Ezekiel 16:11

11 1And I adorned you with ornaments and 2put bracelets on your wrists and a chain on your neck.

Ezekiel 16:11 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 16:11

And I decked thee also with ornaments
The Targum interprets this of the ornament of the words of the law; see ( Proverbs 1:8 Proverbs 1:9 ) ; but may be as well understood of good works done in obedience to them, from a right principle, and to right ends; which adorn professors of religion, their profession, and the doctrines of Christ, which they profess, ( 1 Timothy 2:9 1 Timothy 2:10 ) ( Titus 2:10 ) ; or rather the graces of the Spirit, which are all of them very ornamental to the saints, as faith, hope, love, humility and are in the sight of God of great price, ( 1 Peter 3:3 1 Peter 3:4 ) ; and I put bracelets upon thine hands;
which the Targum also explains of the law, written on two tables of stone, and given by the hands of Moses; the words of which, as Jarchi says, were put one against another, five against five; "hands" being the instruments of action may denote good works, which the Lord enables his people to perform; and which appear beautiful, as hands with bracelets on them, when they spring from love, are done in faith, and with a view to the glory of God: and a chain on thy neck;
this the Targum understands of sanctification, paraphrasing it,

``and with the holiness of my great name I sanctified you;''
and may be applied to the graces of the Spirit, which are as a chain, whose links are inseparably joined together; for, where one grace is, there are all the rest, faith, hope, charity see ( Song of Solomon 1:10 ) ( 4:9 ) ; or else to the blessings of grace, which also are linked together, and cannot be parted; where the one is, the other are likewise, ( Ephesians 1:3 ) ( Romans 8:30 Romans 8:32 ) ; and both graces and blessings make the saint very beautiful.

Ezekiel 16:11 In-Context

9 Then I bathed you with water and washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil.
10 I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and shod you with fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.
11 And I adorned you with ornaments and put bracelets on your wrists and a chain on your neck.
12 And I put a ring on your nose and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.
13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen and silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour and honey and oil. You grew exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty.

Cross References 2

  • 1. [Ezekiel 23:40]
  • 2. [Ezekiel 23:42; Gen. 24:22, 30, 47]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.