Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezekiel 16:6

"And when I passed by thee, and saw thee weltering in thy blood, I said unto thee, [Though thou art] in thy blood, live; yea, I said unto thee, [Though thou art] in thy blood, live." — Ezekiel 16:6 (ASV)

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.