The Meaning of Ezekiel 16:15 Explained

Ezekiel 16:15

KJV: But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.

YLT: And thou dost trust in thy beauty, And goest a-whoring because of thy renown, And dost pour out thy whoredoms On every passer by -- to him it is.

Darby: But thou didst confide in thy beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy whoredoms on every one that passed by: his it was.

ASV: But thou didst trust in thy beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy whoredoms on every one that passed by; his it was.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But thou didst trust  in thine own beauty,  and playedst the harlot  because of thy renown,  and pouredst out  thy fornications  on every one that passed by;  his it was. 

What does Ezekiel 16:15 Mean?

Study Notes

trust
.
Trust is the characteristic O.T. word for the N.T. "faith," "believe." It occurs 152 times in the O.T., and is the rendering of Heb. words signifying to take refuge (e.g. Ruth 2:12 "to lean on" (e.g.) Psalms 56:3 "to roll on" (e.g.) Psalms 22:8 "to stay upon" (e.g.) Job 35:14 .

Verse Meaning

However, Jerusalem became self-centered and unfaithful to the Lord; she forgot Him when she became preoccupied with His blessings (cf. Deuteronomy 6:10-12; Deuteronomy 8). She went after every people that passed by rather than remaining faithful to Yahweh. Under King Song of Solomon , Jerusalem became the greatest city of her day, but Solomon led the Jerusalemites into spiritual adultery by making alliances (covenants) with other nations and by establishing idolatry in the land ( 1 Kings 11:1-13; cf. Deuteronomy 17:14-20).

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 16

1  Under the parable of a wretched infant is shown the natural state of Jerusalem
6  God's extraordinary love toward her,
15  Her grievous judgment
35  Her sin, equal to her mother,
46  and exceeding her sisters, Sodom and Samaria,
59  calls for judgments
60  Mercy is promised her in the end

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 16:15 mean?

But you trusted in your own beauty and played the harlot because of your fame and poured out - your harlotry on everyone passing by who [would have] it
וַתִּבְטְחִ֣י בְיָפְיֵ֔ךְ וַתִּזְנִ֖י עַל־ שְׁמֵ֑ךְ וַתִּשְׁפְּכִ֧י אֶת־ תַּזְנוּתַ֛יִךְ עַל־ כָּל־ עוֹבֵ֖ר לוֹ־ יֶֽהִי

וַתִּבְטְחִ֣י  But  you  trusted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: בָּטוּחַ 
Sense: to trust.
בְיָפְיֵ֔ךְ  in  your  own  beauty 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: יֳפִי  
Sense: beauty.
וַתִּזְנִ֖י  and  played  the  harlot 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: זָנָה 
Sense: to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot.
עַל־  because 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שְׁמֵ֑ךְ  of  your  fame 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
וַתִּשְׁפְּכִ֧י  and  poured  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
תַּזְנוּתַ֛יִךְ  your  harlotry 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: תַּזְנוּת  
Sense: fornication, harlotry.
כָּל־  everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עוֹבֵ֖ר  passing  by 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
יֶֽהִי  [would  have]  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.