Yechezkel 16 | The Parable of the Foundling

Yechezkel opens with a parable whose stated purpose is to make Jerusalem aware of her abominations (verse 2). There are many parables in the Tanakh that liken the relationship between God and the people of Israel to a marital bond between a man and a woman. However, the uniqueness of this parable lies in the fact that it traces the relationship back to its origins. The parable begins with Jerusalem's beginnings — as a newborn abandoned without having received even the most basic care (“Your cord was not cut, you were not washed clean with water” (16:4)). God saw her and chose to save her (“And When I passed by you, I saw you floundering in your own blood, and I said to you: ‘In your blood, live’ [=despite your blood] I said to you, ‘In your blood, live’” (16:6)). Over time, the infant grew up, and the same passerby who had seen her took her as his wife, adorned her, and bestowed great wealth upon her.

Jerusalem, having become beautiful and wealthy thanks to the devoted care of her savior, abandons Him, betrays Him, and prostitutes herself with anyone she can find (“You showered your favors upon every passerby” (16:15)). The indictment is not only that Jerusalem betrays God, but also that she uses what she received from God in order to betray Him. She takes the wealth He gave her (“You took your embroidered clothing to cover them. My oil and My incense before them” (16:18)), but even more grievously, she sacrifices the children she bore to her first master (“You slaughtered My children; you offered them up by passing them over to them” (16:21)).

Beyond the classic prophetic rebuke against idolatry, the parable of the foundling highlights themes that are unique to the book of Yechezkel. First, the reference to the origins of the relationship between the people of Israel and God casts all idolatry within the framework of a tragic betrayal. God is the One who bestowed goodness upon us — a perfect husband who, from the very beginning, sought only to provide for His wife — while we have “forced” Him to bring calamity upon us. This point is intertwined with another central idea: the emphasis on the wealth that is distributed to the enemies of God. This further underscores the ingratitude — the gifts God gave us are turned against Him. The prophecy highlights not only the betrayal but also the losing position of Jerusalem’s condition: “Your have been the opposite of other women - by whoring unsolicited, by paying and not being paid a prostitute’s fee, you were the opposite” (16:34). She betrays her husband, but instead of receiving payment, she pays others in order to betray Him. She sins — and doesn’t even gain anything from it.

The prophecy also mentions Jerusalem's “sisters” — Shomron and Sedom — who sinned and have already received their punishment. The people of Jerusalem saw themselves as superior to Sedom and Shomron, which had been destroyed. As the holy city, still standing, they considered themselves as a great example of righteousness. Here, as throughout the entire book, Yechezkel underscores the depth of their error: “You became more corrupt than they were in all your ways. As I live, declares the Lord God — your sister Sedom and her daughters did not act as you and your daughters have acted... as for Shomron, she has not committed half of the sins you have” (16:47–48).

The prophecy concludes with a promise of redemption — for both Jerusalem and her sisters. However, even this promise seeks to preserve the memory of the sins forever: “And so you will remember and be ashamed; your voice will be silenced in the face of your disgrace when I forgive you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God” (16:63). The goal is that even in the days of redemption, the shame of past sins will linger, preventing their recurrence. This closing returns to a theme we have encountered several times in the book of Yechezkel: the destruction is inevitable, and the role of prophecy is to sow the seeds of growth in its aftermath.