The Church Fathers on this verse

Ezekiel 16:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And thou hast taken thy sons, and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne to me: and hast sacrificed the same to them to be devoured. Is thy fornication small?

Douay-Rheims

וַתִּקְחִ֞י אֶת־בָּנַ֤יִךְ וְאֶת־בְּנוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָלַ֣דְתְּ לִ֔י וַתִּזְבָּחִ֥ים לָהֶ֖ם לֶאֱכ֑וֹל הַמְעַ֖ט מתזנתך מִתַּזְנוּתָֽיִךְ׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

2 Church Fathers comment on this verse

Ephraem the Syrian

4th centuryChurch Father

Your sons and daughters, whom you have brought into existence, you have sacrificed and slain, offering them to idols as you engaged in acts of immorality with them. These children, whom I entrusted to you while you recognized me as your Lord and Father, and before you turned to acts of unfaithfulness and idol worship, you cruelly offered for destruction in the madness of your unclean desires for those false gods.

Theodoret of Cyrus

5th centuryChurch Father

And it happened, declares the Lord God, that you took your sons and daughters, whom you had given life, and sacrificed them for your own pleasure. This is followed by a scornful rebuke: Have you not satisfied your appetite? It is clear, therefore, that He equates idolatry with sexual immorality.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.