces and sad predictions of my prophets, who foretold what…

What thou hast done I have imputed to thee; thou wilt not repent, therefore I account thee guilty, and I have in part punished thee; and though what I have done seem grievous, yet worse is behind, as Ezek. 16:59.

This is ushered in with a most solemn and sacred asseveration. I will even deal with thee; either thus: Thou hast despised the laws and privileges of my covenant with thee, and I will despise all thy pretensions to my favour by virtue of my covenant; it is mutual, and who breaks it forfeits all…

The Lord having denounced a perpetual punishment to the stubborn, impenitent body of the Jewish nation, he doth now promise to the remnant that they shall be remembered and obtain covenanted mercy, which makes up the last part of the chapter.

Then; when that new covenant, made and confirmed, shall operate and take effect. Remember; consider and lay to heart, repent of, mourn for, loathe and abhor, and turn from all thy wicked ways, all thy evil practices and doings.

This promise you have Ezek. 16:60. My covenant, in distinction from that is called thy covenant, Ezek. 16:61. With thee, O Israel, first, and then with the Gentiles, as thy children, with all the genuine children of Abraham, father of the faithful.

Mayest remember: see Ezek. 16:61. Confounded: see Ezek. 16:61. Never open thy mouth, neither to justify thyself, or to condemn others, or to quarrel with thy God, but, as a true penitent, be silent under the judgments sins have deserved, and God hath inflicted, to draw away from sin, and to bring a…