Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith.

EZEKIEL 16:29KJV
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Ezekiel 16:29 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 16:29 mean?

Ezekiel 16:29 describes how Jerusalem, pictured as an unfaithful woman, kept increasing her unfaithfulness by seeking alliances and influences from the land of Canaan all the way to Chaldea, yet still found no satisfaction. The verse uses strong language to show that, despite all these pursuits, Jerusalem remained restless and unfulfilled.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the people of Jerusalem. The setting is a long rebuke where Jerusalem is compared to someone who is never content, no matter how much she chases after other nations and their ways. The mention of Canaan and Chaldea points to a wide range of foreign connections, showing just how far Jerusalem went in her search for something to satisfy her, but nothing ever did.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 16:29

  • "multiplied" (רָבָה, rabah): This word means to increase or make many. Here, it stresses how Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness kept growing and was not just a one-time event.
  • "fornication" (תַּעֲנֻת, ta'anuth): This word is often used for sexual immorality but, in this context, refers to spiritual unfaithfulness—chasing after other gods and nations.
  • "satisfied" (שָׂבַע, sava): This word means to be filled or content. Its use here highlights that, no matter how much Jerusalem sought after other nations, she never found true contentment.
  • "herewith" (זֹּאת, zot): This word means "with this" or "by this." It emphasizes that even after all these actions, Jerusalem still was not satisfied.

Why Ezekiel 16:29 matters

  • This verse makes clear that Jerusalem’s problem was not just occasional unfaithfulness, but a pattern of constantly seeking fulfillment in the wrong places, which never worked.
  • The mention of both Canaan and Chaldea shows the full range of Jerusalem’s pursuits, from nearby neighbors to distant powers, underlining the depth of her restlessness.
  • Ezekiel 16:29 connects to the larger passage, where God is laying out the reasons for His judgment—Jerusalem’s repeated and unsatisfied chasing after other nations is a key part of that charge.

Where else these words appear

“fornication” Hebrew H8457 · used in 19 verses

  • Ezekiel 16:15 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.
  • Ezekiel 16:34 And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary.
  • Ezekiel 23:17 And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them.

“herewith” Hebrew H2063 · used in 38 verses

  • Genesis 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
  • Leviticus 16:3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
  • 2 Samuel 6:22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

“Chaldea” Hebrew H3778 · used in 80 verses

  • Genesis 11:28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.
  • Jeremiah 32:4 And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;
  • Jeremiah 43:3 But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon.

“Canaan” Hebrew H3667 · used in 91 verses

  • Genesis 9:18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
  • Genesis 45:17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan;
  • Numbers 35:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;