Ezekiel 16:1-7

II. JERUSALEM: A FAITHLESS WIFE 16:1-43

Perhaps nowhere in the Bible is the faithlessness of God's people and the faithfulness of the Lord set in more stark contrast than in the present passage. In four paragraphs Ezekiel reviews the past and future dealings between God and His people. In unfolding this allegory Ezekiel discusses (1) the circumstances of Jerusalem's birth (Ezekiel 16:1-7); (2) the marriage and adornment of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 16:8-14); (3) the infidelity of the bride (Ezekiel 16:15-34); and (4) the punishment of the harlot (Ezekiel 16:35-43).

Chapter 16 is a survey of Israel's history from the birth of that nation up to Ezekiel's day. The prophet is almost indelicately realistic in his description here. He meant it that way. Sin is ugly, and if the prophet is going to tell it like it is he must resort from time to time to ugly words. Hardened hearts sometimes respond to shock therapy, and so the prophet is commissioned by God to cause Jerusalem to know her abominations (Ezekiel 16:2).

A. The Unwanted Foundling 16:1-7

TRANSLATION

(1) And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (2) Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations. (3) And say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: Your origin and birth are of the land of the Canaanite; your father was the Amorite, and your mother the Hittite. (4) And as for your birth, on your birthday your navel was not cut, nor were you washed in water for cleansing; you were not salted at all, nor were you wrapped at all. (5) No eye had pity upon you to do any of these things to you to have compassion upon you; but you were cast out upon the surface of the ground when you were regarded as loathsome in the day of your birth. (6) And when I passed by you, and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you: In your blood live; yea, I said to you, In your blood live; (7) An increase like the sprout of the field I appointed you. And you increased, and grew up, and came to excellent beauty: your breasts were formed, and your hair was grown; yet you were naked and bare.

COMMENTS

Although Jerusalem is specifically addressed, the parable applies to the whole nation and its history. The origin and nativity of Israel took place on the soil of Canaan. The parents of the infant Israel are said to have been the Amorite[315] and the Hittite[316] (Ezekiel 16:3). Since it is known from the earliest Biblical records that historically the Hebrews sprang from pure Aramaean stock (cf. Deuteronomy 26:5), Ezekiel's statement must be taken as satire. The point he is trying to make is that from the very beginning Israel had been strongly influenced by its Canaanite environment.

[315] Amorites were a west-Semitic people who began filtering into the Fertile Crescent from the desert about 2000 B. C, At the time of Moses they were firmly entrenched in the mountains of Palestine and in the Transjordan region as well,
[316] The Hittites were an Indo-European people whose center was in Asia Minor and, during some periods, Syria.

Like many female infants, Israel was abandoned after birth, left exposed in a field to die. She had not received the customary treatment afforded newborn babes (Ezekiel 16:4). Normally after the navel was cut the baby would be rubbed all over with salt which served to harden and strengthen its body. The baby was then wrapped tightly in bands of cloth. Every seven days through day forty the dirty clothes were removed, the baby washed, anointed with oil, and rewrapped.[317] But none of these customary treatments was applied to this child Israel. No one pitied the child who had been regarded as loathsome and had been exposed to death by neglect (Ezekiel 16:5).

[317] The obstetrics of the verse are best explained by the present-day customs of Arabs described by Mastermann in Cooke, ICC, p. 162.

Unlike all others, God did not pass by the ugly and unwanted child. Although the child was repulsive to look upon squirming about in her blood, i.e., unwashed, still God decreed that it should live (Ezekiel 16:6). Under God's care the nation increased numerically (cf. Exodus 1:7; Exodus 1:12). The female infant grew to maturity. She possessed the physical attributes of a beautifully formed woman, viz., a full bust and long hair. Yet she was still naked and bare. The Hebrew terms usually mean, insufficiently clad. Israel was like a poor desert shepherd girl inadequately clothed when she entered into Egypt (Ezekiel 16:7).