Ezekiel 16:44

“Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.”

Where the Verse Sits

The preceding line reads “Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord God: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.” The titled verse reads “Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.” The following line reads “Thou art thy mother's daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite.” Together, these lines place Ezekiel 16:44 within its immediate canonical and literary sequence.

What the Text Says

The verse belongs to prophetic or apocalyptic Scripture. Its meaning is governed by the speaker, audience, warning, promise, vision, or historical circumstance established by the passage.

The sentence centres on “Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.” The wording sets the subject and the limits of interpretation.

Why It Matters

Prophetic Scripture joins divine authority to concrete people and events. A faithful study therefore follows the emphasis of the prophetic message and keeps the authentic wording in view.

For Reflection

Readers should listen first for the claim the verse actually makes, then consider the response its setting calls for—such as repentance, faith, endurance, hope, or worship—without claiming more than the text establishes.

Taken within its immediate setting, Ezekiel 16:44 has a clear place in the passage. Careful attention to its actual words provides a sound foundation for interpretation.