Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 16:7
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.
7. have caused multiply ] Lit. as marg. made thee a myriad. This idea of multiplication in number deserts the figure, introducing the notion of the numerical increase of the people (Exo 1:7; Deu 10:22; Deu 33:17). The rest of the verse, however, continues the figure of the child growing up to womanhood. For “myriad” LXX. has “do thou grow” (imper.). This is not natural, but probably some word signifying “growth” should be read, “I gave thee growth like the herb of the field; and thou didst grow and wax great.”
thou art come ornaments ] Thou didst come to excellent ornament, lit. ornament of ornaments. The connexion requires that “ornament” should mean graces and beauties of the person. The word has nowhere else this sense, being always employed of such ornaments as jewelry which are worn ( Eze 16:11). The rendering “beauty of cheeks” (Hitz.) rests upon the supposed sense of Psa 32:9; Psa 103:5. In Isa 64:6 a word somewhat similar occurs: filthy (i.e. menstruous) garment, and several scholars (J. D. Michaelis, Cornill) assume this sense here. This requires considerable alteration of the text, which already lay before LXX. (though r was read for d, as often). Neither is Eze 16:22 in favour of it.
are fashioned ] Better past tenses: were fashioned was grown, but thou wast.
The passage is an allegorical description of the early history of the family of Israel, their struggles for existence in Canaan, their descent into Egypt, the oppressions suffered there, and the Lord’s care and protection of them (Exo 3:7; Exo 3:9; Psa 105:12 seq.). The unattractive character of the early patriarchal history as written in Genesis is plain enough (Genesis 29-31, 38.). This unattractive character is set forth in the blood and pollution of the new-born infant, and the Lord’s care of them in their dependent and defenceless condition under the figure of his pity and adoption of the outcast child. The truth conveyed in the allegory is more delicately expressed by another writer: “The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all peoples; but because the Lord loved you” (Deu 7:7-8).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou didst increase and wax great, and thou didst come to excellent beauty; thy breasts were fashioned and thine hair was grown, yet wast thou naked and bare. The prophet has arrived at the time at which the child grew up to maturity. God preserved the life of the infant which must without His help have died Eze 16:6; and the child grew up to womanhood, but was still desolate and unprotected. This represents the sojourn in Egypt, during which the people increased, but were not bound, as a nation, to God by a covenant.
Excellent ornaments – literally, as in the margin. Some render it: ornament of cheeks, i. e., beauty of face.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The Lord, who chose Abraham and his seed; by his blessing this people were increased as by millions. How inconsiderable is a clan of seventy-five persons! So many went with Jacob into Egypt, where in two hundred and fifty years they grew to six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty, beside women, and children under twenty years, and old men above sixty years old. So the promise, Gen 12:2; 15:5; 17:2,4, was fulfilled.
As the bud of the field: for multitude, they are compared to the numberless buds of the herb; for flourishing, they are like the bud in the beauty of its spring; and both include the goodness and richness of the land they dwelt in.
Increased; grown up to maturity or full age.
Waxen great; and in stature thou hast come to full, just proportions, or grown strong, mighty, and terrible to thy neighbours who were enemies, but honourable and a defence to thy friends.
Come to excellent ornaments: as jewels and rich vestments set off a beautiful person, so the successes in enterprises, rich returns in merchandise, fruitfulness of the country itself, were the lustre of thy beauty, which all thy neighbours courted; thou wast adorned with the choicest blessings of Divine Providence.
Thy breasts are fashioned: the prophet further describes the beauty and glory of the Jewish nation, grown up and fashioned under Gods own hand, in order to be solemnly affianced to God.
Thine hair, which is an ornament when well set, whereas baldness is a deformity.
Thou wast naked and bare, i.e. when in Egypt, poor, and oppressed, and despised.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. caused . . . tomultiplyliterally, “I . . . made thee a myriad.”
bud of . . . fieldtheproduce of the field. In two hundred fifty years they increased fromseventy-five persons to eight hundred thousand (Ac7:14) [CALVIN]. Butsee Exo 12:37; Exo 12:38.
excellentornamentsliterally, “ornament of ornaments.”
naked . . . bare (Ho2:3). Literally, “nakedness . . . bareness” itself;more emphatic.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field,…. Or, “made thee millions” m; like the spires of grass in the field. This refers to the multiplication of the children of Israel in Egypt, especially after the death of Joseph, and even while they were sorely afflicted, and likewise in later times. Jacob went down to Egypt with seventy five persons only, but when his posterity returned from thence, they were above six hundred thousand that were able to go forth to war,
Ge 46:27; see Ex 1:7;
and thou hast increased and waxed great; and became large families, kindreds, and tribes, as the Targum interprets it; as a child grows up, and becomes adult:
and thou art come to excellent ornaments; or, “ornament of ornaments” n; as a young woman, when she is grown up, comes to wear better and finer clothes than in infancy; perhaps there is an allusion to the jewels the Israelites brought out of Egypt with them: this may be applied to the laws, statutes, and ordinances given them, which were an “ornament of grace” unto them, Pr 1:9;
[thy] breasts are fashioned; swelled and stood out; were come to a proper size and shape, as in persons grown and marriageable; see So 8:10;
and thine hair is grown; an euphemism, expressive of puberty, which in females was at twelve years of age:
whereas thou [wast] naked and bare; in a state of infancy. Jarchi and Kimchi interpret this of the Israelites being without the commandments. The whole of what is here said, may be applied to quickened and converted persons, who grow in grace, and increase in spiritual knowledge; and are adorned with the ornaments of grace and good works; and attend to the word and ordinances, which are the church’s breasts; who, while in their nature state, were naked and destitute of righteousness and grace.
m “millia dedi”, Pagninus, Montanus; “in multa millia”, Tigurine version; “in myriadem te auxi”, Piscator; so Ben Melech. n “ornamenta ornamentorum”, Pagninus, Montanus; “in ornamentum ornamentorum”, Calvin; “pulchritudinem pulchritudiuum”, Starckius; so Ben Melech; “elegantiam elegantiarum”, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Here what I lately touched upon is now clearly expressed, that the people in their extreme distress were not only safe, but increased by God’s singular favor. For if the infant after exposure retains its life, it will still be a weak abortion. Hence God here by this circumstance magnifies his favor, since the people increased as if it had been properly and attentively cared for, and as if no kind office had been omitted. This is the meaning of the words they were increased; for though he looks to the propagation of Abraham’s family, yet the simile is to be observed, for the people is compared to a girl exposed in a field from its birth, and their growth took place when God increased them so incredibly, as we know. And surely God’s blessing was great when they entered Egypt, 75 in number, and were many thousands when they left it. (Act 7:14; Exo 12:37.) For within 250 years, the family of Abraham was so multiplied, that they amounted to 800,000 when God freed them. But since the Prophet speaks metaphorically, when he says the people were increased, and, under the image of a tender girl, until they grew up to a proper age; meanwhile he shows that this was done only by the wonderful counsel and power of God. I placed thee, says he. God claims to himself the praise for this great multiplication, and then strengthens what I have said, namely, that the people’s safety was included in that phrase live in bloods: then he says, she came into ornament of ornaments. Here עדי, gnedi, cannot mean any occasional ornament, since it is added directly, thou wast naked and bare. It follows then that it refers to personal comeliness. It means not only that the girl grew in loftiness of stature but in beauty of person. Hence elegance and loveliness are here marked, as the context shows us. Thou camest then to excellent or exquisite beauty, for we know this to be the meaning of the genitive, signifying excellence. He adds at the same time, thy breasts were made ready, for כון, kon, means to prepare, to strengthen: but as he is speaking of breasts, I have no doubt that he means them to have swelled as they ought to do. Thy breasts then were fashioned, that is, of the right size, as in marriageable girls. Thy hair also grew long. Finally, the Prophet expresses thus grossly what he could have said more concisely, in consequence of the people’s rudeness. Thy hair grew long, whilst thou wast naked and bare; that is, as yet you had no outward ornament, you was like a marriageable girl — you had great beauty of person, a noble stature, and all parts of thy body mutually accordant, but you had cause to be ashamed of thy nakedness. And such was the condition of the people since the Egyptians devised everything against them, and conspired by all means for their destruction: we see then how God stretched forth his hand not only for the people’s defense, but to carry them forth against the tyranny of Pharaoh and of all Egypt. He points out the time of their redemption as near, because the people had increased and multiplied, just like a girl who had reached her twentieth year. Now it follows —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) I have caused thee.Omit the have, and modify the tenses throughout the verse. I caused thee . . . thou didst increase and wax tall . . . and came to beauty . . . were fashioned . . . was grown. In the first clause, caused thee to multiply, the literal sense takes the place of the figurative; but the rest of the verse describes Israel as a young woman just growing up into the beauty of early womanhood. The phrase excellent ornaments is somewhat difficult; but is now generally understood as meaning literally ornament of cheeks, i.e., beauty. The whereas in the last clause may give the impression of a contrast between the state described and the former one of infancy; this is not intended. But the meaning is, that while Israel was thus growing into the full development and beauty of womanhood, she was still naked and bare.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. I have caused thee to multiply Literally, I have made thee to be myriads, etc. (Exo 1:7; Deu 10:22; Deu 33:17.)
To excellent ornaments Literally, to ornament of ornaments; to superlative grace and beauty.
Thy breasts are fashioned, whereas Literally, thy breasts were fashioned, yet. This is a vivid description in allegory of the patriarchal history and the bondage in Egypt. The nation was coming to maturity under the watch-care of the divine Friend, and yet was persisting in its idolatry (Genesis 29-31, 38).
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“I caused you to multiply (literally ‘made you a myriad’) as the bud of the field, and you increased and flourished (‘waxed great’) and you attained to exceptional ornament (‘ornament of ornaments’). Your breasts were fashioned and your hair was grown. Yet you were naked and bare.”
The vivid pictures are striking. They flourished like buds of the field springing up all over the ground, and growing into full flower, attaining to full beauty (excellent ornament). Lack of ornaments was seen as a sign of mourning and sorrow and unacceptability (Exo 33:4). Their ‘ornaments’ are then described, fully fashioned breasts and long and luxurious hair. These were indeed the ‘ornament of ornaments’ for a woman. The pictures have in mind that He is speaking to a whole people so that the description takes this into account. The whole people flourished as one.
Some would change the text to read, ‘you came to the time of menstruation’ (requiring a slight change in the Hebrew text) but this is unnecessary, although the similarity to the word for menstruation may have been the reason for the words used.
‘Yet you were naked and bare.’ Although they had received life and beauty there was still that which was lacking which God would now provide for them. The account is not intended to be fully realistic (even though grown she was still covered in blood – Eze 16:9). It is poetry in prose. It is depicting her state as she was in herself and the total dependence of Israel on Yahweh for all that she had.
The idea of nakedness not only suggests need but also sinfulness. When Adam and Eve had sinned they ‘knew that they were naked’ (Gen 2:7; Gen 2:10). They were exposed in all their sinfulness and weakness. Nakedness regularly pictures abject need and sinfulness (2Ch 28:19; Isa 20:3-4; Lam 1:8; Eze 23:29; Hos 2:3; Mic 1:8; Nah 3:5).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 16:7. I have caused, &c. I have caused thee to multiply as the grass of the field; and thou didst increase and grow up to maturity, and didst arrive to the perfection of beauty. Thy breasts were fashioned, and thy tresses sprouted out; but still thou wast naked, and bare.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Let the Reader mark, one by one, the several precious things here said by the Lord, and explain the whole by gospel language, and what will it amount to but this, that when Jesus passed by, that is, came into this world to seek and save that which was lost, He saw His Church in the very state of this poor female child, cast out and loathsome in her person to every beholder but Himself. It was Jesus that spread His skirts over her, that took her into covenant, that made her His own by union and by interest. It was Jesus that washed her in His blood, clothed her with the garment of His salvation, which, like fine linen, and gold, and silk, are the beautiful robes for her covering. It was in Jesus’s righteousness the Church was made comely, so that the spouse of Christ became the admired object of all the world. Reader! is it not blessed to see in whom and from whom the Church derives all her beauty and loveliness, even from her adorable Lord? And as in grace here, so in glory to all eternity, it is in Jesus and from Jesus her perfection is wholly owing. How beautiful the Church sings to this. Isa 61:10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 16:7 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.
Ver. 7. As the bud of the field. ] He prosecuteth the allegory of a miserable maiden, with whom the matter beginneth to mend. Iam enim menses patiebatur, ubera creverant et pili circa pubem; so that now she was marriageable.
And thou art come to excellent ornaments.
Whereas thou wast naked and bare. hast increased = didst increase. This does not refer to the increase in Egypt, but to the city. All the tenses in this verse should be past tenses.
fashioned = developed.
caused: etc. Heb. made thee a million, Gen 22:17, Exo 1:7, Exo 12:37, Act 7:17
excellent ornaments: Heb. ornament of ornaments, Eze 16:10-13, Eze 16:16, Exo 3:22, Deu 1:10, Deu 4:8, Deu 32:10-14, Deu 33:26-29, Neh 9:18-25, Psa 135:4, Psa 147:20, Psa 148:14, Psa 149:2-4, Isa 61:10, Isa 62:3
whereas: Eze 16:22, Job 1:21, Son 4:5, Hos 2:3, Hos 2:9, Hos 2:10, Rev 3:17, Rev 3:18
Reciprocal: Son 8:10 – my Dan 8:8 – waxed 1Pe 3:3 – that
Eze 16:7. Through the arrangements referred to in the preceding verse, the girl baby experienced the things described in this which took place in the course of some years; such is the significance of I have caused thee that begins this verse. The developments indicated took place between the first and second journeys of the traveler through the community. Multiply is used because the parable really refers to the nation of Judah, although the imagery is that of a babe and her development Into the adolescent age. Excellent ornaments means the attractiveness of a girl growing toward womanhood. Some of those ornaments are specified; female breasts, also long hair, which is one of the God- given ornaments ol’ women (1Co 11:15),
The Lord enabled Jerusalem to thrive. Her inhabitants became numerous. She eventually developed into a fine city even though she had gotten a bad start in life. During the reigns of David and Solomon, Jerusalem was one of the most highly respected cities in the ancient Near East.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)