Ezekiel 16:7

7 I gave thee multiplied as the seed of a field, and thou were multiplied, and made great; and thou enteredest, and camest fully to women's adorning; thy teats waxed great, and thine hair waxed; and thou were naked, and full of shame. (I made thee to multiply like the seed in the field, and thou were multiplied, and made great; and thou enteredest, and camest fully to women's adorning; thy breasts grew great, and thy hair grew long; but thou were naked, and full of shame.)

Ezekiel 16:7 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 16:7

I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field
Or, "made thee millions" F13; like the spires of grass in the field. This refers to the multiplication of the children of Israel in Egypt, especially after the death of Joseph, and even while they were sorely afflicted, and likewise in later times. Jacob went down to Egypt with seventy five persons only, but when his posterity returned from thence, they were above six hundred thousand that were able to go forth to war, ( Genesis 46:27 ) ( Numbers 1:46 ) ; see ( Exodus 1:7 Exodus 1:12 ) ; and thou hast increased and waxed great;
and became large families, kindreds, and tribes, as the Targum interprets it; as a child grows up, and becomes adult: and thou art come to excellent ornaments;
or, "ornament of ornaments" {n}; as a young woman, when she is grown up, comes to wear better and finer clothes than in infancy; perhaps there is an allusion to the jewels the Israelites brought out of Egypt with them: this may be applied to the laws, statutes, and ordinances given them, which were an "ornament of grace" unto them, ( Proverbs 1:9 ) ; [thy] breasts are fashioned;
swelled and stood out; were come to a proper size and shape, as in persons grown and marriageable; see ( Song of Solomon 8:10 ) ; and thine hair is grown;
an euphemism, expressive of puberty, which in females was at twelve years of age: whereas thou [wast] naked and bare;
in a state of infancy. Jarchi and Kimchi interpret this of the Israelites being without the commandments. The whole of what is here said, may be applied to quickened and converted persons, who grow in grace, and increase in spiritual knowledge; and are adorned with the ornaments of grace and good works; and attend to the word and ordinances, which are the church's breasts; who, while in their nature state, were naked and destitute of righteousness and grace.


FOOTNOTES:

F13 (hbbr) "millia dedi", Pagninus, Montanus; "in multa millia", Tigurine version; "in myriadem te auxi", Piscator; so Ben Melech.
F14 (Myyde yde) "ornamenta ornamentorum", Pagninus, Montanus; "in ornamentum ornamentorum", Calvin; "pulchritudinem pulchritudiuum", Starckius; so Ben Melech; "elegantiam elegantiarum", Cocceius.

Ezekiel 16:7 In-Context

5 An eye spared not on thee, that it having mercy on thee, did to thee one of these things; but thou were cast forth on the face of (the) earth, in the casting out of thy soul, in the day in which thou were born. (An eye spared thee not, that it having mercy on thee, did to thee one of these things; but thou were thrown forth onto the face of the earth, or onto the ground, in the casting out of thyself, on the day on which thou were born.)
6 Forsooth I passed by thee, and I saw thee defouled in thy blood (and I saw thee defiled in thy own blood); and I said to thee, when thou were in thy blood, Live thou; soothly I said to thee in thy blood, Live thou.
7 I gave thee multiplied as the seed of a field, and thou were multiplied, and made great; and thou enteredest, and camest fully to women's adorning; thy teats waxed great, and thine hair waxed; and thou were naked, and full of shame. (I made thee to multiply like the seed in the field, and thou were multiplied, and made great; and thou enteredest, and camest fully to women's adorning; thy breasts grew great, and thy hair grew long; but thou were naked, and full of shame.)
8 And I passed by thee, and I saw thee, and lo! thy time, the time of lovers (yea, the time of love); and I spreaded abroad my clothing on thee, and I covered thy shame, (or thy nakedness). And I swore to thee, and I made a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou were made a wife to me.
9 And I washed thee in water, and I cleansed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.