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.