John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 16:10-13

"I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with sealskin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and covered thee with silk. And I decked thee with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a ring upon thy nose, and ear-rings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil; and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper unto royal estate." — Ezekiel 16:10-13 (ASV)

Here the Prophet, in a metaphor, relates other benefits of God by which He liberally adorned His people; for we know that God omitted nothing in pouring forth the riches of His goodness on the people. As for the allegorical explanations some give of these female ornaments, I do not approve of them, as they fruitlessly conjecture many trifles that conflict with each other.

First, their conjectures can be refuted by the Prophet’s words. Then, if we allow the Prophet’s words to be turned and twisted, what these allegorical interpreters idly discuss among themselves is entirely contradictory in its meaning. Let us, therefore, be content with the genuine sense: that God was so generous towards the Israelites that He poured forth all His blessings in enriching them.

Now, if one asks how the people were adorned, I answer: in two ways. First, God embraced them with His favor and promised to be their God, and this was their chief honor. As Moses says, they were naked, and their shame was revealed when they set up an idol in the place of God.

He now adds a second kind of blessing: when God took care of them in the desert, He appeared by day in a cloud and by night in a pillar of fire. The water flowed for them from the rock; daily food was given to them from heaven, as if God with His own hands had placed it within their mouths. Then, in His strength, they conquered their enemies and entered the promised land, while He slew the nations for them and gave them quiet possession and dominion there. Then He blessed the land, so that it nourished them abundantly and made it testify that it was no empty promise that the land should flow with milk and honey (Exodus 3:17; Exodus 13:21–22; Exodus 16:15–16; Exodus 17:6; Exodus 22:25; Numbers 20:11).

Ezekiel includes all these things under terms like necklaces, bracelets, gold, silver, linen garments, embroidered work, etc. As for the particular words, I will not insist precisely on them, unless I briefly touch on a point or two that may cause doubt.

When He says that He clothed them with רקמה, rekmeh (embroidered material), this is in accordance with Eastern customs, for they were accustomed to use clothing of different colors. For example, Benjamin wore a dress of this kind when he was a boy; and this was not a display of royal splendor on his father’s part, who was a shepherd, but simply the usual custom.

Today, indeed, if anyone among us wore a multi-colored garment, it would not be considered manly; furthermore, women who desire such variety in colors show themselves to have abandoned all modesty. But among Eastern peoples, as I have said, this was the usual kind of dress.

He afterwards adds, I shod you with badger’s skin. I do not know why Jerome translates 'badger’s skin' as violet-colored, and others as hyacinth; it is sufficiently clear that it was a precious kind of skin. The word for this material is often used by Moses when discussing the tabernacle; for the tabernacle coverings were of violet-colored skin, and the whole tabernacle was covered with them (Exodus 35:23; Exodus 36:19).

The badger was an animal unknown to us, but since He is here discussing shoes, there is no doubt that the skin was more elegant and more highly esteemed. Afterwards, He adds, I bound you with fine linen.

We know that linen garments were in more frequent use among that people than in Greece, Italy, or these regions; for linen was rarely used by the Romans even in their greatest luxury. But in the East, they wore linen, as that region is very warm. We also know that linen is very fine, and that they were accustomed to weave transparent veils.

Now, this clothing was commonly worn by men in the East, though it is by no means manly by our standards; indeed, for women, it is scarcely tolerable in that form. But the priests afterwards adopted the custom and clothed themselves in linen while performing sacred rites. The Papal priests too—apes in all things—have imitated the custom; and although they do not wear fine linen, they use linen robes, which they call surplices.

He now adds, And I covered you with silk (or silken garments, or silk cloth). He adds that He placed bracelets upon your hands; other peoples call them armlets. This luxury was widespread almost everywhere, but the circular ornament which the Prophet adds to it was rejected by other nations.

He puts a chain around the neck; chains were in common use, as they are today. Indeed, to necklaces were added looser chains—double, threefold, and fourfold—for this excess was too common. And what He afterwards adds about the ring was particular to Eastern peoples, for they had jewels hanging from their nostrils. I wonder why interpreters put 'earrings' here, and then, instead of earrings, put 'nose-rings'.

But the Prophet here means a ring from which a jewel was hung from the nose; and this, to us, is ridiculous and deforming. But in those other regions, both men and women have gems hanging from both their noses and ears. He adds, A crown on your head. He does not mean a diadem or crown as a sign of royalty, but a sufficiently common ornament.

If anyone inquires about these various kinds of attire—whether it was lawful for women to use so many ornaments—the answer is easy: the Prophet here does not approve of what he relates but uses a common image. We said that His only intention was to show that God could not have treated His people more generously, since in every way He had unfolded the incomparable treasures of His beneficence in adorning the Israelites.

He now describes this in a metaphor, using figures taken from common, widely accepted practices. It does not follow, therefore, that women ought to adorn themselves in this way. For we know that superfluous ornaments are temptations, and we also know the vanity of women and their ambition to show themselves off, as the saying goes. And we see how sharply this eager desire of women is condemned, especially by Isaiah (Isaiah 3).

But it is sufficient to determine what God wished to teach by these figures: namely, that He had not omitted any kind of liberality. From this it follows that the people’s ingratitude was the less excusable, as Ezekiel will immediately add. But before we proceed further, we must apply this instruction to ourselves.

What has been said of the Israelites up to this point does not apply to us in all things, I confess; yet there is some likeness between us and them. If we reflect upon our origin, we are all born children of wrath, all cursed, all Satan’s slaves (Ephesians 2:3). And although many have been well brought up, yet regarding our spiritual state, we are like infant children or the newborn babe, exposed and immersed in its own filth and corruption.

For what can be found in humanity before renewal but the curse of God? Hence, we are such slaves of Satan that God hates us, as it is said in Genesis (Genesis 6:7), I repent of having formed man. There He does not acknowledge His image in us, which is not only defiled by original sin but is almost extinct. Surely this is the height of deformity. And though we do not perceive what is said with our senses, yet we are sufficiently detestable before God and the angels.

We have no cause, then, to please ourselves; indeed, if we open our eyes, the foulness I have mentioned will be sufficiently clear to us. Meanwhile, God so aided us that He truly fulfilled what Ezekiel relates. For although we were not freed from any external tyranny, yet God betrothed Himself to us; then He adopted us into His Church. This was our greatest honor; this was more than royal dignity.

We see, then, that this instruction is also useful for us at this time, if we only consider in what ways we are like the ancient people. I had almost omitted one point: the nourishment.

God here not only reminds them that He had adorned the people with various kinds of clothing, necklaces, gems, and silver, but He also adds, you did eat fine flour, or fine meal, and honey and oil, and you was very beautiful, and proceeded prosperously, even to a kingdom. Here God again commends and extols His beneficence, because He not only lavishly clothed His spouse of whom He speaks, but also fed her plentifully with the best, sweetest, and most exquisite food.

He mentions only three kinds of food; He makes no mention of game or meat. But by 'fine flour,' He means that they lacked no delicacy; the oil and honey signify the same thing. This clause points out an accumulation of grace when He says that they progressed happily even to a kingdom. All God’s benefits could not be recounted: He says that His bride was not only magnificently clothed and finely nurtured, but that she proceeded even to the royal dignity. In the next verse, He still reminds them of His benefits.