Ezekiel 16:1-8

Revised Standard Version

God’s Faithless Bride

16 Again the word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations, ³ and say, Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite. ⁴ And as for your birth, on the day you were born your navel string was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor swathed with bands. ⁵ No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you; but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born.

⁶ “And when I passed by you, and saw you weltering in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live, ⁷ and grow up^[a] like a plant of the field.’ And you grew up and became tall and arrived at full maidenhood;^[b] your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare.

⁸ “When I passed by you again and looked upon you, behold, you were at the age for love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness: yea, I plighted my troth to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord God, and you became mine.