Ezekiel 16:24
Ezekiel 16:24 in Multiple Translations
you built yourself a mound and made yourself a lofty shrine in every public square.
That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street.
that thou hast built unto thee a vaulted place, and hast made thee a lofty place in every street.
That you made for yourself an arched room in every open place.
you built yourself a pagan shrine, a high place of idol worship on every public square in the city.
Thou hast also built vnto thee an hie place, and hast made thee an hie place in euery streete.
That thou dost build to thee an arch, And dost make to thee a high place in every broad place.
“that you have built for yourselves a vaulted place, and have made yourselves a lofty place in every street.
That thou hast also built to thee an eminent place, and hast made thee a high place in every street.
That thou didst also build thee a common stew, and madest thee a brothel house in every street.
you built a shrine to worship idols in every city square/plaza.
Berean Amplified Bible — Ezekiel 16:24
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Ezekiel 16:24 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/תִּבְנִי
לָ֖/ךְ
גֶּ֑ב
וַ/תַּעֲשִׂי
לָ֥/ךְ
רָמָ֖ה
בְּ/כָל
רְחֽוֹב
וַ/תִּבְנִי
bânâh
H1129
to build
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-2fs
לָ֖/ךְ
Prep | Suff
גֶּ֑ב
gab
H1354
back/rim/brow
N-cs
וַ/תַּעֲשִׂי
ʻâsâh
H6213
to make
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-2fs
לָ֥/ךְ
Prep | Suff
רָמָ֖ה
râmâh
H7413
high place
N-fs
בְּ/כָל
kôl
H3605
all
Prep | N-ms
רְחֽוֹב
rᵉchôb
H7339
street/plaza
N-fs
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Ezekiel 16:24
וַ/תִּבְנִי
bânâh
H1129
"to build"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-2fs
The Hebrew word bânâh means to build something, like a house or a family. It can also mean to establish or repair something, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: 1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to build, rebuild 1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be built 1b2) to be rebuilt 1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.) 1b4) established (made permanent) 1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine) Aramaic equivalent: be.nah (בְּנָה "to build" H1124)
Usage: Occurs in 345 OT verses. KJV: (begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely. See also: Genesis 2:22; 1 Kings 8:48; 2 Chronicles 20:8.
לָ֖/ךְ
""
Prep | Suff
גֶּ֑ב
gab
H1354
"back/rim/brow"
N-cs
This Hebrew word describes the back or rounded part of something, like the back of a person or an object, as seen in Exodus 28:12 where it talks about the back of the ephod. It can also refer to the rim or top of something.
Definition: 1) convex surface, back 1a) back (of man) 1b) mound (for illicit worship) 1c) boss (convex projection of shield) 1d) bulwarks, breastworks (of arguments-fig.) 1e) brow, eyebrow 1f) rim (of wheel) Aramaic equivalent: gav (גַּב "back" H1355)
Usage: Occurs in 11 OT verses. KJV: back, body, boss, eminent (higher) place, (eye) brows, nave, ring. See also: Leviticus 14:9; Ezekiel 1:18; Psalms 129:3.
וַ/תַּעֲשִׂי
ʻâsâh
H6213
"to make"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-2fs
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Definition: : make(OBJECT) 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made
Usage: Occurs in 2286 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 34:19; Exodus 18:24.
לָ֥/ךְ
""
Prep | Suff
רָמָ֖ה
râmâh
H7413
"high place"
N-fs
A high place, often used for idol worship, as seen in the Old Testament.
Definition: 1) height, high place 1a) as place of illicit worship
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: high place. See also: 1 Samuel 22:6; Ezekiel 16:25; Ezekiel 16:39.
בְּ/כָל
kôl
H3605
"all"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
רְחֽוֹב
rᵉchôb
H7339
"street/plaza"
N-fs
A street or plaza, referring to a public area or open space, like a marketplace or a thoroughfare. This word is used to describe urban settings and community gathering places, often in stories about city life and trade. It appears in books like Nehemiah and Jeremiah.
Definition: broad or open place or plaza
Usage: Occurs in 41 OT verses. KJV: broad place (way), street. See also H1050 (בֵּית רְחוֹב). See also: Genesis 19:2; Proverbs 7:12; Psalms 55:12.
Study Notes — Ezekiel 16:24
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Ezekiel 16:24 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 16:24
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 16:24
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:24
- Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:24
- Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:24
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:24
- Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 16:24
- Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 16:24
- Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:24
- Sermons on Ezekiel 16:24
Context — Jerusalem’s Unfaithfulness
22And in all your abominations and acts of prostitution, you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your own blood.
23Woe! Woe to you, declares the Lord GOD. And in addition to all your other wickedness,
24you built yourself a mound and made yourself a lofty shrine in every public square.
25At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty. With increasing promiscuity, you spread your legs to all who passed by. 26You prostituted yourself with your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, and increased your promiscuity to provoke Me to anger.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 78:58 | They enraged Him with their high places and provoked His jealousy with their idols. |
| 2 | Ezekiel 16:39 | Then I will deliver you into the hands of your lovers, and they will level your mounds and tear down your lofty shrines. They will strip off your clothes, take your fine jewelry, and leave you naked and bare. |
| 3 | Ezekiel 16:31 | But when you built your mounds at the head of every street and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were not even like a prostitute, because you scorned payment. |
| 4 | Isaiah 57:7 | On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 2:20 | “For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute. |
| 6 | Ezekiel 20:28–29 | When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, presented offerings that provoked Me, sent up their fragrant incense, and poured out their drink offerings. So I asked them: ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ (And to this day it is called Bamah. ) |
| 7 | Jeremiah 3:2 | “Lift up your eyes to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been violated? You sat beside the highways waiting for your lovers, like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness. |
| 8 | 2 Kings 23:5–7 | Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven. He brought the Asherah pole from the house of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem, and there he burned it, ground it to powder, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people. He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes that were in the house of the LORD, where the women had woven tapestries for Asherah. |
| 9 | 2 Kings 21:3–7 | For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven. Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My Name.” In both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven. He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. Manasseh even took the carved Asherah pole he had made and set it up in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever. |
| 10 | 2 Chronicles 33:3–7 | For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven. Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” In both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven. He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. Manasseh even took the carved image he had made and set it up in the house of God, of which God had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever. |
Ezekiel 16:24 Summary
In Ezekiel 16:24, God is condemning the people of Israel for building shrines to idols in public places, which symbolizes their rebellion against Him. This verse reminds us that our actions have consequences and that we should prioritize our relationship with God above all else, as seen in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37-38. By reflecting on this verse, we can examine our own lives and identify potential 'idols' that may be distracting us from our devotion to God. We should strive to worship God alone and avoid the temptation to prioritize other things above our faith, as warned in 1 Corinthians 10:14.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'mound' and 'lofty shrine' being referred to in Ezekiel 16:24?
The 'mound' and 'lofty shrine' symbolize the high places where the people of Israel built altars to worship idols, as seen in Ezekiel 16:24, similar to the high places condemned in Deuteronomy 12:2-3 and Jeremiah 2:20.
How does this verse relate to the spiritual condition of the people of Israel?
This verse highlights the people's rebellion against God, as they chose to worship idols in public spaces, demonstrating their spiritual adultery, as also seen in Ezekiel 23:37 and Hosea 1:2.
What is the significance of the public square in this verse?
The public square represents a place of community gathering, and by building shrines there, the people of Israel openly defied God's command to worship Him alone, as stated in Exodus 20:3-5 and Deuteronomy 5:7-9.
How does this verse apply to Christians today?
This verse serves as a warning to Christians to avoid idolatry and to prioritize their relationship with God, as instructed in 1 Corinthians 10:14 and 1 John 5:21.
Reflection Questions
- What are some 'mounds' or 'lofty shrines' that I may have built in my own life, prioritizing other things above my relationship with God?
- How can I ensure that my public life reflects my private devotion to God, avoiding the hypocrisy seen in Ezekiel 16:24?
- In what ways can I practically apply the command to 'have no other gods before' God, as stated in Exodus 20:3, to my daily life?
- What are some potential consequences of allowing 'idols' to take precedence in my life, as seen in the story of Israel's spiritual adultery?
Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 16:24
[That] thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place,.... Or a "brothel" (k); and so the Septuagint version, "a whoring house"; not content to commit idolatry privately, they built a public place for idolatrous worship.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 16:24
That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:24
Hast also built, with great charge and pains, as those do. who build, hereby declaring thy purposes of continuing thy lewdness. Unto thee; for thyself, grown so prodigiously public, and followed with such numbers, and such great ones, that no common place was thought great enough, or stately enough. An eminent place; not only eminent for its situation, but for its structure, that it might invite men in, and have room to treat them, unless you will refer the words that follow to the manner of the building, and the former words to the height of the situation. An high place in every street; idol temples and brothel-houses were in every street; so common were these sins with the Jews; in every large street capable of and frequented with much company. This in Jerusalem and her cities.
Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:24
Ezekiel 16:24 [That] thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street.Ver. 24. That thou hast also built unto thee.] How stintless is sin, and how like is this to Jeremiah’ s preaching! An eminent place.] Or brothel house, that thy madness may appear to all men.
Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:24
(24) Built unto thee an eminent place.—The word means literally, arches. Such arched rooms were used in connection with the worship of idols for licentious purposes, and hence the translation of the margin indicates the real object of the structure, whether the word be taken in its literal sense, or spiritually, of unfaithfulness to God. In the following verse the indiscriminateness of Israel’s idolatry is expressed in the strongest terms, and then in the following verses the adoption of the idolatries of several nations in particular is specified.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:24
Verse 24. Thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place] גב gab, a stew or brothel; Vulg. lupanar; Septuag. οικημαπορνικον. So my old MS. Bible, a bordel house. "Thou hast builded thy stewes and bordell houses in every place." - Coverdale's Bible, 1535. Bordel is an Italian word: how it got so early into our language I know not. Our modern word brothel is a corruption of it. Diodati translates, Tu hai edificato un bordello, "Thou hast built a brothel." Houses of this kind were of a very ancient date.
Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 16:24
24. an eminent place] The term is used of the “back,” the “boss” of a buckler, and the like, and means something elevated to some extent and probably arched; R.V. marg. vaulted chamber. It appears to be the same thing which is called a “high place” or rather: height, or elevated place, in this verse and Ezekiel 16:25 (a different word from that usually rendered “high place”). Small shrines must be meant, as they were put in every street, and at every head of the way. If the places were arches or vaults there is no reason to suppose that they were used for literal prostitution, as A.V. marg. suggests. The language is figurative for idolatry, Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3:2.
Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 16:24
That thou ... - Render it: after that thou didst build “unto thee an eminent place,” and didst make “thee an high place in every street” - after that thou didst build “thy high place at the head of
Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:24
24. An eminent place — Rather, vaulted chamber, or dome (R.V. and Kautzsch).
Sermons on Ezekiel 16:24
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
America's Greatest Need by Russ Sukhia | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the decline of American churches in recent decades, where the focus has shifted from meaty sermons and doctrinally sound hymns to short, simpl |