Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezekiel 16

Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan. —In the original, the words “births” and “nativities” are in the plural, already indicating what the whole context makes plain, that the reference is not to the natural but to the spiritual origin of Israel. So our Lord says to the Jews of His time, Ye are of your father, the devil (John 8:44); and Isaiah addresses his contemporaries as rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrha (Isaiah 1:10). The word births, as indicated by the margin, comes from a verb meaning to cut or dig out, as stone from the quarry; and there is a play upon this sense in Isaiah 51:1. Israel’s character, her spiritual nativity, was thoroughly Canaanitish.

An Amorite ... an Hittite. —These two tribes, especially the former, as the most prominent in Canaan, are frequently put for the whole (Genesis 15:16; Deuteronomy 1:44, with Numbers 14:45; Joshua 10:5; 2 Kings 21:11, etc.). The dealings of the patriarchs in Canaan were particularly with the Hittites (Genesis 23:0; Genesis 26:34–35; Genesis 27:46; Genesis 28:1; Genesis 28:6–8). This once great and powerful nation had almost faded from history; but their monuments and inscriptions are just now beginning to be discovered and deciphered.

Washed in water to supple thee.—The various details of this and the following verse describe a child cast out into the field immediately upon its birth, unpitied by anyone, and in a condition in which it would soon have perished.

Neither the text nor the margin seems to have grasped the meaning of the word translated “to supple,” its probable meaning is “to cleanse.”

The rubbing of the body of the newborn infant with salt, a custom still practiced in some parts of the East, probably had a symbolic, as well as a supposed physical effect, and is recommended for the latter reason by Galen (De Sanit. i. 7).

Wrapping the body tightly in swaddling-bands is still common, even in Italy. The time referred to here in the life of Israel is when it passed from its embryonic state in the family of the patriarchs to a nation in bondage in Egypt. Despised, oppressed, and enslaved, no other people ever became a nation under such circumstances. Humanly speaking, national life was an impossibility for them.

Live. —While they were in this condition, God took pity on them. He delivered them from their oppressors; He raised up a leader for them, He gave them a law and a Church, with its priesthood and its sacraments; He led them into the land of promise, delivered them from their enemies, and constituted them a nation under the most favourable circumstances for their growth and development in all righteousness. The sense is well expressed in our version; but the original does not contain the word when, nor words corresponding to the words in italics.

The connection shows that in thy blood is to be taken with I said, and not with live; it was while Israel was in its unclean and neglected condition that the gracious word live was spoken. The Chaldee paraphrast has adopted the other connection, and ingeniously explained, “I revealed myself that I might redeem you, because I saw that you were afflicted in your bondage; and I said to you, In the blood of circumcision I will pity you; and I said to you, In the blood of the passover I will redeem you.” The word polluted is better rendered by the margin, trodden under foot, referring to their oppressed condition in Egypt.

I have caused you. —Omit the “have,” and modify the tenses throughout the verse: “I caused you ... you increased and grew tall ... and came to beauty ... were fashioned ... was grown.”

In the first clause, “caused you to multiply,” the literal sense takes the place of the figurative. However, the rest of the verse describes Israel as a young woman just growing up into the beauty of early womanhood.

The phrase “excellent ornaments” is somewhat difficult; but is now generally understood as meaning literally “ornament of cheeks,” that is, beauty.

The whereas in the last clause may give the impression of a contrast between the state described and the former one of infancy; this is not intended. But the meaning is that while Israel was thus growing into the full development and beauty of womanhood, she was still naked and bare.

Now when I passed by thee. —Here, as in Ezekiel 16:6, omit the when, and render, “and I passed by you.” Two separate visits are spoken of: the one in Israel’s infancy in Egypt, when God blessed and multiplied her (Ezekiel 16:6); the other when she had become a nation, and God entered into covenant with her in the Exodus and at Sinai. The verse describes this covenant in terms of the marriage relation, a figure very frequent in Scripture. On the phrase spread my skirt, compare Ruth 3:9, and on becamest mine, Ruth 4:10.