Ezekiel 16:56

56 Remember the days when you were putting on airs, acting so high and mighty, looking down on sister Sodom?

Ezekiel 16:56 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 16:56

For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth
Or, "was not for a hearing", or "a report, in thy mouth" F7; the destruction of Sodom, though it was such an awful judgment of God, so flagrant and notorious, was visible and just at hand; yet it was not taken notice of, nor talked of; it was not the subject of conversation among friends; it was not reported from father to son, or heard of the one by the other; it was not regarded, nor was warning taken by it, which might have been, had it been more frequently mentioned; but they did not care, or neglected to speak of it; though it was "an ensample to those that should after live ungodly", ( 2 Peter 2:6 ) ; yet it was not for instruction to them, as the Targum paraphrases it; they learned nothing by it; or Sodom was so infamous for sin and punishment, that they scorned to make mention of its name; and yet they were as great Or greater sinners, and deserving of sorer punishment: in the day of thy pride;
or "prides", or "excellencies" F8; in the time of their prosperity, in the days of David and Solomon, and other kings of Judah. Prosperity is apt to make men proud, and to lift them above themselves; and to forget what they have been, and what they may be; and to neglect observing the judgments of God on others, and to take warning by them.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 (Kypb hewmvl) "in auditu in ore tuo", Pagninus, Montanus; "in auditum", Vatablus.
F8 (Kynwag Mwyb) "in die superbiarum tuarum", Pagninus, Montanus, Calvin; "in die excellentiarum tuarum", Piscator; "in die erectionum tuarum", Cocceius, Starckius.

Ezekiel 16:56 In-Context

54 Still, you're going to have to live with your shame. And by facing and accepting your shame, you're going to provide some comfort to your two sisters.
55 Your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will become what they were before, and you will become what you were before.
56 Remember the days when you were putting on airs, acting so high and mighty, looking down on sister Sodom?
57 That was before your evil ways were exposed. And now you're the butt of contempt, despised by the Edomite women, the Philistine women, and everybody else around.
58 But you have to face it, to accept the shame of your obscene and vile life. Decree of God, the Master.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.