46 "Now your older sister is Samaria , who lives north of you with her daughters ; and your younger sister , who lives south of you, is Sodom with her daughters . 47 "Yet you have not merely walked in their ways or done according to their abominations ; but, as if that were too little , you acted more corruptly in all your conduct than they. 48 "As I live ," declares the Lord GOD , "Sodom , your sister and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done . 49 "Behold , this was the guilt of your sister Sodom : she and her daughters had arrogance , abundant food and careless ease , but she did not help e the poor and needy . 50 "Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it. 51 "Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half of your sins , for you have multiplied your abominations more than they. Thus you have made your sisters appear righteous by all your abominations which you have committed . 52 "Also bear your disgrace in that you have made judgment favorable for your sisters . Because of your sins in which you acted more abominably than they, they are more in the right than you. Yes , be also ashamed and bear your disgrace , in that you made your sisters appear righteous . 53 "Nevertheless, I will restore their captivity , the captivity of Sodom and her daughters , the captivity of Samaria and her daughters , and along with them your own captivity , 54 in order that you may bear your humiliation and feel ashamed for all that you have done when you become a consolation to them. 55 "Your sisters , Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters , will return to their former state , and you with your daughters will also return to your former state . 56 "As the name of your sister Sodom was not heard from your lips in your day of pride ,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 16:46-56
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.