And your elder sister is Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you, is Sodom with her daughters.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse uses "elder" and "younger" to describe Samaria and Sodom, not based on their age in history, but on their relative "greatness"—Samaria was a larger kingdom, and Sodom a smaller city. This imaginative positioning places Samaria to the "left" (north) and Sodom to the "right" (south) of Jerusalem, creating a vivid geographical and moral map.
And your elder sister is Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you, is Sodom with her daughters.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is using a family metaphor to describe Jerusalem's spiritual adultery. He's just accused Jerusalem's mother of being a Hittite and father an Amorite, linking them to the pagan nations. Now, he compares Jerusalem to her "sisters," Samaria (capital of the northern kingdom of Israel) and Sodom, pointing out that Jerusalem has actually surpassed both in wickedness.
Ezekiel calls Samaria and Sodom Jerusalem's 'elder' and 'younger' sisters. But what's really being compared here?
When Ezekiel uses the terms 'elder' and 'younger' for Samaria and Sodom, he's not necessarily talking about who existed first chronologically. Instead, he's highlighting their magnitude of sin and political/geographical significance relative to Jerusalem.
The 'left' and 'right' hands in this verse aren't just random directions. They reveal a powerful spatial and spiritual mapping.
The placement of Samaria to the 'left' and Sodom to the 'right' is rooted in how ancient people oriented themselves. When facing east (the direction of sunrise and often associated with God's presence), the north is to the left, and the south is to the right.
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This geographical setup visually reinforces the spiritual connections. Both neighbors, in their own directions, represent paths of rebellion and sin that Jerusalem has followed or could easily fall into. They are warnings laid out on either side.
Ezekiel doesn't just blame Jerusalem; he points to its 'mother' and 'father.' What does this inherited guilt mean?
The verse links Jerusalem not only to its immediate 'sisters' but ultimately to its 'mother' (the Canaanites, specifically Hittites) and 'father' (Amorites). This reveals a core theme: Jerusalem's sin isn't isolated; it's part of a deeply ingrained, inherited pattern of rebellion against God.
Understand the original words
Shomeron · Hebrew Proper Noun
In this context, it refers to the historical kingdom of the northern tribes of Israel, often used as a prophetic metaphor for spiritual infidelity and apostasy.
Sedom · Hebrew Proper Noun
An ancient city destroyed by God for its extreme wickedness; it serves in Scripture as the archetypal example of divine judgment and moral depravity.
Ezekiel uses the historical realities of Sodom's ancient destruction and Samaria's recent fall to highlight Jerusalem's deep-seated corruption. By calling them 'sisters,' he emphasizes their shared heritage and kinship in sin, making Jerusalem's betrayal of God even more profound given its unique covenant relationship.
~1400 BC
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, along with others in the plain, are destroyed by divine judgment due to their extreme wickedness. This event becomes a lasting symbol of divine retribution.
931 BC
Division of the United Monarchy
Following King Solomon's death, the united Israelite kingdom splits into two: the Northern Kingdom (Israel) with its capital Samaria, and the Southern Kingdom (Judah) with its capital Jerusalem.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The capital of the Northern Kingdom, Samaria, is conquered by the Neo-Assyrian Empire. This marks the end of the Northern Kingdom and the exile of its people, leaving Judah as the sole remaining Israelite kingdom.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
As Judah's political and religious unfaithfulness continues, Babylonian forces under Nebuchadnezzar II conquer Jerusalem and deport a significant portion of its population, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
After a prolonged siege and further rebellion, Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its sacred Temple. The remaining population is largely exiled to Babylon, ending the Davidic monarchy.
This passage describes the destruction of Sodom and its surrounding cities, establishing the historical reality and divine judgment associated with the 'younger sister' mentioned in Ezekiel.
2 Kings 17:5-6This passage recounts the fall of Samaria and the deportation of its people, providing the historical context for Samaria's status as the 'elder sister' and its ultimate judgment.
Ezekiel 23:1-4This chapter directly expands on the imagery introduced here, detailing the sins of both Samaria (Oholah) and Jerusalem (Oholibah), further illustrating their shared depravity.
Matthew 11:23-24Jesus himself references the judgment of Capernaum in comparison to Sodom, highlighting the severe consequences of rejecting God's message, a theme echoed in Ezekiel's condemnation of Judah.
cambridgeEzekiel 16:46: "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."
46 . elder sister ] “elder” is lit. greater, and the reference is to the greater political importance and wider territory of Samaria; as on the other hand Sodom was smaller than Judah. In estimating the quarters of the heavens the beholder faced the east, having the north on his left, &c. her daughters ] i.e.…
clarkeEzekiel 16:46: "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."
Thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left - It is supposed that the prophet by Sodom in this place means the Israelites that dwelt beyond Jordan, in the land or the Moabites and Ammonites; or rather of the Moabites and Ammonites themselves. Literally, Sodom could not be called…
The verse uses "elder" and "younger" to describe Samaria and Sodom, not based on their age in history, but on their relative "greatness"—Samaria was a larger kingdom, and Sodom a smaller city. This imaginative positioning places Samaria to the "left" (north) and Sodom to the "right" (south) of Jerusalem, creating a vivid geographical and moral map.
Ezekiel is using a family metaphor to describe Jerusalem's spiritual adultery. He's just accused Jerusalem's mother of being a Hittite and father an Amorite, linking them to the pagan nations. Now, he compares Jerusalem to her "sisters," Samaria (capital of the northern kingdom of Israel) and Sodom, pointing out that Jerusalem has actually surpassed both in wickedness.
Ezekiel is using a family metaphor to describe Jerusalem's spiritual adultery. He's just accused Jerusalem's mother of being a Hittite and father an Amorite, linking them to the pagan nations. Now, he compares Jerusalem to her "sisters," Samaria (capital of the northern kingdom of Israel) and Sodom, pointing out that Jerusalem has actually surpassed both in wickedness.
"And your elder sister is Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you, is Sodom with her daughters." — The verse uses "elder" and "younger" to describe Samaria and Sodom, not based on their age in history, but on their relative "greatness"—Samaria was a larger kingdom, and Sodom a smaller city. This i…
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Last reviewed October 2026