What does Ezekiel 16:50 mean?
"And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good." - Ezekiel 16:50
Ezekiel 16:50 in the King James Version of the Bible reads, "And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good."
This verse is a part of a larger passage in the book of Ezekiel that is often referred to as the "allegory of the faithless bride." In this passage, God uses the metaphor of a promiscuous woman to describe the unfaithfulness of the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Throughout the passage, God recounts how he found and cared for the people of Judah and Jerusalem, but despite his love and protection, they turned to idolatry and unfaithfulness.
In Ezekiel 16:50 specifically, God is condemning the people for their arrogant and sinful behavior. The phrase "And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me" is a reference to the pride and arrogance of the people, which led them to commit detestable acts in the eyes of God. The word "abomination" in the Bible often refers to extremely sinful or offensive behavior, particularly in the context of idolatry and moral corruption.
The second half of the verse, "therefore I took them away as I saw good," is a reflection of the punishment that God inflicted upon the people for their sins. The phrase "took them away" can be interpreted as a form of divine retribution, possibly in the form of the Babylonian exile. This punishment was carried out because God saw fit to discipline the people for their disobedience and unfaithfulness.
The verse as a whole serves as a reminder of the consequences of pride, arrogance, and moral corruption. It emphasizes the importance of humility, obedience, and faithfulness in the eyes of God. The use of the metaphor of a faithless bride also underscores the idea of God's unwavering love and the unfaithfulness of his people. Despite their unfaithfulness, God still seeks reconciliation and restoration.
In a broader context, this verse is part of a larger theme of repentance and redemption found throughout the book of Ezekiel. The prophet Ezekiel's message to the exiled Israelites is one of hope and restoration, even in the midst of judgment and punishment. The book of Ezekiel challenges the people to turn from their sinful ways and return to God, promising that he will restore them and make them prosper once again.
Symbolically, the verse can be seen as a warning against the dangers of pride, arrogance, and moral corruption. It serves as a reminder that disobedience and unfaithfulness to God will not go unpunished. The divine retribution mentioned in the verse highlights the concept of God's justice and the consequences of sinful behavior.
In conclusion, Ezekiel 16:50 is a powerful and sobering reminder of the consequences of pride, arrogance, and moral corruption. It underscores the importance of humility, obedience, and faithfulness in the eyes of God, while also emphasizing the possibility of redemption and restoration through repentance. The verse serves as a warning and a call to action for all believers to remain faithful and obedient to God.
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Ezekiel 16:50 - "And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good."
"And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good." - Ezekiel 16:50
Numbers 16:50 - "And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed."
Genesis 50:16 - "And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,"
Psalms 50:16 - "But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?"
"And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed." - Numbers 16:50
Jeremiah 50:16 - "Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land."
Ezekiel 16:35 - "¶ Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:"
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 45:16 - "All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel."
"And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying," - Genesis 50:16
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 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 40:29 - "And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad."
Ezekiel 43:16 - "And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof."
Ezekiel 3:16 - "And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
Ezekiel 16:62 - "And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD:"
Ezekiel 16:23 - "And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saith the Lord GOD;)"
Ezekiel 21:16 - "Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set."
Ezekiel 16:21 - "That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?"
Ezekiel 42:16 - "He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about."
Ezekiel 16:12 - "And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head."
"¶ Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:" - Ezekiel 16:35
Ezekiel 20:16 - "Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols."
Ezekiel 47:16 - "Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazar-hatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran."