Eze 16:4, 23:25-26, 28-29 | JFB | e4.org | 4. Israel's helplessness in her first struggling into national existence, under the image of an infant ( ) cast forth without receiving the commonest acts of parental regard. Its very life was a miracle ( ). navel . . . not cut —Without proper attention to the navel cord, the infant just born is liable to die. neither . . . washed in water to supple thee —that is, to make the skin soft. Rather, "for purification"; from an Arabic root [MAURER ]. GESENIUS translates as the Margin, "that thou mightest (be presented to thy parents to) be looked upon," as is customary on the birth of a child. salted —Anciently they rubbed infants with salt to make the skin firm.

‏ Ezekiel 16:4

4. Israel's helplessness in her first struggling into national existence, under the image of an infant (Ho 2:3) cast forth without receiving the commonest acts of parental regard. Its very life was a miracle (Ex 1:15-22).

navel . . . not cut—Without proper attention to the navel cord, the infant just born is liable to die.

neither . . . washed in water to supple thee—that is, to make the skin soft. Rather, "for purification"; from an Arabic root [MAURER]. GESENIUS translates as the Margin, "that thou mightest (be presented to thy parents to) be looked upon," as is customary on the birth of a child.

salted—Anciently they rubbed infants with salt to make the skin firm.

‏ Ezekiel 23:25-26

25. take away thy nose . . . ears—Adulteresses were punished so among the Egyptians and Chaldeans. Oriental beauties wore ornaments in the ear and nose. How just the retribution, that the features most bejewelled should be mutilated! So, allegorically as to Judah, the spiritual adulteress.

26. strip . . . of . . . clothes—whereby she attracted her paramours (Eze 16:39).

‏ Ezekiel 23:28-29

28. (Eze 23:17, 18; 16:37).

29. take away . . . thy labour—that is, the fruits of thy labor.

leave thee naked—as captive females are treated.