Ezekiel 16:46 · Bible study
Ezekiel 16:46 Commentary: Sisters in Sin
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why God calls Sodom and Samaria Jerusalem's sisters, and how this ranking exposes the depth of Judah's corruption and self-righteous pride.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God declares that Jerusalem's sin exceeds even that of its infamous neighbors Samaria and Sodom, using a family metaphor to shame and call to repentance.
- Key words: 'elder' vs 'younger', political/moral status, not age; 'sister', shared covenant heritage and corruption; 'left/right', compass directions from temple orientation.
- Main debate: Whether Sodom here is a symbol for Moab/Ammon (Clarke) or the literal city destroyed in Genesis (most commentators).
- Theological theme: Greater privilege brings greater accountability; self-righteousness blinds us to the depth of our own sin.
- Best use: A sobering warning against spiritual pride and a call to examine whether we are more like the sisters we judge.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to your north; and your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to your south.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells at your left hand, she and her daughters; and your younger sister, who dwells at your right hand, is Sodom with her daughters.
KJV King James Version 1769
And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And thine elder sister is Samaria, that dwelleth at thy left hand, she and her daughters; and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters, Who is dwelling at thy left hand, And thy younger sister, who is dwelling on thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And thine elder sister is Samaria that dwelleth at thy left hand, she and her daughters; and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And thy elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister that dwelleth at thy right hand is Sodom, and her daughters.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y tu hermana mayor es Samaria con su hijas, la cual habita á tu mano izquierda; y tu hermana la menor que tú es Sodoma con sus hijas, la cual habita á tu mano derecha.
E tua irmã maior é Samaria, ela e suas filhas, a qual habita à tua esquerda; e tua irmã menor que tu é Sodoma com suas filhas, a qual habita à tua direita.
Ta grande sœur, qui demeure à ta gauche, c’ est Samarie avec ses filles; et ta petite sœur, qui demeure à ta droite, c’ est Sodome avec ses filles.
Samaria ist dein große Schwester mit ihren Töchtern, die dir zur Linken wohnt; und Sodom ist deine kleine Schwester mit ihren Töchtern, die dir zur Rechten wohnt;
Uw grote zuster nu is Samaria, zij en haar dochteren, dewelke woont aan uw linkerhand; maar uw zuster, die kleiner is dan gij, die tegen uw rechterhand woont, is Sodom en haar dochteren.
La tua sorella maggiore, che ti sta a sinistra, è Samaria, con le sue figliuole; e la tua sorella minore, che ti sta a destra, è Sodoma, con le sue figliuole.
Ale siostra twoja starsza, która siedzi po lewicy twojej, jest Samaryja i córki jej; a siostra twoja młodsza niż ty, która siedzi po prawicy twojej, jest Sodoma i córki jej.
Большая же сестра твоя - Самария, с дочерями своими живущая влево от тебя; а меньшая сестра твоя, живущая от тебя вправо, есть Содома с дочерями ее.
你的姊姊 是撒馬利亞，她 和她的眾女 住 在 你左邊；你的 妹妹 是所多瑪，她和她的眾女 住 在你右邊。
Your older sister is Samaria, living at your left hand, she and her daughters: and your younger sister, living at your right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse uses a family metaphor to humiliate Jerusalem. Samaria, the northern kingdom, is called the 'elder sister' because of its greater size and political importance (Cambridge Bible; Gill). Sodom, smaller and older in history, is the 'younger sister.' The directions correspond to facing east, as the temple did: north on the left, south on the right (Barnes; Wesley). 'Her daughters' refers to subordinate towns or villages (Gill; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). The shocking point is not that Jerusalem is compared to these notoriously wicked cities, but that in the following verses (v.47, 52) God declares Jerusalem more corrupt than both. Matthew Henry notes that Sodom and Samaria become 'righteous' by comparison, a stinging rebuke meant to break Judah's pride.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal Sodom view: The context consistently refers to historical cities; v.49–50 describe Sodom's actual sins (pride, neglecting the poor), matching Genesis 18–19.
- Symbolic/offspring view: Clarke argues literal Sodom existed before Jerusalem, so 'younger sister' is problematic; he suggests the reference is to Moab/Ammon, Sodom's descendants via Lot.
What is clear: No matter which view of Sodom, the central claim is undisputed: Jerusalem's sin is so great that it surpasses the worst examples in Israel's memory, exposing the depth of their rebellion.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Jerusalem's sin compared to Sodom and Samaria | All traditions agree that the verse deliberately ranks Jerusalem as worse than these notoriously wicked cities, aiming to break its pride. | Some (Clarke) argue Sodom here represents the Moabites and Ammonites, not the ancient city, because of chronological issues. Most take it as literal Sodom, emphasizing the graphic shock of the comparison. |
| Meaning of 'elder' and 'younger' | Commentators agree the terms refer to comparative greatness in power and territory, not literal age (Cambridge, Gill). | Grotius (via JFB) argues 'elder' means older in time; most side with 'greater' in political importance, noting Samaria was larger and more powerful than Judah. |
| Left/right directions | All major sources agree that facing east gives north on the left, south on the right, consistent with temple orientation (Barnes, Wesley, Cambridge). | No significant debate: this is a shared cultural assumption of the ancient Near East. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ezekiel prophesied to the exiles in Babylon after 597 BC, before the final fall of Jerusalem in 586. This chapter (Ezekiel 16) is an extended allegory of Jerusalem as God's unfaithful bride. Verse 46 sits within a section (vv.44, 52) where the prophet mocks the common proverb 'Like mother, like daughter', turning it against the city.
Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, destroyed by Assyria in 722 BC. Its territory was larger, its population greater, hence 'elder' implies political weight, not age (Wesley; Cambridge). Sodom was the ancient city destroyed by fire from heaven in Abraham's day (Genesis 19:24, 25), a byword for wickedness. For Jerusalem to be called a sister to these places is already insulting. But the geography reinforces the shame: from the temple's east-facing orientation, Samaria lies north (left), Sodom south (right). Jerusalem stands between them, morally worse than both.
The phrase 'daughter' for surrounding towns was common in ancient Near Eastern treaty language, where a capital city was the 'mother' with dependent villages as 'daughters' (Cambridge; Gill). This family tree, Hittite mother, Amorite father (v.45), reminds Jerusalem that its own origins were pagan, so their behavior is simply reverting to kind. The historical shock is that the covenant people have sunk below cities known for divine judgment.
One interpretive question is whether 'Sodom' here stands for the original city or for the Moabites and Ammonites, Lot's descendants who lived in the region (Clarke suggests this). Most commentators, however, treat it as the literal Sodom, arguing that the context demands the most notorious example.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentary sources note no significant textual variants for Ezekiel 16:46. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscript traditions, with only minor differences in English renderings (e.g., 'dwell' vs 'lived,' 'left' vs 'north'). None affect the theological meaning.
Reception History
This verse has typically been read within the broader allegory of Ezekiel 16 as a severe warning against covenant unfaithfulness. Early church fathers such as Jerome used it to argue that greater knowledge of God brings greater judgment if rejected. Reformation-era commentators (Geneva Bible, Matthew Henry) focused on the shock that God's chosen people could become worse than pagans, a pattern applied to any generation that receives grace lightly. In modern evangelical preaching, v.46, 52 is often cited to confront self-righteousness, the danger of comparing ourselves to 'worse' sinners. The family metaphor, sisters in sin, has also been used in discussions on corporate guilt and communal accountability. No major creed or liturgy directly quotes this verse, but its echo appears in hymns that contrast mercy and judgment.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Shocking Family Tree: God names Jerusalem's sisters, Samaria and Sodom. These are not honorable relatives but objects of divine judgment. The point: privilege does not guarantee purity.
- The Upside-Down Ranking: Jerusalem should be the most righteous, yet it becomes the most corrupt (v.47). Sin is measured not just by action but by light received.
- The Purpose of Shame: God exposes sin not to destroy but to restore (see vv.53, 55, where restoration is promised). Confession opens the door to grace.
Five-point outline
- Family Resemblance: Jerusalem shares a moral lineage with Samaria and Sodom, both descended from pagan roots.
- Geography of Shame: Left and right are not neutral directions; they locate Jerusalem as the middle sister, surrounded by examples of judgment.
- Worse Than Sodom: A direct claim that provokes disbelief, how could God's chosen city be more sinful than a city destroyed by fire?
- Self-Righteousness Exposed: Judah had judged Samaria and looked down on Sodom, but God reverses the verdict.
- Hope Beyond Judgment: The same chapter (v.60, 63) ends with an everlasting covenant, shame is not the final word.
Illustration hooks
- Family reunions: Most of us have that relative we prefer not to claim. Here, God names Jerusalem's embarrassing sisters on purpose.
- Moral rankings: We tend to think our society is not as bad as the 'worst' cases (violent regimes, historical atrocities). This passage warns that the measure is not comparison but the light we have received.
- Directions of the heart: Standing at the temple, facing east, Jerusalem literally had Samaria on one side and Sodom on the other. Their lives should have faced God, but they turned to their sisters' sins.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can a covenant people be worse than Sodom? Does God really mean that literally?
- Are we better than others because we go to church, or does greater privilege mean greater accountability?
- Is it possible to be self-righteous about our own repentance, comparing ourselves to 'worse' sinners to feel better?
Leading a Discussion
This verse names Jerusalem's sisters as Sodom and Samaria, but the shock is that Jerusalem is declared more corrupt than both. As you study, let the text expose any hidden pride in your own heart, the temptation to think you are not as bad as others.
Discussion questions
- Read Ezekiel 16:44, 52. What family relationships does God assign to Jerusalem, and why would that be offensive to the original hearers?
- Why does God call Samaria the 'elder' sister and Sodom the 'younger'? What do those terms imply beyond age? (Hint: see how the commentators explain 'greater.')
- The temple faced east, so Samaria was 'left' (north) and Sodom 'right' (south). How does this physical orientation reinforce the message?
- Verse 47 says Jerusalem was 'more corrupt' than Samaria and Sodom. By what standard is this judgment made? (Compare with the sins listed in v.49, 50.)
- How might the people of Judah have felt about being compared to Sodom? Where do you see similar self-righteous attitudes in your own life or community?
- God uses shame to provoke repentance, not despair. Read verses 60, 63. How does the promise of a 'covenant' change the tone of the chapter?
- In what ways can we today be guilty of greater sin not because of worse actions but because of the light we have rejected?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 13:10 | Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar. |
| Genesis 13:11 | So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves from one another. |
| Genesis 13:13 | Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against Yahweh. |
| Genesis 14:8 | The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim |
| Genesis 18:20 | Yahweh said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, |
| Genesis 18:33 | Yahweh went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. |
| Genesis 19:24 | Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of the sky. |
| Genesis 19:25 | He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew on the ground. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke clarifies that "Sodom" here does not mean the ancient city, which existed long before Jerusalem and could not be called its younger sister. He suggests it refers instead to the Moabites, Ammonites, or Israelites beyond the Jordan. Geographically, from Jerusalem, Samaria lay to the north, Sodom to the south.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that when facing east from the temple, Samaria lies to the left and Sodom to the right. This geographical observation uses the temple's eastward orientation as the fixed reference point for identifying these cities' positions.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that "elder sister" refers not to age but to greater political importance and wider territory, with Samaria being larger than Judah and Sodom smaller. The phrase "her daughters" means the subordinate towns belonging to each city.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And thine elder sister is Samaria, and her daughters, that dwell at thy left hand, and thy yong sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom, and her daughters.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that Samaria is called the elder sister because the ten tribes were larger and first to abandon true worship. Their position at Jerusalem's left hand represents the north. Sodom, the younger sister at the right hand, represents the south and was a lesser but still corrupt kingdom.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Samaria is called Judah's elder sister because, even though Judah was geographically closer to Samaria than to Sodom, Samaria was morally more closely related through its idolatrous imitation of true worship. Sodom is the younger sister, further removed both geographically and spiritually.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the shameful irony: Jerusalem, which prided itself on being better than Sodom and Samaria, actually surpassed them in wickedness. Her greater privileges and knowledge made her sins more blameworthy. She actually justified those infamous cities by comparison, proving herself more corrupt than her sisters.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies the two sisters as the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The elder sister, larger and more powerful, lies to the north; the younger, smaller sister lies to the south. Their position relative to Jerusalem determines left and right when facing east.