Ezekiel 16:58 — Word Study
WLCאֶת־ זִמָּתֵ֥ךְ וְאֶת־ תּוֹעֲבוֹתַ֖יִךְ אַ֣תְּ נְשָׂאתִ֑ים נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃ ס
BSA◂Youʼattâh [as the one responsible] ◂will bear the consequencesnâsâʼ■ [experience, suffer, punishment, penalty] of your lewdnesszimmâh [immorality, wickedness] andʼêth your abominationstôwʻêbah [detestable things, disgusting practices] declaresnᵉʼum [says, utters] the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| זִמָּתֵ֥ךְ | licentiousness your | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| תּוֹעֲבוֹתַ֖יִךְ | abominations your | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| אַ֣תְּ | you | Pronoun |
| נְשָׂאתִ֑ים | you will bear them | Verb qal perfect second person feminine singular, suffix |
| נְאֻ֖ם | [the] utterance of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| יְהוָֽה׃ ס | Yahweh | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the LORD. |
| KJV | Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD. |
| ASV | Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith Jehovah. |
| YLT | Thy devices and thine abominations, Thou hast borne them, an affirmation of Jehovah. |
| WEB | You have borne your lewdness and your abominations,” says Yahweh. |
| BBE | The reward of your evil designs and your disgusting ways has come on you, says the Lord. |
Where they part company is זִמָּה and תּוֹעֵבַה — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with two noun phrases and a declaring clause, emphasizing the direct relationship between the subject and the consequences.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֵת
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezekiel 16:58
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Consequences of Wickednessgenerated
Ezekiel 16:58 addresses the consequences that arise from the people's immoral actions and abominations. The chapter emphasizes the severity of their sins and the inevitable repercussions they will face as a result of their choices. This warning serves as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His people, highlighting the importance of faithfulness to His commands.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 23:49 | They will repay you for your indecency, and you will bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’” |
| 2 | Genesis 4:13 | But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. |
| 3 | Lamentations 5:7 | Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their punishment. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — זִמָּה, zimmahgenerated
The noun זִמָּה (zimmah) refers to wickedness or lewdness, encompassing various forms of moral wrongdoing, including adultery and idolatry. Its root conveys the idea of plotting or devising evil intentions.
This word is used to describe the corrupt plans and actions that lead to spiritual and moral decay. In this verse, it signifies the specific immoral behaviors for which the people will be held accountable.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in the verse is נְשָׂאתִי (nasa'), meaning 'you will bear,' which governs the subject אַתְּ (at) and the objects זִמָּה and תּוֹעֲבוֹת. The structure indicates that the subject is directly responsible for the actions described.
The Hebrew word order emphasizes the subject first, followed by the consequences, which highlights the direct relationship between the actions and their repercussions.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates זִמָּה as σου (sou), meaning 'your,' which maintains the personal address to the people regarding their immoral actions. This choice reflects the same accountability as in the Hebrew text.
For תּוֹעֵבַה, the Septuagint uses σου, again emphasizing the personal nature of the abominations committed by the people.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezekiel 16:58 tells us that the people will face the consequences of their lewdness and abominations, as declared by the LORD. This verse serves as a warning about the repercussions of immoral actions and emphasizes the accountability of the people for their behavior.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To bear the consequences means to experience the punishment or penalty for one's immoral actions, which in this context refers to the wickedness described.
Examples include idolatry, sexual immorality, and other practices that are considered morally unacceptable according to God's standards.
God declares these consequences to emphasize the seriousness of sin and to call the people to repentance and accountability for their actions.
This verse highlights the importance of faithfulness to God's covenant, indicating that unfaithfulness leads to serious consequences.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I can recognize and avoid lewdness in my own life?
- How can understanding the consequences of my actions help me make better choices?
- In what ways can I encourage others to be accountable for their actions?
- How does this verse challenge me to reflect on my relationship with God and my commitment to His ways?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 16:58 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations,.... Openly and publicly; their abominable iniquities were written as it were upon their foreheads, and were to be seen of all men; their sin was
Read John Gill on Ezekiel 16 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD. Thou hast borne thy lewdness - i:e., the punishment of it (Ezekiel 23:49). I do not treat thee with excessive rigour.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 16 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhat thou hast done I have imputed to thee; thou wilt not repent, therefore I account thee guilty, and I have in part punished thee; and though what I have done seem grievous, yet worse is behind, as .
Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 16 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzekiel 16:58 Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD.Ver. 58. Thou hast borne thy lewdness,] i.e., The punishment of it, and yet art little the better. See Isaiah 9:13.
Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 16 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges58. This and the preceding verses assume the destruction of Jerusalem, of which the prophet was fully assured.
Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 16 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible58. Thou hast borne — Rather, thou must bear. Her sins will fall upon her as a crushing punishment. (See notes Ezekiel 14:5; Ezekiel 14:9.)
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 16 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the LORD.
You have borne your lewdness and your abominations,” says Yahweh.
You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the LORD.
You must bear your punishment for your obscene conduct and your abominable practices, declares the Lord.
Tyndale line
Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD.
Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith Jehovah.
Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD.
Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thy abominations, saith the LORD.
Thou hast borne therefore thy wickednesse and thine abomination, saith the Lord.
Strictly literal
Thy lewdness and thine abominations, thou bearest them, saith Jehovah.
Thy devices and thine abominations, Thou hast borne them, an affirmation of Jehovah.
Your wicked plans and your abominations, || You have borne them, a declaration of YHWH.
Thy incest and thy abominations,—thou thyself hadst to bear them, saith the Lord.
You will show your shame and your disgusting actions!—this is Yahweh's declaration!
From the Latin
Thou hast borne thy wickedness, and thy disgrace, saith the Lord God.
Simplified
You will have to experience the consequences of your immorality and your disgusting practices, declares the Lord.
The reward of your evil designs and your disgusting ways has come on you, says the Lord.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text aligns closely with the Septuagint, with 6 of the 8 words matched. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but it conveys the same essential message about the consequences of wickedness.
אֶת־ זִמָּתֵ֥ךְ וְאֶת־ תּוֹעֲבוֹתַ֖יִךְ אַ֣תְּ נְשָׂאתִ֑ים נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃ ס
6 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezekiel 16:58
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Conj | DirObjM — ParticleHTo
זִמָּה (zimmah) refers to a plan or device, particularly one that is wicked or malicious. It encompasses meanings related to evil intentions, such as lewdness and mischief. The term is derived from a root meaning to plot or devise, and it captures various forms of moral wrongdoing, including adultery and idolatry.
זִמָּה n.f. plan, device, wickedness
base
H2154 זִמָּה plan, device, wickedness
2154 zimmah zim-maw'
or zammah {zam-maw'}; from 2161; a plan, especially a bad
one:--heinous crime, lewd(-ly, -ness), mischief, purpose,
thought, wicked (device, mind, -ness).
see HEBREW for 02161
זִמָּה (zim.mah) — wickedness.
1) plan, device, wickedness, evil plan, mischievous purpose
1a) plan, purpose
1b) evil device, wickedness
1c) not chaste, incest, licentiousness, adultery, idolatry, harlotry
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp2fs
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
תּוֹעֵבַה (tow`ebah) means 'abomination' and refers to something morally disgusting. It can denote idolatry, unclean food, or ethical wickedness. The word is built from a feminine active participle of another root, and its usage encompasses both ritual and ethical contexts.
תּוֹעֵבַה 117 n.f. abomination
base
H8441 תּוֹעֵבַה abomination
8441 tow`ebah to-ay-baw'
or tonebah {to-ay-baw'}; feminine active participle of 8581;
properly, something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an
abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol:--
abominable (custom, thing), abomination.
see HEBREW for 08581
תּוֹעֵבַה (to.e.vah) — abomination.
1) a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable
1a) in ritual sense (of unclean food, idols, mixed marriages)
1b) in ethical sense (of wickedness etc)
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp2fs
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
Pron — PronounHPp2fs
The Hebrew word נָשָׂא (nasa') means to lift, carry, or take, encompassing a wide range of applications both literal and figurative. It can refer to actions like bearing burdens, taking away, or being exalted. The entries indicate various forms and uses, including the ability to lift oneself up or cause others to bear iniquity. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take
Qal
lift, lift up
Bear, carry
Take, take away
Niph.
be lifted up
refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment
be borne, carried
be taken away, carried off
Pi.
lift up = exalt
fig. = desire, long
carry, bear continuously
take, take away
Hithp. lift oneself up
Hiph.
cause one to bear iniquity
appar. cause to bring, have brought
base
H5375 נָשָׂא lift, carry, take .. lift, lift up
. Bear, carry
. Take, take away
. . be lifted up
. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment
. be borne, carried
. be taken away, carried off
. . lift up = exalt
. fig. = desire, long
. carry, bear continuously
. take, take away
. lift oneself up
. . cause one to bear iniquity
. appar. cause to bring, have brought
5375 nasa' naw-saw'
or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to
lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and
figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--accept, advance,
arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring
(forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease,
exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further,
give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable (+ man), lade,
lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain,
pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare,
stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.
see HEBREW for 04
see HEBREW for 06
see HEBREW for 07
נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: raise.
: raise/take_up
1) to lift, bear up, carry, take
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lift, lift up
1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure
1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted
1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up
1b3) to be borne, be carried
1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist
1c2) to desire, long (fig.)
1c3) to carry, bear continuously
1c4) to take, take away
1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)
1e2) to cause to bring, have brought
נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: bear.
: look/lift(eyes)
1) to lift, bear up, carry, take
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lift, lift up
1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure
1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted
V-Qal-Perf-2fs | Suff — Verb qal perfect second person feminine singular · suffixHVqp2fs/Sp3mp
The Hebrew word נְאֻם (*n'um*) means 'utterance' or 'oracle,' derived from the root meaning 'to say.' It refers to declarations, often made by prophets, particularly in ecstatic states or preceding divine names. The entries consistently highlight its prophetic context without significant disagreement.
נְאֻם 376 n.m. utterance
base
H5002 נְאֻם utterance
5002 n'um neh-oom'
from 5001; an oracle:--(hath) said, saith.
see HEBREW for 05001
נְאֻם (ne.um) — utterance.
1) (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet)
1a) utterance, declaration, revelation (of prophet in ecstatic state)
1b) utterance, declaration (elsewhere always preceding divine name)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt