Ezekiel 16

Jerusalem beskrives som en utro kvinde

1 Herren sagde til mig:
2 Du menneske, mind Jerusalemt om hendes utroskab3 og sig til hende: Hør, hvad Herren siger: Du kom til verden midt i Kana'ans land. Din far var amorit og din mor hittit.t4 Da du blev født, var der ingen, der tog sig af dig. Din navlestreng blev ikke skåret over, og du blev hverken vasket, gnedet med salt eller klædt varmt på.

5 Ingen interesserede sig for dig eller havde medlidenhed med dig. Ingen hjalp dig, men du blev efterladt på åben mark for at dø. Fra den dag du blev født, var du uønsket.
6 Men jeg kom forbi og så dig ligge der og sprælle i dit eget blod, og jeg sagde: Du skal leve!

7 Jeg hjalp dig til at vokse som en plante på marken. Du udviklede dig og blev en smuk ung kvinde. Dine bryster tog form, og dit hår voksede frem. Men du var stadig nøgen og sårbar.
8 Jeg kom forbi igen og så, at du var giftefærdig. Jeg tog dig under mine vinger og skjulte din nøgenhed. Jeg lovede dig troskab og indgik en pagt med dig, og du blev min.9 Jeg skyllede blodet af dig, rensede dig i vand og salvede dig med olivenolie.10 Jeg gav dig smukke, broderede klæder af linned og silke og sandaler af det fineste skind.11 Jeg gav dig fornemme smykker: flotte armbånd, smukke halskæder,12 en ring til din næse, kostbare øreringe og et pragtfuld diadem til dit hår.13 Overmåde dejlig så du ud med al dit guld og sølv og dit broderede silke- og linnedtøj. Din mad blev tilberedt af honning, olivenolie og det fineste mel. Du var overmåde smuk og lignede en dronning.

14 Rygtet om din skønhed nåede ud til alle nationer. Det var mine gaver, som gjorde dig til det, du var.
15 Men du begyndte at stole på din skønhed i stedet for på mig. Du tilbød dig selv til enhver mand, der kom forbi, og du blev hans.16 Med dine smukke klæder udsmykkede du offerhøjene, hvor du horede med dine afguder. Aldrig har man set noget lignende.17 Du brugte de guld- og sølvsmykker, jeg forærede dig, til at lave mandsfigurer af og horede med dem.18 Du brugte det smukt broderede tøj, jeg gav dig, til at hylle dine afguder i, og du ofrede min olivenolie og røgelse til dem.19 Endog den mad, jeg gav dig, som var tilberedt af fint hvedemel, olie og honning, satte du frem som et offer til dem.20 Og som om det ikke var nok, slagtede du også de sønner og døtre, du havde født mig, og ofrede dem som føde til dine afguder. Var det ikke tilstrækkeligt, at du horede med dem?21 Var det også nødvendigt at slå mine børn ihjel og ofre dem til dine elskere?

22 I al den tid du syndede og var mig utro, tænkte du ikke på, at du engang lå nøgen og hjælpeløs og sprællede i dit eget blod.
23 Ak, du er dømt, siger jeg, Herren, for ud over al denne ondskab24 byggede du afgudsaltre på alle torvepladser,25 hvor du prostituerede dig selv og din skønhed og spredte ben for enhver mand, som kom forbi.

26 Selv din fede nabo, Egypten, horede du med. Al din utroskab gjorde mig umådelig vred.
27 Derfor greb jeg ind for at straffe dig. Jeg tog min velsignelse fra dig og gjorde dig til bytte for filistrene. Selv de skammer sig over din opførsel.28 Også assyrerne bedrev du hor med, for du kunne aldrig få stillet dit begær efter flere afguder.29 Du solgte dig selv til den store handelsnation, Babylonien, men heller ikke det tilfredsstillede dig.30 Du må have et sygt hjerte, siden du kunne gøre alt det. Du er en skamløs luder,31 der bygger afgudsaltre på gadehjørnerne og på alle torvepladser. Ja, du er endnu værre end en luder, for du gjorde det ikke engang for betaling.32 Du er som en utro hustru, der hellere hengiver sig til andre mænd end til sin ægtemand.33 Det plejer at være mændene, der betaler en prostitueret, men med dig er det omvendt, for du opsøger mændene og giver dem gaver, for at de skal komme til dig.

34 Derfor er du anderledes. Du betalte selv for din prostitution i stedet for at modtage betaling.
35 Åh, din prostituerede stakkel, hør, hvad Herren siger til dig:36 Fordi du blottede dig for alle dine mange elskere og ofrede dine børns blod til dine afskyelige afgudsbilleder,37 vil jeg nu kalde de elskere sammen, som du har ligget med, både dem du elskede, og dem du hadede, og jeg vil rive tøjet af dig for øjnene af dem, så din nøgenhed kan ses af alle og enhver.38 Jeg vil give dig den straf, som en horkvinde eller morder kan forvente, både ydmygelse og død.39 Jeg giver dig i nabofolkenes magt, og de vil nedrive dine offerhøje og afgudsaltre. De vil flå tøjet af dig, tage dine smukke juveler fra dig og efterlade dig nøgen.

40-41 De vil kalde pøbelen sammen og stene dig, hugge dig ned med sværdet, brænde dine huse og straffe dig for øjnene af andre kvinder. Jeg vil sætte en stopper for dit afguderi, og aldrig mere skal du betale dine elskere for at hore med dig.
42 Jeg lader min vrede ramme dig, indtil min harme stilner af.

43 Du får løn som forskyldt, fordi du glemte din ungdoms kærlighed og krænkede mig med din ufattelige afgudsdyrkelse, siger jeg, Herren.
44 Som mor, så datter, vil man sige om dig,

45 for du ligner din mor. Hun brød sig hverken om sin mand eller sine børn. Du og dine søstre handler nøjagtig lige sådan, for I bryder jer hverken om mand eller børn. Jeres mor var hetit, og jeres far amorit.
46 Din storesøster, Samaria, boede med sine døtret mod nord. Din lillesøster, Sodoma, og hendes døtre boede mod syd.

47 Ikke alene gjorde du som dem, men i løbet af kort tid overgik du dem med hensyn til ugudelige handlinger.
48 Så sandt som jeg lever, siger Herren: Sodomas og hendes døtres ondskab kom aldrig på højde med din og dine døtres.49 Din søster Sodoma og hendes døtre var stolte og levede i overflod og luksus, men hjalp aldrig de fattige og nødlidende.

50 De var selviske og begik afskyelige handlinger for øjnene af mig. Derfor fjernede jeg dem fra jordens overflade.
51 Samaria syndede groft, men kun halvt så meget som dig. Du har begået langt flere afskyelige handlinger end dine søstre,52 og derfor får du også en værre straf end dem. I sammenligning med dine synder er dine søstres synder småting. Du får dem til at se helt uskyldige ud!53-55 Derfor bliver den straf, som overgår dig, værre end deres, og det bringer dem en vis trøst. Der kommer en tid, hvor jeg vil jeg genoprette Sodoma med hendes døtre og Samaria med hendes døtre, og jeg vil også genoprette Juda. Til den tid vil du skamme dig over alle de synder, du har begået.56 Dengang du var stolt af dig selv, så du ned på din søster Sodoma,57 for da var din ondskab endnu ikke blevet afsløret. Men nu er den afsløret, og nu er det din tur til at blive set ned på af Edoms døtre og naboer, filistrenes døtre og alle andre nabofolk.

58 Det er konsekvensen af alle dine modbydelige handlinger, siger jeg, Herren.
59 Jeg giver dig løn som fortjent, for du tog ikke pagten alvorligt, men brød rask væk dine løfter.60 Men jeg glemmer ikke den pagt, jeg indgik med dig i din ungdom, og jeg vil oprette en ny og evig pagt med dig.61 Til den tid vil du med skam mindes al den ondskab, du har begået, specielt når du får dine søstre Sodoma og Samaria tilbage og jeg gør dem til dine døtre, selv om det ikke er en del af min pagt med dig.62 Når jeg opretter min nye pagt med dig, vil du indse, at jeg er Herren,

63 og du vil skamfuldt holde dig for munden, når du tager imod min tilgivelse for alt det onde, du har gjort, siger jeg, Herren.

Ezekiel 16

God’s Unfaithful Bride

1 The word of the Lord came to me:2 “Son of man, confront Jerusalems with her abominable practices3 and say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.4 As for your birth, on the day you were born your umbilical cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water;t you were certainly not rubbed down with salt, nor wrapped with blankets.s

5 No eye took pity on you to do even one of these things for you to spare you;s you were thrown out into the open fields because you were detested on the day you were born.
6 “‘I passed by you and saw you kicking around helplessly in your blood. I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!” I said to you as you lay there in your blood, “Live!”s

7 I made you plentiful like sprouts in a field; you grew tall and came of age so that you could wear jewelry. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, but you were still naked and bare.

8 “‘Then I passed by you and watched you, noticingt that you had reached the age for love.t I spread my cloakt over you and covered your nakedness. I swore a solemn oath to you and entered into a marriage covenant with you, declares the sovereign Lord, and you became mine.
9 “‘Then I bathed you in water, washed the blood off you, and anointed you with fragrant oil.10 I dressed you in embroidered clothing and put fine leather sandals on your feet. I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk.11 I adorned you with jewelry. I put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck.12 I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.13 You were adorned with gold and silver, while your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidery. You ate the finest flour, honey, and olive oil. You became extremely beautiful and attained the position of royalty.

14 Your famet spread among the nations because of your beauty; your beauty was perfect because of the splendor which I bestowed on you, declares the sovereign Lord.s
15 “‘But you trusted in your beauty and capitalized on your fame by becoming a prostitute. You offered your sexual favors to every man who passed by so that your beautyt became his.16 You took some of your clothing and made for yourself decorated high places; you engaged in prostitution on them. You went to him to become his.s17 You also took your beautiful jewelry, made of my gold and my silver I had given to you, and made for yourself male images and engaged in prostitutiont with them.18 You took your embroidered clothing and used it to cover them; you offered my olive oil and my incense to them.

19 As for my food that I gave you – the fine flour, olive oil, and honey I fed you – you placed it before them as a soothing aroma. That is exactly what happened, declares the sovereign Lord.
20 “‘You took your sons and your daughters whom you bore to me and you sacrificed thems as food for the idols to eat. As if your prostitution not enough,21 you slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols.t

22 And with all your abominable practices and prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, kicking around in your blood.
23 “‘After all of your evil – “Woe! Woe to you!” declares the sovereign Lord –24 you built yourself a chambert and put up a paviliont in every public square.25 At the head of every street you erected your pavilion and you disgracedt your beauty when you spreadt your legs to every passerby and multiplied your promiscuity.26 You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your sexually aroused neighbors,t multiplying your promiscuity and provoking me to anger.27 So see here, I have stretched out my hand against you and cut off your rations. I have delivered you into the power of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed by your obscene conduct.28 You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians because your sexual desires were insatiable; you prostituted yourself with them and yet you were still not satisfied.

29 Then you multiplied your promiscuity to the land of merchants, Babylonia,t but you were not satisfied there either.
30 “‘How sick is your heart, declares the sovereign Lord, when you perform all of these acts, the deeds of a bold prostitute.

31 When you built your chamber at the head of every street and put up your pavilion in every public square, you were not like a prostitute, because you scoffed at payment.t
32 “‘Adulterous wife, who prefers strangers instead of her own husband!33 All prostitutes receive payment,t but instead you give gifts to every one of your lovers. You bribe them to come to you from all around for your sexual favors!

34 You were different from other prostitutest because no one solicited you. When you gave payment and no payment was given to you, you became the opposite!
35 “‘Therefore O prostitute, hear the word of the Lord:36 This is what the sovereign Lord says: Because your lustt was poured out and your nakedness was uncovered in your prostitution with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children you have given to them,37 therefore, take note: I am about to gather all your lovers whom you enjoyed, both all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around, and I will expose your nakedness to them, and they will see all your nakedness.s38 I will punish you as an adulteress and murderer deserves.t I will avenge your bloody deeds with furious rage.t39 I will give you into their hands and they will destroy your chambers and tear down your pavilions. They will strip you of your clothing and take your beautiful jewelry and leave you naked and bare.40 They will summon a mob who will stone you and hack you in pieces with their swords.41 They will burn down your houses and execute judgments on you in front of many women. Thus I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer give gifts to your clients.t

42 I will exhaust my rage on you, and then my fury will turn from you. I will calm down and no longer be angry.

43 “‘Because you did not remember the days of your youth and have enraged me with all these deeds, I hereby repay you for what you have done,t declares the sovereign Lord. Have you not engaged in prostitution on top of all your other abominable practices?
44 “‘Observe – everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.”45 You are the daughter of your mother, who detested her husband and her sons, and you are the sister of your sisters who detested their husbands and their sons. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.46 Your older sister was Samaria, who lived northt of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived southt of you, was Sodoms with her daughters.47 Have you not copied their behaviort and practiced their abominable deeds? In a short timet you became even more depraved in all your conduct than they were!

48 As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.
49 “‘See here – this was the iniquityt of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had majesty, abundance of food, and enjoyed carefree ease, but they did not helpt the poor and needy.50 They were haughty and practiced abominable deeds before me. Therefore when I saw it I removed them.51 Samaria has not committed half the sins you have; you have done more abominable deeds than they did.t You have made your sisters appear righteous with all the abominable things you have done.

52 So now, bear your disgrace, because you have given your sisters reason to justify their behavior.t Because the sins you have committed were more abominable than those of your sisters; they have become more righteous than you. So now, be ashamed and bear the disgrace of making your sisters appear righteous.
53 “‘I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters (along with your fortunes among them),54 so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in consoling them.55 As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former status, Samaria and her daughters will be restored to their former status, and you and your daughters will be restored to your former status.56 In your days of majesty,t was not Sodom your sister a byword in your mouth,57 before your evil was exposed? Now you have become an object of scorn to the daughters of Arams and all those around her and to the daughters of the Philistines – those all around you who despise you.

58 You must bear your punishment for your obscene conduct and your abominable practices, declares the Lord.
59 “‘For this is what the sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you according to what you have done when you despised your oath by breaking your covenant.60 Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a lastingt covenant with you.61 Then you will remember your conduct, and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on account of my covenant with you.62 I will establish my covenant with you, and then you will know that I am the Lord.

63 Then you will remember, be ashamed, and remain silentt when I make atonement for all you have done,t declares the sovereign Lord.’”