Bible Strands
Ezekiel 16:36
This is what the Lord GOD says: Because you poured out your wealth and exposed your nakedness in your promiscuity with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children which you gave to them,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Lord GOD speaks through Ezekiel to Jerusalem, portrayed as an adulterous prostitute, at the precise moment of pronouncing judgment for her idolatry and child sacrifice.
The words — The Hebrew יַ֣עַן (Ya'an) means "because," structuring the verse as a causal declaration. The phrase נְחֻשְׁתֵּךְ (nechushtekh), literally "your bronze" or "your wealth," is coupled with הִשִּׁפֵּךְ (hishippekha), "you poured out," describing the reckless transfer of resources to foreign gods.
The thread — The exposure of nakedness as public shame appears in Ezekiel 23:10 and echoes the loss of innocence in Genesis 3:7 and 3:10. The condemnation of giving children to idols runs through the broader prophetic indictment of covenant violation.
Why it lands — The text states that idolatry and child sacrifice are the direct causes of coming exposure and judgment. It requires the reader to recognize that covenant betrayal forfeits divine protection and leaves the violator fully visible to the consequences of their own actions.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Thus saith the Lord God; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 23:10 They exposed her nakedness, seized her sons and daughters, and put her to the sword. Thus she became a byword among women, and they executed judgment against her.
- Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves.
- Genesis 3:10 “I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
- Psalms 139:11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me”—
- Jeremiah 2:34 Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things
- Jeremiah 13:22 And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?” It is because of the magnitude of your iniquity that your skirts have been stripped off and your body has been exposed.
- Jeremiah 19:5 They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I never commanded or mentioned, nor did it even enter My mind.
- Lamentations 1:9 Her uncleanness stains her skirts; she did not consider her end. Her downfall was astounding; there was no one to comfort her. Look, O LORD, on my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!
- Ezekiel 16:15 But because of your fame, you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot. You lavished your favors on everyone who passed by, and your beauty was theirs for the asking.
- Ezekiel 22:15 I will disperse you among the nations and scatter you throughout the lands; I will purge your uncleanness.