Bible Strands
Ezekiel 16:56
Did you not treat your sister Sodom as an object of scorn in the day of your pride,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God speaks through Ezekiel to Jerusalem, personified as a woman, during a judicial indictment of her historical unfaithfulness. The declaration follows a comparison with Sodom and Samaria and precedes a warning about future disgrace.
The words — The Hebrew לִשְׁמֻעָה (li-shmu‘ah) literally means "into a mention" or "as a byword," combined with בְּפִיךְ (be-fi/kh), "in your mouth." This pairing indicates that Sodom was publicly cited as a reproach because of Jerusalem's own arrogance.
The thread — The text links this reproach to Isaiah 65:5, which records self-righteous isolation provoking divine rejection, and Zephaniah 3:11, which promises the removal of shame on the day of judgment. Ezekiel 16:57 immediately applies the same pattern by stating Jerusalem will be despised by Edom and Philistia when her wickedness is uncovered.
Why it lands — The passage states that past pride generated public contempt, requiring the listener to acknowledge her guilt without evasion. It demands a clear-eyed assessment of how arrogance precedes humiliation and forces direct 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
For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride,
Cross-references
- Isaiah 65:5 They say, ‘Keep to yourself; do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’ Such people are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.
- Zephaniah 3:11 On that day you will not be put to shame for any of the deeds by which you have transgressed against Me. For then I will remove from among you those who rejoice in their pride, and you will never again be haughty on My holy mountain.
- Luke 15:28 The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
- Luke 18:11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.