Ezekiel 16:30

30 In what thing shall I cleanse thine heart, saith the Lord God, when thou doest all these works of a woman, an whore, and greedy asker? (With what thing, or how, shall I cleanse thy heart, saith the Lord God, when thou doest all these works of a greedy whorewoman?)

Ezekiel 16:30 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 16:30

How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God
Through sin; and being destitute of the grace of God, and so unable to resist any temptation, or oppose any corruption or lust, but carried away with everyone that offers; indulging every lust, and yet not satisfied; weak as water, unstable, fickle, and inconstant, seeking after new gods, and new kinds of worship. The Targum is,

``how strong is the wickedness of thy heart!''

the stronger the wickedness of the heart, the weaker, the heart is: seeing thou doest all these [things];
all the idolatries before mentioned; which was an argument not of her strength, but weakness, and yet of boldness, impudence, and resolution, to have her will: the work of an imperious whorish woman;
a whore, as she is impudent, is imperious, is one that rules and governs. The Targum is, who rules over herself; does what she pleases, will have her will and way, and cannot bear any contradiction; and who rules over others, such as are her gallants, obliging them to do as she commands. Jarchi's note is,

``over whom her imagination (or corruption) rules.''

Ezekiel 16:30 In-Context

28 And thou didest fornication with the sons of Assyrians, for thou were not [ful]filled yet; and after that thou didest fornication, neither so thou were [ful]filled. (And thou didest fornication, that is idolatry, with the Assyrians, for thou were not yet fulfilled; and after that thou didest fornication with them, thou were still not fulfilled.)

29 And thou multipliedest thy fornication in the land of Canaan with Chaldees, and neither so thou were [ful]filled. (And thou multipliedest thy fornication, that is, thy idolatry, in the land of Canaan with the Chaldeans, and thou were still not fulfilled.)

30 In what thing shall I cleanse thine heart, saith the Lord God, when thou doest all these works of a woman, an whore, and greedy asker? (With what thing, or how, shall I cleanse thy heart, saith the Lord God, when thou doest all these works of a greedy whorewoman?)

31 For thou madest thy bordel house in the head of each way, and thou madest thine high place in each street; and thou were not made as an whore full of annoying, increasing price (but thou were not made like a common whore, naming a price),

32 but as a woman adulteress, that bringeth in aliens on her husband. (but like an adulterous woman, who bringeth in strangers instead of her husband!)