Ezekiel 16:50 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 16:50 mean?

Ezekiel 16:50 says that the people being described were proud and did things God considered deeply wrong, so God decided to remove them as He saw fit. The verse explains that their arrogance and actions led directly to their downfall by God’s judgment.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the people of Jerusalem, comparing them to the ancient city of Sodom. The context is a warning: God is reminding Jerusalem that Sodom’s pride and unacceptable behavior led to its destruction, and the same could happen to them if they follow the same path.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 16:50

• "haughty" (גָּבַהּ, gavah): This word means to be proud or lifted up, often with a sense of arrogance. Here, it highlights that their downfall began with an attitude of superiority.
• "abomination" (תּוֹעֵבָה, to'evah): This word refers to actions that are especially offensive or detestable to God. The verse singles out not just any wrongdoing, but things God finds particularly unacceptable.
• "away" (סוּר, sur): This word means to remove or turn aside. It emphasizes that God actively intervened to take them out of the picture, not just letting events happen by chance.

Why Ezekiel 16:50 matters

• This verse clarifies that pride and certain actions, not just one specific sin, led to Sodom’s destruction, correcting common misunderstandings about why God judged them.
• The verse connects the fate of Sodom to Jerusalem’s situation, warning that God’s standards and responses are consistent across time and people.
• By using strong words for pride and abomination, Ezekiel 16:50 stresses that both attitude and actions matter to God, not just outward behavior.