What Does Ezekiel 16:57 Mean?
Before your evil was uncovered, as at the time of your reproach by the daughters of Syria, and all who are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, who despise you round about.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about.THE KEY
The Hebrew word for “discovered” also carries the sense of being uncovered, and, in another form, sent into exile.
THE MEANING
Your wrongdoing comes into view while reproach from those around you is already present. The verse holds your exposure and their contempt together without making them the same thing.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that exposure is what first brings disgrace: reproach surrounds you before your wickedness is discovered.
THE ROOT
תִּגָּלֶה
tiggaleh
GROWS FROM
גלה
galah
To uncover or reveal; in a causative form, to carry away into exile.
“uncovered” in this verse is tiggaleh. The word rendered “discovered” pictures a covering removed, making what was hidden visible. The same root also gives a word for exile, linking uncovering with what can no longer remain hidden in its former place.
ALSO GROWS
galuy: Exposed, revealed
גָּלוּי
This branch makes the verse’s discovery an unveiling: the wrongdoing is brought into view.
golah: Exile, captivity
גּוֹלָה
This branch carries the same root into displacement, adding the sense that what is uncovered may also be removed from its former place.
THE PATTERN
What is covered can come into view, while the judgment surrounding its exposure gathers in the open.
Hatred is covered with deceit; his harm is uncovered at the appointed time in the assembly.For there is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, and nothing hidden that will not be known.Therefore, judge nothing before its season, until the Lord comes, who will light up the hidden things of darkness, and will make visible the plans of the hearts. And then the praise will come to each one from God.THE THREAD
And now I will uncover her disgrace before the eyes of her lovers, and no one will snatch her from my hand.“Discover” here also comes from גלה (galah), “to uncover, reveal.” The shared root makes exposure the hinge in both verses: what was hidden becomes visible before others.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
You can read any verse this way in the app, keep it as a card, and send it on.
A Bible app where you send verses from your keyboard and in Messages, and every verse has a Deep Dive.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us