Bible/Ezekiel/16

Ezekiel 16:7

16:6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. polluted: or, trodden under foot
I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. caused: Heb. made thee a million excellent: Heb. ornament of ornaments

KJV

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I caused you to multiply as that which grows in the field, and you increased and grew great, and you attained to excellent ornament. Your breasts were formed, and your hair grew; yet you were naked and bare.

I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare.

I have caused you to multiply as the bud of the field, and you have increased and waxen great, and you are come to excellent ornaments: your breasts are fashioned, and your hair is grown, whereas you were naked and bore.

16:8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.

What does Ezekiel 16:7 mean?

Ezekiel 16:7 is a verse in the book of Ezekiel, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include נָתַן (nâthan), רְבָבָה (rᵉbâbâh), צֶמַח (tsemach). It connects to 15 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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I
have
causedנָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/H5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
thee
to
multiplyרְבָבָהrᵉbâbâh/reb-aw-baw'/H7233abundance (in number), i.e. (specifically) a myriad (whether definite or indefinite)
as
the
budצֶמַחtsemach/tseh'-makh/H6780a sprout (usually concrete), literal or figurative
of
the
field,שָׂדֶהsâdeh/saw-deh'/H7704a field (as flat)
and
thou
hast
increasedרָבָהrâbâh/raw-baw'/H7235to increase (in whatever respect)
and
waxen
great,גָּדַלgâdal/gaw-dal'/H1431to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride)
and
thou
art
comeבּוֹאbôwʼ/bo/H935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
to
excellentעֲדִיʻădîy/ad-ee'/H5716finery; generally an outfit; specifically, a headstall
ornaments:עֲדִיʻădîy/ad-ee'/H5716finery; generally an outfit; specifically, a headstall
thy
breastsשַׁדshad/shad/H7699the breast of a woman or animal (as bulging)
are
fashioned,כּוּןkûwn/koon/H3559properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous)
and
thine
hairשֵׂעָרsêʻâr/say-awr'/H8181hair (as if tossed or bristling)
is
grown,צָמַחtsâmach/tsaw-makh'/H6779to sprout (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative)
whereas
thou
wast
nakedעֵירֹםʻêyrôm/ay-rome'/H5903nudity
and
bare.עֶרְיָהʻeryâh/er-yaw'/H6181nudity
caused:
Heb.
made
thee
a
million
excellent:
Heb.
ornament
of
ornaments

Commentary on Ezekiel 16:7

HENRY_FULL · Ezekiel 16:7
" The foregoing chapter was wholly taken up with reproofs and threatenings against the people of God, for their apostasies from him; but in this chapter gracious invitations and encouragements are given them to return and repent, notwithstanding the multitude and greatness of their provocations, which are here specified, to magnify the mercy of God, and to show that as sin abounded grace did much more abound. Here, I. It is further shown how bad they had been and how well they deserved to be quite abandoned, and yet how ready God was to receive them into his favour upon their repentance, ver. 1-5 . II. The impenitence of Judah, and their persisting in sin, are aggravated from the judgments of God upon Israel, which they should have taken warning by, ver. 6-11 . III. Great encouragements are given to these backsliders to return and repent, and promises made of great mercy which God had in store for them, and which he would prepare them for by bringing them home to himself, ver. 12-19 . IV. The charge renewed against them for their apostasy from God, and the invitation repeated to return and repent, to which are here added the words that are put in their mouth, which they should make use of in their return to God, ver. 20-25 .

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 38:14

And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. an open: Heb. the door of eyes, or, of Enajim

Deuteronomy 12:2

Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: possess: or, inherit

1 Kings 11:3

And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

2 Kings 23:13

And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile. the mount: that is, the mount of Olives

Proverbs 7:11

(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

Proverbs 23:28

She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men. as for: or, as a robber

Ezekiel 2:7

And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. most: Heb. rebellion

Ezekiel 8:4

And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.

Ezekiel 16:1

Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Ezekiel 16:9

Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. blood: Heb. bloods

Ezekiel 16:16

And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.

Ezekiel 16:24

That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street. eminent: or, brothel house

Ezekiel 16:25

Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.

Ezekiel 20:28

For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.

Luke 16:23

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Topics

GodIngratitude to God

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Ezekiel 16:7.

Genesis 14:7

And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.

Genesis 17:2

And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

Genesis 17:20

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

Genesis 2:19

And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. Adam: or, the man

Genesis 21:20

And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.

Genesis 23:11

Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.

Genesis 23:13

And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

Genesis 23:9

That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you. as much: Heb. full money

Frequently asked questions

What does Ezekiel 16:7 say?

Ezekiel 16:7 (King James Version) reads: "I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. caused: Heb. made thee a million excellent: Heb. ornament of ornaments"

Is Ezekiel 16:7 in the Old or New Testament?

Ezekiel 16:7 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Ezekiel.

Reflect

As you read Ezekiel 16:7, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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