Ezekiel 16:31

In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of euery way, and makest thine high place in euery streete, and hast not beene as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire: Ezekiel 16:31 (KJV)

And thou hast set thy thigh upon the high places, even upon all the high places, and hast built thy high places in the streets.

Context: Ezekiel 16 contains a powerful allegory where God compares Jerusalem to an abandoned infant girl whom He finds and raises as His own.

The chapter describes the unfaithfulness of Jerusalem, using vivid imagery and metaphors to depict the city’s spiritual adultery and idolatry.

In verse 31, God rebukes Jerusalem for its actions.

Explanation: “In that thou buildest thy eminent place in the head of every way”: This phrase refers to Jerusalem’s positioning of its prominent places of worship at the intersection or the beginning of every road.

It suggests that Jerusalem set up its idols and false gods in highly visible locations, seeking to attract the attention and devotion of people passing by.

“And makest thy high place in every street”: Here, the mention of “high places” refers to locations where the people of Jerusalem erected altars and offered sacrifices to idols.

These high places were typically found on hills or elevated areas.

The verse suggests that Jerusalem had established these places of false worship throughout the city, even in the streets, making idolatry readily accessible to its inhabitants.

The phrase ‘thou hast set thy thigh upon the high places’ refers to Jerusalem’s presumptuous reliance on the numerous high places—elevated sites where idols were worshipped—throughout the land.

By saying ‘and hast built thy high places in the streets,’ the verse highlights how these sites of false worship were established openly within the city, making idolatry readily accessible to its inhabitants.

“And hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire”: The comparison to a harlot highlights Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness to God.

While a harlot typically receives payment (hire), Jerusalem scorns hire—rejecting financial gain—but still engages in spiritual adultery by forsaking God and worshiping false gods.

This behavior demonstrates a deeper level of unfaithfulness, as described in Ezekiel 16:33-34, where Jerusalem gives gifts to others instead of receiving them.

Overall, Ezekiel 16:31 serves as a rebuke to Jerusalem for its pervasive idolatry and unfaithfulness to God.

The city is condemned for actively seeking out and promoting false worship throughout its streets, demonstrating its lack of loyalty to the Lord.

It’s important to note that understanding this passage in its historical and cultural context helps to grasp the message conveyed by the prophet Ezekiel.