Ezekiel 16:19

19 I gave you food - the best flour, olive oil, and honey - but you offered it as a sacrifice to win the favor of idols." This is what the Sovereign Lord says.

Ezekiel 16:19 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 16:19

My meat also which I gave thee
Or "my bread" F9; a general name for all eatables. The Targum renders it,

``my good things.''
The Jews apply it to the manna, which, they say, descended the same day the molten calf was made, and they set it before it. This interpretation Jarchi and Kimchi make mention of; it includes what follows: fine flour, and oil, and honey, [wherewith] I fed thee;
for the land of Canaan was a land of wheat, of which fine flour was made; and of olives, from whence was the best oil; and a land flowing with milk and honey; and which was given by the Lord, and so he might be said to feed them with them: and instead of glorifying him, and being thankful for them, and using them in the manner they ought, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour;
that is, they made a meat offering of their fine flour, oil, and honey, and set it before their idols; to gain their favour and good will; to appease them, and render them propitious; supposing it would be acceptable unto them; all these things were used in meat offerings and sacrifices unto the Lord, excepting honey, and that was forbid; but was in use among the Gentiles; see ( Leviticus 2:1 Leviticus 2:11 ) ; and [thus] it was, saith the Lord God;
all this idolatry, ingratitude, and folly, have been committed; it is most notorious, there is no denying it; I, who am the Lord God omniscient, affirm it. The Targum puts it by way of question, and even of astonishment and admiration,
``are not all these things done, saith the Lord God!''

FOOTNOTES:

F9 (ymxlw) "et panem meum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Starckius.

Ezekiel 16:19 In-Context

17 You took the silver and gold jewelry that I had given you, used it to make male images, and committed adultery with them.
18 You took the embroidered clothes I gave you and put them on the images, and you offered to the images the olive oil and incense I had given you.
19 I gave you food - the best flour, olive oil, and honey - but you offered it as a sacrifice to win the favor of idols." This is what the Sovereign Lord says.
20 "Then you took the sons and the daughters you had borne me and offered them as sacrifices to idols. Wasn't it bad enough to be unfaithful to me,
21 without taking my children and sacrificing them to idols?
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.