John Gill Commentary Ezekiel 16:17

John Gill Commentary

Ezekiel 16:17

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
John Gill
John Gill

John Gill Commentary

Ezekiel 16:17

1697–1771
Reformed Baptist
SCRIPTURE

"Thou didst also take thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest for thee images of men, and didst play the harlot with them;" — Ezekiel 16:17 (ASV)

You have also taken your fair jewels of my gold, and of my
silver, which I had given you
Or "your glorious vessels of gold and silver" F8; meaning either the vessels of gold and silver in the temple, as Jerom thinks, which they converted to idolatrous uses; or rather their own household vessels of gold and silver which God had given them, as the bounties of his providence, and he had still a right unto, and which they made use of to the dishonour of his name; which argued great ingratitude in them.

and made to yourself images of men;
images in the shape of men; some were in the shape of women, others in the shape of men; here only male images are mentioned, because the idolatrous Jews are represented by an adulterous woman committing adultery, with men; and these were made by themselves, of their jewels of gold and silver; or of their golden and silver vessels, which they had to eat and drink out of; these, they melted down and made idols of them in the form of men, just as the molten calf was made of the earrings of the women, (Exodus 32:3Exodus 32:4); to which some refer this passage: and as it was a piece of egregious folly in themselves to part with their jewels and plate for such purposes, and of great ingratitude to God, their benefactor, so of the grossest stupidity and ignorance to worship images so made; which was equally as stupid, or more so, than if a woman should embrace the image of a man, instead of a man himself, as it follows:

and did commit whoredom with them;
the images: that is, idolatry, which is spiritual adultery.


FOOTNOTES:

  • F8: (ypokmw ybhzm Ktrapt ylk) "vasa gloriae tuae de auro meo, et de argento meo", Pagninus, Montanus; "vasa tua insigniora et elegantiora, facta ex auro meo?" Vatablus.