For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

EZEKIEL 16:59KJV
Know the Bible

Ezekiel 16:59 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 16:59 mean?

Ezekiel 16:59 means that God is declaring He will treat Jerusalem the same way Jerusalem has acted toward Him, specifically because they have broken their solemn promise and disregarded their covenant with Him. God is responding to their unfaithfulness by holding them accountable for despising the commitment they made.

In this verse, the prophet Ezekiel is relaying God’s words to the people of Jerusalem, who had entered into a covenant with God but then broke it by turning away from Him. The verse uses the language of legal agreement and betrayal, making clear that God’s response is measured and just, reflecting the seriousness of breaking a sacred oath.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 16:59

  • "despised" (בָּזָה, bazah): This word means to treat something as worthless or to look down on it. Here, it highlights how seriously God views the people’s disregard for their promise.
  • "oath" (אָ֫לָה, alah): This refers to a solemn vow or promise, especially one made before God. The use of this word shows that the people’s actions are not just a casual mistake but a violation of something sacred.
  • "breaking" (פָּרַר, parar): This word means to break, annul, or make void. It emphasizes that the covenant was not just ignored but actively broken.
  • "covenant" (בְּרִית, berit): This is a formal agreement or treaty, often used in the Bible to describe the special relationship between God and His people. The breaking of the "berit" is at the heart of God’s charge against Jerusalem.

Why Ezekiel 16:59 matters

  • This verse clarifies that God’s judgment is not arbitrary but is a direct response to the people’s own actions, specifically their betrayal of a sacred agreement.
  • It highlights the seriousness of covenants in the Bible, showing that breaking a promise to God is treated as a grave offense.
  • Ezekiel 16:59 connects to the larger context of the chapter, where Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness is compared to breaking a marriage vow, making the consequences both personal and relational.

Where else these words appear

“oath” Hebrew H423 · used in 32 verses

  • Genesis 24:41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.
  • Deuteronomy 29:21 And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law:
  • Isaiah 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

“despised” Hebrew H959 · used in 41 verses

  • Genesis 25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
  • Esther 3:6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
  • Isaiah 37:22 This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.

“breaking” Hebrew H6565 · used in 46 verses

  • Genesis 17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
  • Ezra 4:5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
  • Isaiah 24:19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.