Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 16:8
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 swore unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.
8 14. The child, now an adult virgin, taken to Himself in marriage by Jehovah: the redemption of the people from Egypt, and covenant with them at Sinai to be their God
8. Now when I passed ] Better in continuance of the historical narrative, and I passed by.
the time of love ] The outcast child was now a marriageable woman.
spread my skirt ] Cf. Rth 3:9 a figure for marriage.
a covenant with thee ] The marriage relation is a covenant, Pro 2:17; Mal 2:14. On the “oath,” cf. Eze 16:59.
thou becamest mine ] She became his wife, Rth 4:13; Hos 3:3.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Now when … – Or, Then I passed by thee … and behold. The espousal of the damsel represents Gods entering into covenant with the people in the wilderness at Mt. Sinai Exo 34:27.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Eze 16:8
Yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest Mine.
Two immutable, things
Biographies are generally interesting, if they are biographies; that is to say, if the events of the persons life are truly told; but the most interesting biography to any man is his own life. Turn over the pages of the book of memory, and think of those first times when you sought and found the Saviour, when you repented, when you believed, when you yielded yourself up to Jesus, when He took you to be His, and you took Him to be yours. I am sure that this exercise will awaken many happy thoughts, and I feel equally certain that it will suggest many regrets; but the happiness will be good for you if it excites your gratitude, and the regrets will be good for you if they deepen your penitence. Beloved, tim time of our conversion, the time when we joyously realised that we were saved, was a covenanting time. It is a somewhat singular thing that, in this chapter, God does not say anything about Israels part of the covenant; He seems to pass that over as though it were never worth mentioning. So, at this time, I shall not say much about the covenant that you made with God; do not forget it, and do not forget that you have often forgotten it.
I. It was a covenant freely made.
1. It was a covenant which He made at His own suggestion, out of the greatness of His own love; for the nation of Israel, of which He speaks, had nothing in its pedigree to suggest it. There are some who do not believe in the depravity of human nature. I must believe in it if I am myself a fair specimen of human nature; and every man who has watched his own heart,, and has any idea of the sin which dwells within him, will know that his origin is tainted, that from the very first there is a tendency to evil, and only evil; and, therefore, that there is nothing in him as to his birth that can command or deserve the favour of God.
2. There was nothing in our condition to commend it. This poor child had never been washed or clothed–it was left in all its filthiness to die; there was nothing about it to commend it to the attention of the passer-by. And what were we by nature?
3. It was also a covenant freely made because there was nothing in our beauty to warrant it. Whatever there was there, was undeveloped and, worse still, unclean. And in that day when Jesus took us to Himself, and we took Him to be our Saviour, there was nothing as yet apparent of that which His grace has now wrought in us; it was totally absent then.
II. It was a covenant entirely of love.
1. Taking our text in its connection, we learn that this covenant was a marriage covenant.
2. That it was a covenant which was meant to be entirely of love is proved by the way in which it was carried out (Eze 16:9-13). This is a covenant all of love, for these are all love-tokens, love-gifts to the beloved one. Now, will you go back in thought, and recollect when you used to receive those gifts from the Lord?
3. It must be a covenant all of love which God has made with such creatures as we are, because it could bring the Lord no profit.
III. It was a most sure covenant: I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee.
1. The covenant which God makes with believers is intended to remain forever. It is not something which may be broken in a few hours, like a childs toys; it is an everlasting covenant (Eze 16:60).
2. In proof that He intended it to remain, He ratified it by an oath.
3. To make a covenant even surer than by an oath, men were accustomed to seal it by a sacrifice. Now, beloved, you who believe have the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, to confirm the covenant of grace.
4. I would have you notice, in our text, that the covenant is remembered by God. It is He who Says, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee.
5. Yet once more, this covenant will be remembered by Him forever (Eze 16:60; Eze 16:62).
IV. This covenant involves very gracious consequences. Thou becamest Mine.
1. If God has entered into covenant with us, we have become the Lords. Whose were you before? The worlds? Your own? The devils? Well, we will not dispute with the many claimants; but now you can say, O Lord our God, other lords beside Thee have had dominion over us: but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy name.
2. Now, we ought to be the Lords more and more.
3. If that be our feeling, it will lead us practically to renew the bond of the covenant.
4. And you who have never done so, may you come to Jesus this very moment! Your only hope lies in Him. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Gods covenant with the reclaimed soul
In Canada they build palaces of ice in the winter time, and very beautiful things they are; but then, when spring comes where are those palaces? And in summer, the very foundation upon which they were built has melted back into the St. Lawrence. God does not make with His believing people covenants like those ice palaces; His covenant stands secure, though earths old columns bow. If God has promised to save thee,–as He has done if thou believest in Jesus,–He will save thee in the teeth of death and hell. Rest thou sure of this, and say with David, He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure. Here is something to rest upon: I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee. He intended it to remain. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The moment of being possessed by Christ
Thou becamest Mine. Do you recollect the spot–perhaps it was your own little room–where, as a youth, you sat after having long prayed and wept? And at last you felt that Jesus was yours; and you sat still, and you said to yourself Yes, I am His, every bit of me. He has bought me with His blood, I am His. Do you remember those first few days in which you felt half afraid to do anything lest you should grieve that dear Lover of your soul? Then you wanted to do everything that you might please Him whose servant you had become. I remember a verse of Scripture which, as a young believer, I used often to repeat; for it was very dear to me. I daresay you love it too; it is this: Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. We did feel then that we were wholly Christs; do we feel it as much now? Thou becamest Mine. To come back to the marriage covenant of which the Lord speaks,–when the husband put the ring upon his brides finger, he said to her, Thou hast become mine. Do you remember when you felt upon your finger the ring of infinite, everlasting, covenant love that Christ put there. Thou becamest Mine. Oh, it was a joyful day, a blessed day! Happy day, happy day, when His choice was known to me, and fixed my choice on Him! (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Owned by God
It is a great privilege not to be ones own. A vessel is drifting on the Atlantic hither and thither, and its end no man knoweth. It is derelict, deserted by all its crew; it is the property of no man; it is the prey of every storm and the sport of every wind; rocks, quicksands, and shoals wait to destroy it; the ocean yearns to engulf it. It drifts onward to no mans land, and no man will mourn its shipwreck. But mark well yonder bark of the Thames, which its owner surveys with pleasure. In its attempt to reach the sea it may run ashore, or come into collision with other vessels, or in a thousand ways suffer damage; but there is no fear, it will pass through the floating forest of the Pool; it will thread the winding channel and reach the Nore, because the owner will secure it pilotage, skilful and apt. How thankful you and I should be that we are not derelict today! We are not our own, not left on the wild waste of chance to be tossed to and fro by fortuitous circumstances, but there is a Hand upon the helm; we have on board a Pilot who owns us, and will surely steer us into the Fair Heavens of eternal rest. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The adornments of Christs Church
It was observed of Queen Elizabeth (as of her father before her), that she loved to go very richly arrayed. Her sister Queen Mary had, at her coronation, her head so laden with:jewels that she could hardly hold it up. King Richard II had one coat of gold and stone valued at 30,000 marks. This was much, but nothing to the Churchs beauty and bravery, which yet was all but borrowed, as is said in the next verse. (J. Trapp.)
How to obtain Christs beauty
Gods beauty which He puts upon His people is His own moral loveliness. This attribute of Divine goodness, while enshrined in the teaching of the Word of God, is most effectively seen in the person of the Lord Jesus. It is from Him we catch it, if at all. As the sun imprints the image upon the sensitive plate in the camera when it is exposed to it, so Christs beauty is put upon us if we are exposed to Him by a life of communion. We do not, however, own Christs beauty merely passively, there must be a constant deliberate imitation of His holy example. I must go home and deepen the colouring of my infant Hercules, exclaimed Sir Joshua Reynolds after gazing on the beautiful sunburnt face of a peasant boy. Frequent communings with Christ make one dissatisfied with his poor copying of so beautiful a character. I must be more Christlike must be the great resolve as we go forth from His presence if we would own Christs beauty. (Charles Deal.)
The transformation grace works
John Ruskin was one day walking along the streets of London. The weather had been very wet, and the mud was plentiful and most sticky. The thought occurred to him that he would have the mud analysed to find out exactly the inorganic elements in it. This was accordingly done, and the London mud was found to consist of sand, clay, soot, and water. Musing upon that fact, it struck him that these are the very substances from which our precious jewels and gems are formed. From the sand or silica come the onyx, chrysolite, agate, beryl, cornelian, chalcedony, jasper, sardine, amethyst; from the clay come the sapphire, ruby, emerald, topaz; and from the soot is formed the diamond. London mud composed of priceless jewels! Man cannot transform the mud into those glittering points of light, but God transforms and recreates the mud of depraved humanity into the glory of redeemed and beautiful souls. (John Robertson.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. Was the time of love] Thou wast marriageable.
I spread my skirt over thee] I espoused thee. This was one of their initiatory marriage ceremonies. See Ru 3:9.
I-entered into a covenant with thee] Married thee. Espousing preceded marriage.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
When I passed by thee: see Eze 16:6, of the phrase. This second passing by may well be understood of Gods visiting them and calling them out of Egypt.
Looked upon thee: see the phrase Eze 16:6.
Thy time was the time of love; the time of thy misery was the time of love and pity in me towards thee, and the time of thy grown beautified state was the time of my love of delight, when I rejoiced in thee, and espoused thee to be my wife. Thy time, i.e. the season fittest for the discovery of my purposes towards thee, was the time of love, which is expressed in what follows in the verse,
I spread my skirt over thee, i.e. betrothed thee, as Rth 3:9; Deu 22:30, engaged by marriage to love, cherish, protect, and safeguard.
Covered thy nakedness; what was and would be thy reproach my love and bounty covered, I clothed thee with spoils of Egypt, and gave time flocks, with the wool whereof thou mightest clothe thyself. If you take it figuratively, I covered all thy filthiness, and washed it away.
I sware unto thee; gave thee the greatest, most inviolable, and solemn assurance of my conjugal love, care, and faithfulness.
Entered into a covenant with thee: this was done at Mount Sinai, Exo 19:5.
Saith the Lord God: the truth of all which the Lord doth avow in this form of asseveration.
Thou becamest mine; by the obligations of my kindness thou couldst be no less, by thy own voluntary act and consent, by promise and profession, Exo 19:7,8.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. thy time of loveliterally,”loves” (compare So2:10-13). Thou wast of marriageable age, but none was willing tomarry thee, naked as thou wast. I then regarded thee with a look ofgrace when the full time of thy deliverance was come (Gen 15:13;Gen 15:14; Act 7:6;Act 7:7). It is not she thatmakes the advance to God, but God to her; she has nothing to entitleher to such notice, yet He regards her not with mere benevolence, butwith love, such as one cherishes to the person of his wife(Son 1:3-6; Jer 31:3;Mal 1:2).
spread my skirt over theethemode of espousals (Ru 3:9). Ibetrothed thee (Deu 4:37; Deu 10:15;Hos 11:1). The cloak is oftenused as a bed coverlet in the East. God explains what He means, “Ientered into . . . covenant with thee,” that is, at Sinai. SoIsrael became “the wife of God’s covenant” (Isa 54:5;Jer 3:14; Hos 2:19;Hos 2:20; Mal 2:14).
thou . . . mine(Exo 19:5; Jer 2:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee,…. Which the Targum refers to the Lord’s appearance to Moses in the bush;
[See comments on Eze 16:6];
behold, thy time [was] the time of love; which the Targum explains of the time of redemption of the people of Israel out of Egypt, which was an instance of the great love of God unto that people; and which time was fixed by him; and when it was come, at the exact and precise time, the redemption was wrought; see Ge 15:13; and so there is a set time for the calling and conversion of God’s elect, who are therefore said to be called according to purpose; and, when that time comes, all means are made to concur to bring it about: and this is a time of love; for though the love of God to his people is before all time, yet it is manifested in time; and there are particular times in which it is expressed unto them; and the time of conversion is one of them; and indeed it is the first time that there is a manifestation and application of the love of God made to the souls of his people: and this is a “time of loves” o; as it is in the original text; denoting the large abundance of it which is now shown forth; and the various acts of it now done; as bringing of them out of a most miserable condition, out of a horrible pit; plucking them as brands out of the burning; quickening them when dead in sin; speaking comfortably to them, and applying pardoning grace and mercy to their souls: and it may include both the love of God to his people, and their love to him; for now is the love of their espousals, and the kindness of their youth, Jer 2:2; the grace of love is now implanted, to God and Christ, to his people, word, worship, and ordinances, which before had no place in them:
and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness; the Lord espoused the people of Israel to himself in the wilderness, after he had brought them out of Egypt, and took them under the wings of his protection; both which this phrase may be expressive of; see Ru 3:9. Some understand this of his giving them the spoils of the Egyptians, and also the law: it may very well be applied to the righteousness of Christ, which is often compared to a garment, for which the skirt, a part, is put; and this is put on as a garment, and answers all the purposes of one; and particularly covers the nakedness of men, which their own righteousness will not do; this the Lord spreads over his people, and covers them with; and being clothed with this, they shall not be found naked:
yea, I sware unto thee; to his love expressed to his people, and to his covenant he entered into with them, neither of which shall ever be removed; and this makes to their abundant comfort; see Ps 89:3;
and entered into covenant with thee, saith the Lord God; as he did with the people of Israel at Horeb, and which was a sort of a marriage contract with them; see De 29:1; the covenant of grace was made from everlasting with Christ, and the elect in him; but is made manifest at conversion, when the Lord makes himself known unto them as their covenant God; leads them to Christ the Mediator of it; sends his Spirit down into their hearts, to make them partakers of the grace of it; and shows them their interest in the blessings and promises of it; all which may be meant by the phrase here used:
and thou becamest mine; as Israel did at the time before mentioned, became the Lord’s peculiar people, and were avouched as such by him,
Ex 19:5; so, in conversion, those who before were secretly the Lord’s by electing and redeeming grace, become openly his by calling and sanctifying grace.
o “tempus amorum”, Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Polanus, Piscator, Cocceius, Starckius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
God now reproaches the Jews with his kindness towards them, since he had clothed them in splendid ornaments, and yet they afterwards cast themselves into the vilest lusts, as we shall see. But we must remember that the Prophet is now speaking of the time of their liberation. But God says that he passed by again and saw the state of the people, — not that he had ever forgotten it. For we know that even when he dissembles and seems to shut his eyes and turn them from us or even to sleep, yet he is always anxious for our safety. And we have already said that there was need of his present power, that the people might prolong their lives, since if he had not breathed life into them, a hundred deaths would have immediately prevailed. But it is sufficiently common and customary to mark an open declaration of help by God’s aspect. When God appears so openly to deliver us that it may be comprehended by our senses, then he is said to look down upon us, to rise up, and to turn himself towards us. He passed by, then, near the people, namely, when he called Moses out of the desert and appointed him the minister of his favor, (Exo 3:0,) he then saw his people, and proved by their trial that he had not utterly cast them away. I looked, then, and behold thy time, thy time of years. Here God speaks grossly, yet according to the people’s comprehension. For he personates a man struck with the beauty of a girl and offering her marriage. But God is not affected as men are, as we well know, so that it is not according to his nature to love as young men do. But such was the people’s stupidity, that they could not be usefully taught, unless the Prophet accommodated himself to their grossness. Add also that the people had been by no means lovely, unless God had embraced them by his kindness, so that his love depended on his good pleasure towards them. So by the time of loves, we ought to understand the complete time of their redemption, for God had determined to bring the people out of Egypt when he pleased, and that had been promised to Abraham: after four hundred years I will be their avenger. (Gen 15:13; Act 7:6,) We see, then, that the years were previously fixed in which God would redeem the people. He now compares that union to a marriage. Hence if God would bind his people to himself by a marriage, so also he would pledge himself to conjugal fidelity. But I cannot proceed further — I must leave the rest till tomorrow.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
B. The Marriage and Adornment 16:814
TRANSLATION
(8) Now when I passed by You, and saw You, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread My skirt over You, and covered your nakedness; and I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you (oracle of the Lord GOD), and you became Mine. (9) And I washed you with water, and cleansed your blood from upon you, and I anointed you with oil. (10) And I clothed you with woven work, and I shod you with sealskin, and I bound you with fine linen, and I covered you with silk. (11) And I adorned you with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon your hands, and a chain upon your neck. (12) And I put a ring upon your nose, and earrings upon your ears, and a beautiful turban upon your head. (13) And you were decked with gold and silver, and your garments were of fine linen, silk, and woven work; and you ate fine flour, honey and oil; and you became more and more beautiful until you achieved royal rank. (14) And your reputation went forth among the nations for your beauty for it was perfect through My splendor which I put upon you (oracle of the Lord GOD).
COMMENTS
The relationship between God and Israel is frequently depicted under the metaphor of marriage. So it is here that the divine Rescuer noticed that the young nation had reached the time of love, i.e., marriageable age. He therefore spread His skirt over her, a gesture which was, apparently, part of the ancient marriage ceremony (cf. Rth. 3:9). God thereby covered the nakedness of his bride, i.e., He provided for Israels needs. He entered into a marriage covenant with the maiden nation (cf. Exo. 24:8) and thereby Israel became the bride of God (Eze. 16:8).
God treated His young bride most tenderly. He first washed her with water. This no doubt is an allusion to ritual purification of a bride before marriage (cf. Rth. 3:3).[318] He then anointed her with oil (Eze. 16:9). He clothed her with the finest garments from head to toe (Eze. 16:10) and placed jewelry upon her wrists, neck (Eze. 16:11), nose and ears. As befitting her queenly position, a beautiful crown was placed on her head (Eze. 16:12). She ate the finest foods and became ever more beautiful until she finally attained to royal rank during the days of David (Eze. 16:13). The beauty the power and prosperity of the nation was spoken of among other nations. But whatever greatness was achieved by Israel was not self-earned, it was bestowed by her divine husband. She reflected the splendor of God (Eze. 16:14).
[318] The reference may be to the purification of the Israelites before the revelation from Mt. Sinai (Exo. 19:10).
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(8) Now when I passed by thee.Here, as in Eze. 16:6, omit the when, and render, and I passed by thee. Two separate visits are spoken of: the one in Israels infancy in Egypt, when God blessed and multiplied her (Eze. 16:6); the other when she had become a nation, and God entered into covenant with her in the Exodus and at Sinai. The verse describes this covenant in terms of the marriage relation, a figure very frequent in Scripture. On the phrase spread my skirt, comp. Rth. 3:9, and on becamest mine, Rth. 4:10.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. Spread my skirt The customary symbol for marriage. (See Ruth 3:19.)
Thou becamest mine The marriageable age, the time of love had arrived, and the divine Friend now becomes a Lover. With the patriarchs God made a covenant of friendship, but in the Exodus he married himself to Israel. He himself says he “chose Israel” then (Eze 20:5; compare Exo 3:7; Exo 3:9; Deu 7:7-8; Psa 105:12, etc.).
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Now when I passed by you and looked on you, behold your time was the time for love. And I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord Yahweh, and you became mine.”
The time moves on and Israel was maturing. The Great Deliverer again passed by and recognised that it was time to take Israel as His wife because she had reached ‘the time for love’. The spreading of the skirt of his long cloak over her indicated taking her under his protection and an acceptance of her as His betrothed (Rth 3:9). Thus she who had been naked was no longer naked. She was His, and covered by Him. This incident almost certainly refers to the Sinai covenant, and Sinai made provision to deal with the problem of Israel’s sin And this is confirmed by the words that follow.
‘Yes, I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord Yahweh, and you became mine.’ While the covenant represents marriage in the story (compare Pro 2:17; Mal 2:14), the use of the term ‘covenant’, rather than ‘married you’, confirms that it refers to Yahweh’s covenant with His people. Compare Exo 19:4-6 together with Deu 28:9; Exo 24:8. These were precisely the promises of the Sinai covenant.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 16:8. Behold, &c. See Rth 3:9. The Jews’ deliverance out of Egypt is often described as the time of God’s espousing them to himself; and his entering into covenant with them represented by a marriage-contract. See Jer 2:2.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 16:8 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.
Ver. 8. Behold, thy time was the time of love. ] When thou wast both fit for marriage, and desirous of it. For as the man misseth his rib, so the woman would be in her old place again, under the man’s arm or wing. See Rth 3:1 ; Rth 3:9 .
And I spread my skirt over thee.
Yea, I sware unto thee, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 16:8-14
8Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD. 9Then I bathed you with water, washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil. 10I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck. 12I also put a ring in your nostril, earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. 13Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your dress was of fine linen, silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey and oil; so you were exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty. 14Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD.
Eze 16:8
NASBI spread My skirt over you
NKJVI spread My wing over you
NRSVI spread the edge of my cloak over you
TEVI covered your naked body with my cloak
NJBI spread my cloak over you
This was a gesture of proposal (cf. Rth 3:9) or an idiom for marriage (cf. Deu 22:30).
The term skirt (BDB 489) literally means wing, but here it refers to the corner of one’s robe (cf. Deu 22:12).
The prophets often used the intimate covenant of marriage as a metaphor of the relationship between YHWH and His covenant people (cf. Isa 66:7-14; Jeremiah 2-3; Ezekiel 16; Ezekiel 23; Hosea 1-3).
entered into a covenant with you
SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT
Eze 16:9 This describes what the prospective husband (YHWH) did for His wife-to-be.
1. bath of cleansing, still done before the wedding rite
2. blood washed off, this refers to her menstrual period, denoting she is of marriageable age (this may also be implied in Eze 16:7)
3. anointed with oil, preparation for the wedding feast
Eze 16:10 embroidered cloth This term (BDB 955) is used several times in Ezekiel of expensive multi-colored or embroidered cloth (cf. Eze 16:10; Eze 16:13; Eze 16:18; Eze 26:16; Eze 27:7; Eze 27:16; Eze 27:24). It is used in Eze 17:3 to describe a multi-colored great eagle.
NASBporpoise skin
NKJVbadger skin
NRSV, NJBfine leather
TEVof the best leather
The term (BDB 1065) refers to a type of animal skin. Exactly which animal is uncertain.
1. dolphin, Arabic (JPSOA)
2. sheep, conjecture
3. leather, Egyptian (NRSV, fine leather)
4. seal, NASB, Exo 35:23
5. sea cows, NASB, Exo 25:5
Elsewhere, this term is used for the construction of the tabernacle (cf. Exo 25:5; Exo 26:14; Exo 35:7; Exo 35:23; Exo 36:19; Exo 39:34; Num 4:6; Num 4:8). The best choices seem to be #1 or #4, both found in the Red Sea in large numbers having skins large enough to make durable sheeting for the tabernacle.
fine linen The etymology of this word is uncertain. Most scholars relate it to an Egyptian word for fine woven linen.
1. for fine garments, Gen 41:42; Pro 31:22
2. for sails, Eze 16:10; Eze 16:13; Eze 27:7
3. for priestly garments, Exo 28:5; Exo 28:39
4. for hangings in the tabernacle, Exo 27:9; Exo 27:16; Exo 27:18; Exo 38:9; Exo 38:16; Exo 38:18
5. for curtains in the tabernacle, Exo 26:1; Exo 26:31; Exo 26:36; Exo 36:8; Exo 36:35; Exo 36:37
Eze 16:12-13 a This is a list of jewelry.
1. ornaments, Eze 16:11, BDB 725
2. bracelets, Eze 16:11, BDB 855
3. chain (necklace), Eze 16:11, BDB 914, cf. Gen 41:42
4. ring in your nose, Eze 16:12, BDB 633, cf. Gen 24:47; Isa 3:21
5. earrings, Eze 16:12, BDB 722, cf. Num 31:50
6. crown of beauty, Eze 16:12, BDB 742
7. adorned with gold and silver, Eze 16:13
Eze 16:13 exceedingly beautiful The ADVERB exceedingly comes from a repetition of BDB 547, cf. Eze 9:9; Gen 17:2; Gen 17:6; Gen 17:20; Exo 1:7.
advanced to royalty This orphan child (i.e., Israel) is elevated to the royal family status, both by adoption and marriage.
Eze 16:14 it was perfect This ADJECTIVE (BDB 483) is used in the sense of wholeness or an entire state of completion. It is used
1. of the report of Jerusalem’s beauty, Eze 16:14; Psa 50:2; Lam 2:15
2. of the King of Tyre, Eze 27:3; Eze 28:12
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
thy . . . thee : i.e. the city. Not the nation at Sinai,
thy time, &c. Of this covenant nothing has been recorded. The secret is here first revealed.
I spread My skirt, he. The symbolic act to-day, signifying the taking under one’s protection. Common in the East for marrying. Compare Rth 3:9.
saith the Lord God [is] Adonai Jehovah’s oracle.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Eze 16:8-14
Eze 16:8-14
“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 Jehovah, and thou becamest mine. Then I washed thee with water; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with sealskin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and covered thee with silk. And I decked thee with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a ring upon thy nose, and ear-rings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head. 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 unto royal estate. And thy renown went forth among the nations for thy beauty; and it was perfect, through my majesty which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord Jehovah.”
THE FOUNDLING MARRIED TO HER BENEFACTOR
“I spread my skirt over thee …” (Eze 16:8). This was a symbol of marriage. A Biblical example of this is found in Rth 3:8. What is typified here is the marriage of God to Israel, a metaphorical representation of the Sinaitic covenant and the choice of the nation as “God’s Chosen People.”
“Then I washed thee with water …” (Eze 16:9). Commentators have struggled with this; but the explanation is in Eph 5:25 ff: “Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for it; that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself.” Thus the marriage of Christ to his Bride the Church followed the same pattern that is found here. The purpose of the “washing” in both instances was the cleansing of the bride and her consecration to the Lord. Paul further mentioned the “washing” of the first Bride, the Racial Israel, as their, “Being baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1Co 10:2).
“I washed away thy blood from thee …” (Eze 16:9). Here again, some very powerful scholars are perplexed. “This washing is interpreted as the cleansing and purification from menstrual blood.”[15] No indeed! The reference in both the Old Testament and the New Testament is to the washing that precedes union with God (or Christ) and cleanses from “all previous sin,” the same being typified by the elaborate ceremonies that attended the giving of the Law at Sinai. The blood that was washed away in Eze 16:9 is typical of all sins and mistakes.
Note also that “the anointing with oil” followed the washing, just as the anointing of Aaron followed his ceremonial washing, and just as the reception of the Holy Spirit followed the baptism (the washing) of Jesus Christ, and just as the reception of the Holy Spirit is always subsequent to and contingent upon Christian baptism of all the followers of Christ.
“The anointing with oil indicates the powers of the Spirit of God, which flowed to Israel from the divine covenant of grace.
This custom of anointing with oil, which from the most ancient times, accompanied the making of any solemn covenant, has come down even into current times. Those who saw the coronation of Elizabeth II, Queen of England, cannot forget the solemn ceremony of the anointing of the Queen with oil.
“Badgers’ skin (sealskin in ASV) …” (Eze 16:10). “This is probably a reference to the skin of the dugong, a herbivorous cetacean found in the Red Sea.” Greenberg thought the leather referred to here was “a specially treated and dyed sheep or goat skin”; but in the same breath he mentioned a certain Bodenheimer who believed that the skin of dolphins was meant. Jamieson tells us that, “Shoes made of this material were always worn by the Hebrews upon festal occasions.”
“Through my majesty which I had put upon thee …” (Eze 16:14). The words “my majesty,” with the possessive pronoun stress the fact that all of the renowned beauty and perfection of Israel were the gifts of God and were not due to any intrinsic worth or ability of the Jews themselves. Is it not also true of every gifted mortal?
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
thy time: Eze 16:6, Deu 7:6-8, Rth 3:9, 1Sa 12:22, Isa 41:8, Isa 41:9, Isa 43:4, Isa 63:7-9, Jer 2:2, Jer 2:3, Jer 31:3, Hos 11:1, Mal 1:2, Rom 5:8, Rom 9:10-13
and I: Rth 3:9
I sware: Eze 20:5, Eze 20:6, Exo 19:4-8, Exo 24:1-8, Exo 32:13, Deu 4:31, Jer 2:2, Jer 2:3, Jer 31:32, Hos 2:18-20
Reciprocal: Gen 48:5 – are mine Exo 2:8 – Go Deu 22:30 – discover Deu 23:5 – because the Pro 2:17 – forgetteth Ecc 3:8 – time to love Son 4:9 – my spouse Isa 43:1 – thou art mine Isa 54:5 – thy Maker Isa 61:3 – beauty Isa 61:10 – as a Eze 16:32 – General Eze 16:45 – that loatheth Eze 16:60 – I will remember Eze 23:4 – they were Hos 2:15 – as in the days Mal 2:14 – thy companion Mal 3:17 – they shall Mat 19:9 – except Luk 1:72 – and Joh 3:29 – hath Rom 9:25 – beloved 2Co 6:2 – a time Col 3:12 – beloved 2Th 2:13 – beloved Heb 8:9 – they continued
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 16:8. The baby girl has passed through childhood and adolescence and has reached the time of lore, which means she has matured and become of marriageable age. Her benefactor then falls In love with her and offers to receive her as his wife. In ancient times there were no formal marriage ceremonies directly connected with the union of a male and female. Their fleshly relations made them one and entitled them to live together as husband and wife. By that token, the spreading of ones skirt over another signified the intimacy that was to start the couple on their journey in life as a united pair. Hence we have that action regarding the skirt mentioned in this verse and the phrase thou t/ccamest mine is so used. (See Ruth 3; 9.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 16:8-12. Now when I passed by thee, &c. This second passing by may be understood of Gods visiting them in Egypt, and calling them out. Behold, thy time, &c. The time of thy misery was the time of my love toward thee. And I spread my skirt over thee I espoused thee and took thee under my protection as a husband doth his wife, Rth 3:9. And covered thy nakedness Enriched thee with the spoils and possessions of the Egyptians and Canaanites: see Eze 16:10-11. Yea, I entered into covenant with thee This was done in mount Sinai, when the covenant between God and Israel was sealed and ratified. Those to whom God gives spiritual life, he takes into covenant with himself. By this covenant they become his, his subjects and servants, which speaks their duty: and at the same time his portion and treasure, which speaks their privilege. Then I washed thee with water It was a very ancient custom among the eastern people to purify virgins who were to be espoused. And I anointed thee with oil Thus also were women, on some occasions, prepared for their nuptials. The washings and purifications of the law are probably intended to be signified by these metaphorical expressions; and the priesthood by the anointing with oil here spoken of. I clothed thee also with broidered work Or, with needlework of divers colours. The expression may refer to the rich garments of the priests, and the covering and hangings of the tabernacle; or it may denote the gifts and graces bestowed upon them. And shod thee with badgers skins Or, with sandals of a purple colour, as Bochart expounds the word . The eastern people had an art of curiously dressing and colouring the skins of badgers, of which they made their neatest shoes, for the richest and greatest personages. This and the following verses allude to those parts of womens attire which serve not only for use but for ornament also; and import that God did not only provide the Jews with necessaries, but likewise with superfluities. I decked thee also with ornaments This and the following expressions are descriptive of the great wealth and felicity of the Jewish people, particularly under David and Solomon. I put bracelets upon thy hands, &c. Ornaments which none but persons of better quality used to wear, Gen 24:47; Pro 1:9. And I put a jewel on thy forehead The same which is called a nose-jewel, Isa 3:21. And a beautiful crown upon thy head Crowns, or garlands, were used in times of public rejoicing; from whence is derived that expression of St. Paul, A crown of rejoicing, 1Th 2:19 : compare Isa 25:10. Virgins were sometimes adorned with crowns; and they were commonly put upon the heads of persons newly married, Son 3:11. Lowth.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
16:8 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 {d} thy nakedness: yea, I swore to thee, and entered into a covenant with {e} thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.
(d) These words as blood, pollution, nakedness and filthiness are often repeated to beat down their pride, and to cause them to consider what they were before God received them to mercy, favoured them and covered their shame.
(e) That you should be a chaste wife to me, and that I should maintain you and endue you with all graces.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
When she was mature enough, the Lord made a commitment to take care of her forever (cf. Psa 132:13-17). Spreading a skirt over someone was a customary way of committing to marry and to provide for someone in that culture (Rth 3:9). [Note: See P. A. Kruger, "The Hem of the Garment in Marriage: The Meaning of the Symbolic Gesture in Rth 3:9 and Eze 16:8," Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages 12 (1984):84-85.]