Ezekiel 16:56

56 Forsooth Sodom, thy sister, was not heard in thy mouth, in the day of thy pride, (And was not thy sister Sodom heard in the words of thy mouth, in the days of thy pride,)

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 (so) that thou bear thy shame, and be shamed in all things which thou didest, comforting them.
55 And thy sister Sodom and her daughters shall turn again to their eldness; and Samaria and her daughters shall turn again to their eldness; and thou and thy daughters (shall) turn again to your eldness. (And thy sister Sodom and her daughters shall be restored to what they were of old, or before; and Samaria and her daughters shall be restored to what they were of old, or before; and thou and thy daughters shall also be restored.)
56 Forsooth Sodom, thy sister, was not heard in thy mouth, in the day of thy pride, (And was not thy sister Sodom heard in the words of thy mouth, in the days of thy pride,)
57 before that thy malice was showed, as in this time, into shame of the daughters of Syria, and all daughters in thy compass, of the daughters of Palestines, that be about thee by compass. (before that thy malice was shown, like at this time, to the shame of the daughters of Syria, and all the daughters all around thee, of the daughters of the Philistines, who be all around thee?)
58 Thou hast borne thy great trespass, and thy shame, saith the Lord God.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.