What is the meaning of Ezekiel 16:38? And I will sentence you • The Lord Himself is the Judge; His verdict is final (Psalm 9:7–8). • This sentencing follows a long record of unrepentant sin by Jerusalem (Ezekiel 16:30–34). • God’s judgments are righteous and measured, never arbitrary (Deuteronomy 32:4; Romans 2:2). to the punishment of women who commit adultery • Under the Law, adultery carried the severest earthly penalty—death (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22). • Israel’s covenant breach is pictured as marital unfaithfulness to God (Jeremiah 3:6–9; Hosea 3:1). • The imagery stresses that idolatry is not a minor lapse but a capital offense in God’s sight (Exodus 20:3–5). and who shed blood • Jerusalem’s leaders filled the land with innocent blood—child sacrifice and violence (2 Kings 21:16; Ezekiel 22:2–4). • Bloodguilt demands recompense; God requires life for life (Genesis 9:6; Numbers 35:33). • By linking adultery and murder, the verse shows how idolatry leads to brutality (Romans 1:25–32). then I will bring upon you • The judgment is no abstract threat; God actively brings it to pass (Amos 4:12). • History records this fulfillment in the Babylonian siege and exile (2 Chronicles 36:15–17). • Even in judgment, He aims to turn hearts back to Himself (Ezekiel 6:9–10). the wrath of your bloodshed and jealousy • “Your bloodshed” points to consequences springing directly from their own acts (Proverbs 1:31). • God’s “jealousy” is His covenant love reacting against betrayal (Exodus 34:14; Zechariah 8:2). • Wrath and jealousy meet at the cross, where Christ bears both for repentant sinners (Romans 5:8–9; 1 Peter 3:18). summary Ezekiel 16:38 declares that God will personally pass sentence on Jerusalem for spiritual adultery and violent bloodshed, applying the full covenant penalties reserved for the gravest crimes. His righteous jealousy demands justice, yet His purpose in judgment is ultimately redemptive, calling His people to repent and find mercy in Him. |
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