Ezekiel 16:38-39
And I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy. And I will give you into their hands, and they shall throw down your vaulted chamber and break down your lofty places. They shall strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful jewels and leave you naked and bare.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse isn't just talking about punishment; it's a chilling reversal. Just as Jerusalem shed the blood of its own children as sacrifices, God declares He will "give thee blood to drink," meaning the city itself will become a bloody spectacle, consuming its own lifeblood in divine wrath. This emphasizes that the coming judgment will be a consequence of their own horrific deeds, mirroring their sins back onto them with terrible intensity.
God, as Jerusalem's spiritual husband, declares He will judge the city for its profound spiritual adultery and shedding of innocent blood, particularly through child sacrifice to idols. This judgment will be fierce, mirroring the severe punishments prescribed by the Law for women who commit adultery and murder, culminating in a violent death delivered with divine fury and jealousy.
God's judgment on Jerusalem isn't arbitrary. It's rooted in specific, severe sins. This verse reveals two major accusations.
The Lord declares He will judge Jerusalem "as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged." This points to a twofold sin:
Spiritual Adultery
This refers to Israel's idolatry and unfaithfulness to God, who is depicted as their husband in the marriage allegory of Ezekiel 16. They turned to other 'lovers' (false gods) instead of remaining devoted to their divine spouse.
Shedding Innocent Blood
This crime encompasses several aspects: child sacrifice to pagan deities like Moloch, as well as other acts of violence and murder within the community. The commentaries highlight that both adultery and bloodshed carried the death penalty under the Mosaic Law.
The punishment described isn't just a sentence; it's a terrifyingly precise response to Jerusalem's sins.
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The phrase 'I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy' is more than just a poetic statement. It signifies a direct, retaliatory judgment where the punishment mirrors the crime.
The Fury of Jealousy
God, as the wronged Husband, expresses His righteous anger and jealousy. This isn't petty jealousy but a holy indignation against the profound betrayal and violence committed against Him and His covenant.
Bloody Consequences
The commentaries suggest this means Jerusalem will experience a bloody death. The 'blood' they shed through child sacrifice and violence will be met by their own blood being shed through the violence of the siege and conquest. The imagery paints a picture of the city literally becoming 'blood' – consumed by the violent outpouring of God's wrath.
Understand the original words
na'aph · Hebrew Verb
A serious moral and religious failure; the act of violating a covenant, specifically the marriage covenant, which symbolizes the unfaithfulness of Israel toward God.
qin'ah · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the protective intensity of God's love for His people, which demands exclusive devotion and reacts with righteous indignation against any betrayal or idolatry.
shaphat · Hebrew Verb
A formal legal process by God, the ultimate Judge, who executes justice according to His holy law; it involves both the assessment of guilt and the imposition of righteous retribution.
dam shaphak · Hebrew Phrase
The act of taking a human life, condemned by God as a severe violation of the sanctity of life given by the Creator.
This verse directly addresses Jerusalem's impending destruction, comparing its spiritual adultery and shedding of innocent blood (especially child sacrifice) to the severe penalties prescribed by the Law for a woman found guilty of adultery and murder.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The northern kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, marking a significant loss of land and population, and a stark warning to Judah.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and takes a first group of exiles, including nobles and skilled workers, to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Babylon deports more prominent citizens, including King Jehoiachin, and plunders the Temple.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and leading to a final, larger deportation of the population.
c. 571 BC
Ezekiel Prophesies
Ezekiel delivers prophecies of judgment and future restoration to the exiles in Babylon, using vivid imagery to condemn Jerusalem's sins.
This passage directly outlines the Mosaic Law's penalty for adultery, which is the same judgment of 'women who break wedlock' that Ezekiel invokes against Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 2:34Jeremiah also accuses Israel of shedding innocent blood, a crime that parallels the 'shed blood' mentioned in Ezekiel, highlighting a consistent theme of violence and sin against God's law.
Deuteronomy 13:15This passage details the judgment upon an apostate city, which includes stoning and destruction by the sword, reflecting the severe 'blood of wrath and jealousy' that God promises to bring upon Jerusalem as depicted in Ezekiel.
Revelation 16:6This New Testament passage speaks of God giving 'blood to drink' to those who have shed the blood of His saints, echoing Ezekiel's imagery of divine retribution and the shedding of blood as a consequence of severe sin.
barnesEzekiel 16:38: "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."
I will give thee blood in fury - Rather, "I will make thee a bloody sacrifice to fury and jealousy." By the Law of Moses, death was the penalty for murder Exodus 21:12 , and for adultery ( Leviticus 20:10 ; e. g., by stoning, Ezekiel 16:40 ). The circumstances of the siege of Jerusalem corresponded with the punishment of the adulteress; the company gath…
cambridgeEzekiel 16:38: "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."
38 . shed blood ] Reference to child murder, Ezekiel 16:20; Ezekiel 16:36 . Cf. ch. Ezekiel 23:45 ; Leviticus 20:10 ; Deuteronomy 22:22 . give thee blood in fury ] Lit. make thee the blood of fury, i.e. bring on thee the bloody death which fury and jealousy executes. On cons. cf. ch. Ezekiel 26:21 , Ezekiel 35:6 .
The verse isn't just talking about punishment; it's a chilling reversal. Just as Jerusalem shed the blood of its own children as sacrifices, God declares He will "give thee blood to drink," meaning the city itself will become a bloody spectacle, consuming its own lifeblood in divine wrath. This emphasizes that the coming judgment will be a consequence of their own horrific deeds, mirroring their sins back onto them with terrible intensity.
God, as Jerusalem's spiritual husband, declares He will judge the city for its profound spiritual adultery and shedding of innocent blood, particularly through child sacrifice to idols. This judgment will be fierce, mirroring the severe punishments prescribed by the Law for women who commit adultery and murder, culminating in a violent death delivered with divine fury and jealousy.
God, as Jerusalem's spiritual husband, declares He will judge the city for its profound spiritual adultery and shedding of innocent blood, particularly through child sacrifice to idols. This judgment will be fierce, mirroring the severe punishments prescribed by the Law for women who commit adultery and murder, culminating in a violent death delivered with divine fury and jealousy.
"And I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy. And I will give you into their hands, and they shall throw down your vaulted chamber and break down your lofty…" — The verse isn't just talking about punishment; it's a chilling reversal. Just as Jerusalem shed the blood of its own children as sacrifices, God declares He will "give thee blood to drink," meaning…
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