What does Ezekiel 16:14 mean?
"And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD." - Ezekiel 16:14
Ezekiel 16:14 (KJV) reads: "And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God."
This verse is part of a larger passage in the book of Ezekiel where the prophet is delivering a message from God to the people of Israel. In this particular chapter, Ezekiel uses a metaphor of a young woman to describe the history of Israel and its relationship with God. The woman is depicted as a newborn baby who is abandoned and then cared for by God, who nurtures and raises her into a beautiful and beloved bride. The verse in question describes the beauty and renown of this woman spreading among the nations, and the reason for this beauty being attributed to the comeliness that God had put upon her.
One of the key themes in this passage is the faithfulness and compassion of God towards His people, despite their unfaithfulness and ungratefulness. The metaphor of the abandoned and unloved baby being taken in and nurtured by God conveys the idea that God's love and care for His people is unconditional and unwavering, even when they have strayed from Him.
The concept of beauty and renown spreading among the heathen also carries a message about the intended purpose of God's chosen people. They were meant to be a shining example of God's love and righteousness to the surrounding nations. The beauty and renown of the woman in the metaphor symbolize the spiritual and moral excellence that should have been displayed by Israel, drawing others to God through their example.
The phrase "for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee" speaks to the source of this beauty and renown. It emphasizes that it is not the woman's own beauty or accomplishments that have brought her renown, but rather the comeliness that God had put upon her. This points to the idea that any goodness or beauty that is found in God's people is ultimately a result of God's grace and intervention, rather than their own efforts.
In a broader context, this passage serves as a reminder to the people of Israel of their calling and their covenant relationship with God. It is a call to repentance and a renewal of their commitment to God, who has been faithful to them despite their unfaithfulness.
The symbolism in this verse is rich and layered. The metaphor of the woman represents the nation of Israel, with God as the loving caretaker and husband. The spreading of her renown among the heathen symbolizes the intended role of Israel as a light to the nations. The comeliness that God puts upon her represents the spiritual beauty and righteousness that should be a result of God's presence and influence in the lives of His people.
Overall, Ezekiel 16:14 conveys a powerful message about God's faithfulness, the intended role of His chosen people, and the source of true beauty and renown. It serves as a call to repentance, renewal, and a recommitment to God's covenant. It also reminds us that any goodness or beauty that is found in God's people ultimately comes from God Himself.
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Ezekiel 16:14 - "And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD."
"And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD." - Ezekiel 16:14
Ezekiel 14:16 - "Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate."
Ezekiel 14:14-16 (KJVA) 14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. 15 If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: 16 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
Ezekiel 14:14-16 (KJVA) 14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. 15 If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: 16 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
Ezekiel 14:6
Ezekiel 16:35 - "¶ Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:"
Ezekiel 14:14 - "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 14:12 - "¶ The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,"
Genesis 16:14
John 14:16
Ezekiel 36:16 - "¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
Ezekiel 16:2 - "Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,"
Ezekiel 16:1 - "Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
Ezekiel 14:2 - "And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
Ezekiel 11:14 - "Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
Ezekiel 1:14 - "And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning."
Ezekiel 45:16 - "All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel."
Ezekiel 27:14 - "They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules."
Ezekiel 16:56 - "For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride,"
Ezekiel 39:16 - "And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land."
Ezekiel 16:32 - "But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband!"
Ezekiel 16:58 - "Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD."
Ezekiel 14:1 - "Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me."
John 14:16-17
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 30:14 - "And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No."
Deuteronomy 14:16 - "The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,"
"Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate." - Ezekiel 14:16
Ezekiel 43:16 - "And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof."