Ezekiel 16:46-55

16:46 Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north ¹  of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south ²  of you, was Sodom ³  with her daughters. 16:47 Have you not copied their behavior ⁴  and practiced their abominable deeds? In a short time ⁵  you became even more depraved in all your conduct than they were! 16:48 As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.

16:49 “‘See here – this was the iniquity ⁶  of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had majesty, abundance of food, and enjoyed carefree ease, but they did not help ⁷  the poor and needy. 16:50 They were haughty and practiced abominable deeds before me. Therefore when I saw it I removed them. 16:51 Samaria has not committed half the sins you have; you have done more abominable deeds than they did. ⁸  You have made your sisters appear righteous with all the abominable things you have done. 16:52 So now, bear your disgrace, because you have given your sisters reason to justify their behavior. ⁹  Because the sins you have committed were more abominable than those of your sisters; they have become more righteous than you. So now, be ashamed and bear the disgrace of making your sisters appear righteous.

16:53 “‘I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters (along with your fortunes among them), 16:54 so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in consoling them. 16:55 As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former status, Samaria and her daughters will be restored to their former status, and you and your daughters will be restored to your former status.

[16:46]  ¹ tn Heb “left.”

[16:46]  ² tn Heb “right.”

[16:46]  ³ sn Sodom was the epitome of evil (Deut 29:23; 32:32; Isa 1:9-10; 3:9; Jer 23:14; Lam 4:6; Matt 10:15; 11:23-24; Jude 7).

[16:47]  ⁴ tn Heb “walked in their ways.”

[16:47]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew expression has a temporal meaning as illustrated by the use of the phrase in 2 Chr 12:7.

[16:49]  ⁶ tn Or “guilt.”

[16:49]  ⁷ tn Heb “strengthen the hand of.”

[16:51]  ⁸ tn Or “you have multiplied your abominable deeds beyond them.”

[16:52]  ⁹ tn Heb “because you have interceded for your sisters with your sins.”