Ezekiel 16:10 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 16:10 mean?

Ezekiel 16:10 pictures God giving Jerusalem fine clothing and footwear, as a person might dress someone held in high regard. The costly materials show the care and honor God gives the city in the story.

God speaks of Jerusalem as a woman. After describing how he cared for her, he now describes dressing her in decorated garments, fine linen, and silk. The image prepares the reader for the account of Jerusalem’s beauty and prominence that follows.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 16:10

• “broidered work” — רִקְמָה (riqmah): This means decorated or embroidered work. The word suggests fabric made attractive with skill, rather than plain cloth.
• “badgers’ skin” — תַּחַשׁ (taḥash): This refers to an animal skin used as a material. The animal’s identity is uncertain, so the KJV’s “badgers’ skin” is one possible rendering.
• “silk” — מֶשִׁי (meshi): This word is often understood to mean a fine fabric. Its exact material is uncertain, though the setting points to a costly covering.

Why Ezekiel 16:10 matters

• The clothing marks a change in Jerusalem’s place in the story. The city is pictured first as an abandoned child and later as a woman dressed in costly things.
• The gifts become important to the account that follows. In verses 15–19, Jerusalem uses her beauty and gifts in ways that God condemns, making the earlier care part of the contrast.