Ezekiel 16:52

52 But you too must bear your disgrace; for by your passing judgment that your sisters were innocent, through your having committed sins worse than theirs, they are shown to be more righteous than you. So be ashamed, and bear the disgrace you deserve for making your [guilty] sisters seem innocent!

Ezekiel 16:52 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 16:52

Thou also which hast judged thy sisters
Sodom and Samaria, by censuring and condemning them for their sins; see ( 2 Chronicles 13:8-10 ) ; in which sense Jarchi and Kimchi interpret the word; or by defending and patronizing them, acquitting and absolving them, by committing the same sins, and more heinous ones: bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more
abominable than they;
look upon thy sins, and blush at them; confess them with shame and confusion of face; take shame to thyself for them, in that thou hast censured and condemned these sins in others thou hast been guilty of thyself; and the rather, since thy sins are greater, and attended with more aggravating circumstances, than those thou hast blamed in others; or this is a prophecy of their punishment for their sins, when they should be carried captive, and be put to shame before their neighbours: or, "thou shalt bear" F4; shame is the fruit of sin, sooner or later: they are more righteous than thou;
in comparison of her; though neither of them were righteous in the sight of God, yet comparatively one was more righteous than another, having committed fewer sins, and lesser abominations: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast
justified thy sisters;
this is repeated in stronger expressions, and with the reasons of it, to show the great confusion they should be brought unto, and the certainty of it, the more to strike and affect their minds with it.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 (yav ta) imperat. pro fut. i.e. "confunderis", Vatablus.

Ezekiel 16:52 In-Context

50 They were arrogant and committed disgusting acts before me; so that when I saw it, I swept them away.
51 Shomron did not commit even half as many sins as you did. You committed many more disgusting acts than your sisters; in fact, in comparison with all the disgusting acts you have committed, they seem innocent!
52 But you too must bear your disgrace; for by your passing judgment that your sisters were innocent, through your having committed sins worse than theirs, they are shown to be more righteous than you. So be ashamed, and bear the disgrace you deserve for making your [guilty] sisters seem innocent!
53 "'I will end their exile - the exile of S'dom and her daughters, the exile of Shomron and her daughters, and the exile of your captives there among them;
54 so that you can bear your own shame and experience the disgrace you deserve for all you have done to shield them from feeling their own guilt.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.