Ezekiel 16:21 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 16:21 mean?

Ezekiel 16:21 describes God’s accusation against Jerusalem for killing His children and offering them as sacrifices by making them “pass through the fire.” This verse points to the practice of child sacrifice, which God condemns as a grave betrayal.

In this chapter, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the people of Jerusalem, comparing the city to an unfaithful woman who has turned to idolatry. The “children” are understood as the people’s own sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to pagan gods—specifically by burning them, a practice associated with worship of deities like Molech. The verse highlights the depth of Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness and the horror of these actions.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 16:21

• “slain” (שָׁחַט, shachat): This word means to slaughter or kill, often used in the context of ritual sacrifice. Here, it emphasizes that the children were not just killed but offered up in a religious ritual, underscoring the seriousness of the crime.
• “children” (בֵּן, ben): While this word simply means “son” or “child,” in this context it refers specifically to the children of Israel. The use of this word makes the accusation deeply personal, as these are not strangers but the people’s own offspring.
• “delivered” (נָתַן, natan): This verb means to give or hand over. It stresses that the people actively handed over their children for sacrifice, not just passively allowing it to happen.
• “through” (עָבַר, avar): This word means to pass over or through. In this verse, it refers to the ritual of making children “pass through the fire,” a phrase commonly associated with child sacrifice in the ancient Near East.

Why Ezekiel 16:21 matters

• This verse clarifies that the child sacrifices condemned here were not just isolated acts but were seen by God as a betrayal of His relationship with His people, since He calls the children “my children.”
• The verse connects to the larger theme of Ezekiel 16, where Jerusalem’s idolatry is described in vivid and personal terms, showing the emotional weight of the people’s actions from God’s perspective.
• Understanding the original words helps readers see the deliberate and active nature of the people’s choices, highlighting the seriousness of their departure from God’s ways.