Ezekiel 16:26

26 You had sex with your big-membered Egyptian neighbors and engaged in fornication over and over, just to provoke me.

Ezekiel 16:26 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 16:26

Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians
By entering into leagues and alliances with them, and seeking to them for help and assistance against their enemies; from whose bondage they had formerly been delivered, and whose society they were cautioned against; and yet they forsook the Lord, and joined themselves to them by solemn covenant; and not only so, but fell into the worship of their idols, who were a people of all others the most superstitious, and given to idolatry; and many of their idolatrous rites and ceremonies were received and retained by the Jews, as the worshipping of Tammuz, and other idols: thy neighbours, great of flesh:
being their neighbours, and full of power and strength to assist them, they courted their friendship and alliance; and their idolatries being many and monstrous, were the more courted by them: the allusion is to women of shameless impudence and insatiable lust, who covet men, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and their issue as horses, ( Ezekiel 23:20 ) ; flesh here signifies the privy parts of men; so Ben Melech; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke my anger;
multiplied their idolatries, which they learned of the Egyptians, a people much given thereunto; and which were abominable and highly provoking to God, ( 1 Peter 4:3 ) . The Targum is,

``thou hast increased thine idols.''

Ezekiel 16:26 In-Context

24 'you built platforms and made yourself high places in every open space.
25 You built your high places at every streetcorner, turning your beauty into an abomination, spreading your legs for every passer-by, and multiplying your acts of fornication.
26 You had sex with your big-membered Egyptian neighbors and engaged in fornication over and over, just to provoke me.
27 So now I have stretched out my hand over you, diminished your ration of food and put you at the mercy of those who hate you, the daughters of the P'lishtim, who find your lewd behavior revolting.
28 "'Still unsatisfied, you acted like a whore also with the people of Ashur; yes, you fornicated with them and were still not satisfied.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.