Bible Strands
Ezekiel 16:52
So now you must bear your disgrace, since you have brought justification for your sisters. For they appear more righteous than you, because your sins were more vile than theirs. So you too must bear your shame and disgrace, since you have made your sisters appear righteous.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God speaks through the prophet Ezekiel to Jerusalem, pronouncing judgment immediately after contrasting her sins with those of Samaria and Sodom.
The words — The Hebrew פִּלַּלְתְּ֙ (pi.lalT) literally means “you have mediated” or “you have justified,” while כְלִמָּתֵ֗ךְ (khe.li.ma.Te/kh) translates directly to “your disgrace.”
The thread — This pattern of comparative righteousness and shame recurs in Genesis 38:26, 1 Samuel 24:17, and Matthew 7:1, where human self-justification is consistently measured against divine standard.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that personal sin is the very metric that makes others appear righteous, demanding an end to self-exoneration and a direct acceptance of accountability.
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
Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.
Cross-references
- Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge, or you will be judged.
- Genesis 38:26 Judah recognized the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.
- 1 Samuel 24:17 and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.
- 1 Kings 2:32 The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.
- Jeremiah 23:40 And I will bring upon you everlasting shame and perpetual humiliation that will never be forgotten.”
- Jeremiah 31:19 After I returned, I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
- Jeremiah 51:51 “We are ashamed because we have heard reproach; disgrace has covered our faces, because foreigners have entered the holy places of the LORD’s house.”
- Ezekiel 16:54 So you will bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you did to comfort them.
- Ezekiel 16:56 Did you not treat your sister Sodom as an object of scorn in the day of your pride,
- Ezekiel 16:63 so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord GOD.”