Ezekiel 16:51

Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have multiplied your abominations beyond theirs, and all the abominations you have committed have made your sisters appear righteous.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God speaks through Ezekiel to Jerusalem, placing her covenant violations alongside those of her political and spiritual "sisters" during a prophetic indictment of idolatry and rebellion.

The words — The Hebrew תּוֹעֲבוֹתַיִךְ (toʿăḇōṯayīḵ) means "your abominations," and וַתַּרְבִּי (wa-ttarḇî) literally reads "and you have increased" or multiplied them beyond measure.

The thread — The text explicitly states that Jerusalem's sins exceeded Samaria's, making her sisters appear righteous by comparison, a pattern of comparative guilt and proportional judgment that runs through Jeremiah 3:8, Matthew 12:41, and Luke 12:47.

Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to recognize that greater exposure to covenant truth intensifies moral liability, demanding honest self-assessment rather than defensive comparison.

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

וְשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹןve./Sho.me.Ronand/ Samaria כַּחֲצִ֥יka./cha.Tziaccording to/ [the] half of חַטֹּאתַ֖יִךְcha.to.Ta.yi/khsins/ your לֹ֣אlo'not חָטָ֑אָהcha.Ta.'ahit sinned וַתַּרְבִּ֤יva./tar.Biand/ you have increased אֶת־'et-<obj.>תּוֹעֲבוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙to.'a.vo.Ta.yi/khabominations/ yourמֵהֵ֔נָּהme./He.nahmore than/ themוַתְּצַדְּקִי֙va./te.tza.de.Kiand/ you have made appear righteous אֶת־'et-<obj.>אֲחוֹתַ֔יִךְ'a.cho.te/khsisters/ your בְּכָל־be./kholby/ all תּוֹעֲבוֹתַ֖יִךְto.'a.vo.Ta.yi/khabominations/ your אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich עָשִֽׂית׃a.si.tyou have done

King James Version

Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 3:8 She saw that because faithless Israel had committed adultery, I gave her a certificate of divorce and sent her away. Yet that unfaithful sister Judah had no fear and prostituted herself as well.
Matthew 12:41 The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.
Luke 12:47 That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.
Romans 3:9 What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.

Places named

Samaria