= Ezekiel 16 * Please see [[nsv:license|License]] for Copyright notice and Licensing information. * [ [[Ezekiel_15|Previous]] | [[Ezekiel_17|Next]] ] == Ezekiel 16 1 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. 4 And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. 5 None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. 6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. 7 I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. 8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine. 9 Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. 10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. 11 I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. 12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. 13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. 14 And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. 15 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. 16 And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so. 17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, 18 And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them. 19 My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord God. 20 Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, 21 That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them? 22 And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood. 23 And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saith the Lord God;) 24 That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street. 25 Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms. 26 Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger. 27 Behold, therefore I have stretched out my hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way. 28 Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied. 29 Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied therewith. 30 How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman; 31 In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire; 32 But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband! 33 They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom. 34 And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary. 35 Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord: 36 Thus saith the Lord God; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them; 37 Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness. 38 And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy. 39 And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare. 40 They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords. 41 And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more. 42 So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry. 43 Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord God: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations. 44 Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter. 45 Thou art thy mother's daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite. 46 And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters. 47 Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways. 48 As I live, saith the Lord God, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters. 49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. 51 Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done. 52 Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters. 53 When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them: 54 That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them. 55 When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate. 56 For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride, 57 Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about. 58 Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the Lord. 59 For thus saith the Lord God; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant. 60 Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. 61 Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. 62 And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: 63 That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God. == Notes == Cross Reference == Commentary == Rashi ==== Verse 2 let...know Heb. הוֹדַע, fais savoir in French, inform. ==== Verse 3 your dwelling place Heb. מְכֹרֹתַיִך, like מְגוּרוֹתַיִךְ, your dwelling place [interchanging כ and ג], and Menachem (p. 110) connected the word to the idea of birth. He similarly explained (Gen. 49: 5): “weapons of violence are their birth (מְכֵרוֹתֵיהֶם)” (Deut. 18:8); “besides what he has from his birth (מִמְכָּרָיו)” (II Kings 12:6); “each one from his kinsman (מַכָּרוֹ).” They all mean birth. your father, etc., and your mother Abraham and Sarah took their greatness from there, and the children of Heth gave her a grave. ==== Verse 4 on the day you were born Heb. הוּלֶדֶת, fus nee in French. When I chose you in Egypt, you were without any preparation, and because he compares the matter to birth, he mentions here the preparations of the newborn. your navel Heb. שָּׁרֵך, like שָּׁרְרֵך. for cleansing Heb. לְמִשְּׁעִי, to make smooth, [as] (below 24:7),”the smoothness of the rock (צְחִיחַ סֶלַע)” is translated שְּׁעִיעוּתכֵּיפָא, apla[ni] ment in Old French, clearing, smoothing. Menachem (p. 177) associates it to the word for dandling (שַּׁעַשּׁוּעַ). nor were you salted From here it is derived that we salt the newborn so that his flesh hardens. nor swaddled Heb. וְהָחְתֵּל, a word denoting enwrapping with garments, and likewise (Job 38: 9): “and the dark cloud its wrapping (חֲתֻלָּתוֹ)” It is [the cloth with] which they swathe the infant. ==== Verse 5 to have mercy Heb. לְחֻמְלָה, to pity. in the loathsomeness Heb. בְּגֹעַל an [a]borissemant, in abhorrence, loathing. ==== Verse 6 downtrodden Heb. מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת, downtrodden, as (Ps. 60:14): “and He will trample (יָבוּס) our adversaries.” With your blood, live Even with this loathsomeness of yours you shall not die. He repeats this a second time because they were redeemed with the blood of the Passover sacrifice and the blood of circumcision (Pirke d’Rabbi Eliezer, chapter 29). Another explanation of מִתְבּוֹסֶסת: souillee in French, soiled, sullied. ==== Verse 7 with perfect beauty Heb. בַּעֲדִי עֲדָיִם, [a form] expressing perfection. But Menachem (p. 131) explained בַּעֲדִי עֲדָיִם as related to the word עַד, eternity, as (Isa. 26:4): “Trust in the Lord forever (עֲדֵי עַד)”; enjusque a s(i)egle in Old French, to eternity [lit. for centuries]. Dunash (p. 83), however, interpreted it as a word for ornaments. The declension of עַדִי עֲדָיִם is one of the ten nouns: lion, lions (אֲרִי אֲרָיִם) ; deer [sing.], deer [pl.] (צְבִי צְבָיִם) ; kid, kids (גְדִי גְּדָיִם). fashioned Heb. נָכֹנוּ, furent efeties in Old French, were fashioned, developed. and your hair grown Signs of puberty. ==== Verse 8 love Heb. דֹדִים, amities in French; friendship, love. ==== Verse 9 and I anointed you Heb. וָאֲסֻכֵך, a word expressing anointing. Now the entire episode is only a parable, and Jonathan explained it all, leaving nothing to add to the Targum, and he explained it in this manner: [3] Your dwelling place and your birthplace, etc. Your dwelling place and your birthplace are from the land of the Canaanites; there I revealed Myself to your father Abraham [in the covenant] between the parts, and I let him know that you are going down to Egypt. With an arm raised on high, I redeemed you, and through the merit of your fathers, I drove out the Amorites and destroyed the Hittites. [4] And as for your birth, on the day you were born, etc. And also, when your forefathers went down to Egypt, sojourners in a land that was not theirs, they subjugated them and oppressed them. The assembly of Israel was like a newborn infant abandoned in the open field, whose navel was not cut, and who was not rinsed with water to be cleansed, and not salted with salt or swaddled with swaddling clothes. [5] No eye pitied you, etc. The eye of the wicked Pharaoh did not pity you to do you any favor, to lighten your bondage, [or] to have pity on you, and he decreed upon you a decree of annihilation, to cast your males into the river to destroy you at the time you were in Egypt. [6] And I passed by you, etc. And the remembrance of the covenant of your forefathers came before Me. I revealed Myself to redeem you because it was known to Me that you were being oppressed in your bondage, and I said to you, “With the blood of the circumcision I shall spare you,” and I said, “With the blood of the Passover, I shall redeem you.” [7] Myriads, like the plants of the field I have made you Myriads, as the plants of the field, I have made you, and you have increased and become strong, and you have become families and tribes, and with the good deeds of your forefathers, the time of the redemption of your assembly arrived because you were subjugated and oppressed. Myriads, like the plants of the field I made you as it is said (Exod. 1:7): “And the children of Israel were fruitful and increased.” but you were naked and bare of the commandments. [8] And I passed by you, etc And I revealed Myself to Moses in the thorn bush because it was revealed to Me that the time of your redemption had arrived. I shielded you with My word, and I removed your sins, and I swore by My word to redeem you as I swore to your forefathers, said the Lord God, that you should be a people serving before Me. and I spread My skirt The skirt of My garment. and I swore to you (Exod. 6: 6): “Therefore (לָכֵן), say to the children of Israel: I am the Lord! I shall take you out, etc.” “Therefore” means only an [introduction to an] oath, as it is said (I Sam. 3:14): “therefore, I have sworn to the house of Eli...” and came into a covenant with you (Exod. 24:8): “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you.” [9] and I washed you with water And I redeemed you from the bondage of the Egyptians, and I removed the strength of their lordship from you, and I led you to freedom. ==== Verse 10 And I clothed you with embroidered garments “And I clothed you with embroidered garments of the spoils of your enemies.” and I shod you with badger [Jonathan renders:] And I put shoes of glory on your feet. and I girded you Heb. וָאֶחְבְּשֵּׁךּ. [Jonathan renders:] and I hallowed priests of you to be serving before Me with turbans of fine linen. and I covered you with silk Heb. מֶשִּׁי, soie in French. And the High Priest with colored raiment, and [according to] Midrash Aggadah (Mid. Song 4:2), these are the seven clouds of glory, as it is written (Exod. 13:22): “He did not move (יָמִישּׁ) the pillar of cloud by day.” ==== Verse 11 And I adorned you with ornaments E pare toy, and I adorned you. [Jonathan renders:] And I adorned you with the adornment of the words of the Torah, written on the two stone tablets. and I put Heb. וָאֶתְּנָה [lit. and I gave,] through Moses. bracelets Heb. צְמִידִים [from צמד, to join]. I joined one commandment opposite the other, five opposite five. ==== Verse 12 And I put a nose ring on your nose [Jonathan renders:] And I placed the ark of My covenant among you. and earrings on your ears Heb. וַעֲגִילִים, a word for an earring. [Jonathan interprets:] And the cloud of My glory covering over you. [The clouds of glory are called וַעֲגִילִים] because they surrounded them in a circle (עִגּוּל). and a crown of glory on your head [Jonathan renders:] And an angel was sent from before Me leading at your head, as it is said (Micah 2:13): “and their king passed before them, and the Lord was at their head.” ==== Verse 13 And you adorned yourself with gold and silver [Jonathan renders:] And I placed My Tabernacle among you, adorned with gold, silver, curtains of linen, colored tapestries and embroidery, and mannawhich was as good as fine flour, honey and oil—I fed you, and you became exceedingly rich and strong, and you prospered and ruled over all the kingdoms. fine flour, honey, and oil you ate The manna, which would change to any flavorto fine flour, honey, and oilyou ate. The Midrash Aggadah (Mid. Song 4:2) [points out that] thirteen items are enumerated here, and corresponding to them, the Holy One, blessed be He, ordered them to bring the thirteen items enumerated in the donation for the Tabernacle (Exod. 25:1-7). Nevertheless, He is destined to repay them in the future with thirteen items (Isa. 4:5f.): “And the Lord shall create over every dwelling of Mount Zion, etc. And a tabernacle shall be for shade by day from the heat, etc., from stream and from rain, etc.” became exceedingly beautiful An expression of beauty. ==== Verse 14 for it is all inclusive Heb. כָּלִיל, an expression of all-inclusive beauty (23:12). Another explanation: כִּי כָּלִיל הוּא, for it was perfect. Another explanation: כִּי כָּלִיל couronne in French, like (Lev. 21: 12): “crown (נֵזֶר),” which is translated כְּלִיל by Targum. ==== Verse 15 and you went astray because of your fame You relied on the fame of the beauty that spread concerning you. and you poured out your harlotries You displayed your beauty to every passerby until the lust for your harlotry gushed upon them [arousing them] to seduce you into fornicating with them. to him it would be And once they desired you, you surrendered yourself to them; and to anyone who requested your harlotry, it would be his. Jonathan renders: and it was not fitting for you to do so, as though it were written לֹא יְהִי. This entire allegory represents the Calf of the desert and the other idolatry that the tribe of Dan worshipped in the desert, as it is written (Deut. 25:18): “all those who trailed after you,” and we find in the Pesikta (d’Rav Kahana p. 27b): This is the tribe of Dan, for the cloud would reject them, because the were all idolators. ==== Verse 16 mounds of colored garments Covered with spotted garments of various colors, pla[t]rees in Old French, multi-colored. this should not have come It was not proper for this to come, non a venir et non a etre in French, [which was] not to come nor to be. ==== Verse 17 male images Since he compares her to a female harlot, he compares the image to a male who fornicates with her. ==== Verse 19 And My bread that I gave you The day they made the Calf, the manna descended for them and they placed some of it before the Calf. Nonetheless, ‘so it was’ on the morrow, and it did not cease. Even this is delineated in the Book of Ezra (Neh. 9:18ff.): “Even when they made for themselves a molten calf, etc. And You, with Your manifold mercies, did not forsake them, etc., and You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth.” It was fitting to withhold it from them, yet You did not withhold it. [Scripture writes] here, too, “so it was, says the Lord God” the bread was, and it did not stop falling on the next day. So did Rabbi Tanchuma expound on it (Buber, Re’eh 13a). ==== Verse 20 that you bore for Me If one had five sons, four of them were devoted to worshipping idols, and one he would set aside to attend school; and when he comes to offer up one of his sons to Molech, he offers up to it this one whom he had set aside to study Torahin the Midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma. But I say that “that you bore for Me” refers to the firstborn. Likewise, it is stated in this Book (20:26): “And I defiled them with their gifts, when they caused every one who opened the womb to pass.” ==== Verse 22 the days of your youth My acts of kindness that I performed for you in Egypt. ==== Verse 23 Woe, woe is to you Woe is to you because you have sinned! Woe is to you because you have not repented! ==== Verse 24 You built yourself an eminent place Heb. גָב, a height such as pedestal or an altar. You built Heb. וַתִּבְנִי, an expression for building. ==== Verse 25 you spread your legs Since He compares her to a harlot, He speaks in terms of sexual activity, in which there is spreading of the legs, a cesmas in Old French, you spread wide apart. ==== Verse 26 great of flesh Having a large male organ. ==== Verse 27 your ration Your food, in the days that the judges judged. and I delivered you to the will of those who hate you in the days of Samson. who were embarrassed by your lewd way Jonathan [paraphrases]: For had I sent My prophets to them, they would have humbled themselves, and they would not have gone in the way of your lewdness. ==== Verse 28 because you were not sated Because you were not sated with the abominations of Egypt. and you played the harlot with them Heb. וַתִּזְנִים, from the term for harlotry (זְנוּת), e ansera[s] a els. ==== Verse 29 with the land of Canaan, with the Chaldeans The Chaldeans were not from the land of Canaan, but this is its meaning: You added the images of the Chaldeans to those of the Canaanites, who were near you, and you played the harlot with them. However Jonathan rendered: You increased your harlotries with the Chaldeans and You became like the Canaanites, who were steeped in idolatry, and you increased your gods, joining the people of Canaan who follow the customs of the Chaldeans. But to me it appears that כְּנַעַן is like סוֹחֵר, a merchant, like (Hosea 12:8): “A trafficker (כְּנַעַן) who has deceitful scales in his hand.” He thus calls the land of the Chaldeans the land of the merchants, as it is said [concerning Babylon, too,] (17:4): “and he brought it to the land of merchants (כְּנַעַן), in a city of traffickers he placed it.” ==== Verse 30 How degenerate Heb. אֲמֻלָה, spoiled. Similarly (Neh. 3:34): “the feeble (הָאֲמֵלָלִים) Jews,” and similarly (Ps. 6:3), “because I languish (אֻמְלַל).” your heart Heb. לִבַָּתֵךְ, like לִבֵּךּ. dominated Heb. שַּׁלָּטֶת, whose evil inclination dominates her. ==== Verse 31 When you build your eminent place Heb. בִּבְנוֹתַיִךּ, like בִּבְנוֹתֵךּ, from the word for building. to boast of a hire Heb. לְּקַלֵס, to speak and to boast of the fine hire that they give her. Similarly, every form of קֶלֶס is an expression of speech, parliz in Old French, boastful, empty talk. hire Heb. אֶתְנַן, an expression for hire, loyez in old French. ==== Verse 32 the adulterous wife You are the adulterous wife. who, under her husband, takes strangers While she is under her husband, [she] casts her eyes on others. ==== Verse 33 gifts Heb. נֵדֶה, a dowry. because of your harlotries Because of the great [lust for] harlotry that was in you, you did so. ==== Verse 34 there was no such harlotry No harlotry was done with any harlot like your harlotry. ==== Verse 36 your bottom was poured out Heb. נְחֻשְּׁתֵךּ. This is a term for a bottom, which is called fonz in old French, bottom. And so [is this word] many [times] in the [Mishnaic] order of Tohoroth (Kelim 8: 3): “the base (נְחֻשְּׁתוֹ) of a stove.” your bottom was poured out Because of the great lust for harlotry. your ‘fountain’ would flow. and because of all your abominable idols Heb. וְעַל. and according to the blood of your sons And for the iniquity of the blood of your sons I will do to you this evil delineated in the chapter: “Behold I gather etc.” ==== Verse 37 you mingled Heb. עָרַבְתְּ, mellas in Old French. ==== Verse 38 and I shall deliver you [to those who shed] blood with fury and zeal And I shall deliver you to those who slay with fury and zeal and anger. ==== Verse 39 and they will demolish your eminent place Your tall ceremonial buildings. and your lofty places An expression used for high altars. ==== Verse 40 and pierce you Heb. וּבִתְּקוּךְ. There is no similar word elsewhere in Scripture, and Jonathan rendered וְיִבְזְעוּנִיךּ, and they will pierce you, e tre[s]perzeront toy in Old French. ==== Verse 41 and I shall stop you from a harlot From being a harlot. ==== Verse 43 behold Heb. הֵא, like הִנֵה. yet you did not make a plan Although I have given your way on your head, you have not made a plan to ponder your abominations, to repent of them. Every זִמָה in Scripture is an expression of counsel, sometimes for good and sometimes for bad. ==== Verse 44 whoever uses proverbs Heb. הַמֹשֵּׁל. This is an expression of a proverb and a riddle “Like mother, like daughter” Heb. כְּאִמָה בִּתָּה. The ‘hey’ of כְּאִמָה is not a ‘mappiq [aspirate] hey,’ [to read her mother; i.e. it is not the third person possessive] because it does not serve for any noun but it means, as the mother, so is her daughter. ==== Verse 45 your mother’s daughter The nation of Canaan, whose land you inherited. spewing forth her husband and her children Who so increased their abominations that the land spewed forth its inhabitants, the fathers and the children together. and you are your sister’s sister Sodom, which is next to the land of Israel. your mother was a Hittite, etc. Jonathan renders: Is it not so that your mother Sarah was among the Hittites, yet did not do as their deeds, and your father Abraham was among the Amorites, yet did not follow their counsel! ==== Verse 46 at your left Since the territory of Judah was at the southern border of Eretz Israel [and one is considered facing east], all the other tribes were situated at their left [since they are north of Judah]. ==== Verse 47 If only you had gone in their ways Heb. וְלֹא, if only you had gone in their ways and not committed abominations more than they. Likewise (II Kings 5:17): “Now if only (וָלֹֹא) your servant to be given.” Likewise (I Sam. 20:14): “And please, if (וְלֹא) I am still alive,” concerning Jonathan, et plut a in French, would that..., if only! so very little Would your abominations have been before Me, had you not committed abominations more than they, but you dealt more corruptly than they. This is also Jonathan’s rendering. Others interpret וְלא בָּדֳרְכֵהֶן הָלֳכְתְּ as its apparent meaning, “and you did not go in their ways,” [and thus follows the reason:] So very little were their abominations in your eyes that you dealt more corruptly than they, pochet in Old French, a little. ==== Verse 50 And they became haughty She and her daughters, as is delineated in Job (28:5): “A land from which bread emerged,” and the entire piece (ibid. 4-9). [The Sodomites grew in haughtiness] until they said, “Let us cause the habit of traveling [lit. the foot] to be forgotten from our land, for they come only to cause us loss.” and I removed them when I saw their way, as the matter that is stated regarding Sodom (Gen. 18:21): “I shall go down and see.” ==== Verse 51 and you vindicated your sisters Before you had committed abominations more than they, they would have been a judged guilty, but since you became more wicked than they, you made them [appear] as righteous women, and you gave them an excuse to say, “There are some who have provoked you more than I.” ==== Verse 52 that you judged That you judged them; before you behaved more wickedly than they, you used to say about them that they are fit for punishment. ==== Verse 53 the captivity of Sodom Heb. שְּׁבוּת. I shall cure the land of brimstone and salt, and I shall settle it with inhabitants. in their midst Heb. בְּתוֹכָהְנָה, like בְּתוֹכָן. ==== Verse 54 in that you consoled them when you became more wicked than they, and you gave them an excuse [to neglect righteousness]. Another explanation: in that you consoled them When the evil comes upon you, they will be consoled, saying, We have not suffered alone. ==== Verse 56 Now, was not Sodom your sister, etc. This is a [rhetorical] question. a report in your mouth [by which] to reprove many and to say, Beware that you should not be overturned like Sodom, as though it were recent news to you. on the day of your pride When you were in your greatness. ==== Verse 57 like [at] the time of the taunt by the daughters of Aram As it was revealed when I delivered you into the hands of the kings of Aram, who attacked Ahaz (II Kings 15:36); “In those days, the Lord began to incite Rezin the king of Aram. etc.”; (II Chron. 28:5), “And the Lord his God delivered him into the hands of the king of Aram, etc.”; (ibid. verse 18), “And the Philistines invaded the cities of the plain and the south, etc. who disgraced you Heb. הֳשָּׁאטוֹת, an expression for disgrace. The ‘aleph’ is not sounded. וַיִבֶז, despised (Gen. 25:34), is translated as וְשָּׁט [in Targum Onkelos]. ==== Verse 58 you bore them Heb. נְשָּׂאתִים, you bore them. This is a feminine form [used] in many places in this Book. ==== Verse 59 I have done with you, etc. I have done evil to you commensurate to your [ungrateful] repayment [to Me] which you made. that you despised an oath, etc. That one that you accepted upon yourself in Horeb (Deut. 29:11): “That you pass into the covenant of the Lord your God, etc.” But I shall not violate the covenant by not remembering it, because I am not like you. ==== Verse 60 But I shall remember My covenant That was with you in the days of your youth. ==== Verse 61 And you will remember when I improve you evil ways for you, and you will be humiliated before Me for repaying Me with evil whereas I paid you with good. when you take your sisters When you conquer to inherit the nations that are around you, the small and the great. for daughters For your suburbs, subordinate to you, like (verse 55): “Sodom and her daughters,” [translated by Jonathan as] וְכָפְרָנָהָא, its suburbs. but not from your covenant But not because of your observance of the covenant that I made with you, but because of My kindnesses and My mercies, [namely] that I observe My covenant. Midrash Aggadah of Rabbi Tanchuma (Buber, Devarim 3a) states: but not from your covenant (מִבְּרִיתֵךְ) not from your ‘patromonia’: I did not grant them to Abraham your father [in the covenant] ‘between the segments’ (Gen. 15:1). This term is close to the French, for now, kinship is called patremone, patrimony, and this is what they call anything a person has from the inheritance of his fathers. ==== Verse 63 In order that you remember your way when I do good for you. and be ashamed to raise your face to Me. when I forgive you Heb. בְּכַּפְרִי לָךְ [lit. in my atoning to you]. When I forgive you for what you have done, you will be ashamed, and you will know that I did not benefit you because of the good that you bestowed upon Me.