56 You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride,
56 Was not your sister Sodom a byword in your mouth in the day of your pride,
56 Remember the days when you were putting on airs, acting so high and mighty, looking down on sister Sodom?
56 For your sister Sodom was not a byword in your mouth in the days of your pride,
56 In your proud days you held Sodom in contempt.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:56
Commentary on Ezekiel 16:1-58
(Read Ezekiel 16:1-58)
In this chapter God's dealings with the Jewish nation, and their conduct towards him, are described, and their punishment through the surrounding nations, even those they most trusted in. This is done under the parable of an exposed infant rescued from death, educated, espoused, and richly provided for, but afterwards guilty of the most abandoned conduct, and punished for it; yet at last received into favour, and ashamed of her base conduct. We are not to judge of these expressions by modern ideas, but by those of the times and places in which they were used, where many of them would not sound as they do to us. The design was to raise hatred to idolatry, and such a parable was well suited for that purpose.