Ezekiel 16:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It is not surprising that they are associated with such a nationality when they are also likened to their ancestors, as demonstrated when it is declared, “your father is an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite.” Furthermore, the reproach does not end there; it even dehumanizes their speech, as shown in the New Testament where it refers to them as “the brood of vipers” (Luke 3:7), and in the Old Testament, where it says, “they hatch snake’s eggs and weave spider's webs” (Isaiah 59:5). Additionally, it asks, “Are you not like the children of the Cushites, O people of Israel?” (Amos 9:7).

Yet, Ezekiel's boldness is equally striking as he confronts an entire city, stating, "Thy root and family are from the land of Canaan; thy father is an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite" (Ezekiel 16:3).

While it is true that the land of Canaan symbolizes the roots of Jerusalem and its heritage, especially considering how a people were summoned from Egypt after residing there for generations—since Ham, the progenitor of Canaan, is linked to the Ethiopian lineage—we must also recognize Egypt's role in this lineage due to its comparable wickedness. Hence, the designation of the father as Amorite signifies one who has been widely spoken of, while the mother, a Hittite, represents one who instigates turmoil or leads others into chaos. Scripture teaches that "every one that committeth sin is born of the devil" (cf. John 8:34, 44). This ancient father's infamous legacy persists, ensnaring many in folly.

Jerusalem receives a divine command, whether in the literal or spiritual sense, to abandon her old progenitor, with the exhortation: "Hear, O ye, and see, and incline thine ear, and forget thy people, and thy father's house: and the king shall desire thy goodness" (Psalm 44:11-12). A promise is offered if she repents and returns to her true Father: "I will restore thee to the state in which thou wast born." What other city possesses such a glorious lineage as that of Jerusalem, descending from the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with God as its Father? Yet since Jerusalem sinned and turned away from her true Father, she is rightfully reminded, "Thy root and lineage are from the land of Canaan; thy father is an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite." If this is the fate of the city, what then awaits us, who have been called away from the defilements of the Gentiles and cleansed from all uncleanness in the Savior's baptism? If we tarnish the garments of Christ and arrive at the feast without the appropriate attire, we can only foresee being bound hand and foot and cast into eternal flames, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Accordingly, just as this wise man compared the Jews, who had become corrupt and lived immorally, to venomous creatures, so too does the Lord, through the words of the Prophet, name the foundation of Jerusalem as Canaanite, with an Amorite father and a Hittite mother—signifying that its roots are foreign. The jealousy they harbored towards wickedness led them to adopt the traits of this cursed lineage. This revelation served to deeply humiliate the Jews, not only due to the sins of these nations at that time but also because of the shame linked to their origins. Canaan received a curse and was condemned to servitude by Noah, their ancestor. God states, “You are a descendant of Canaan,” affirming that you share no true lineage with Noah and Shem; you have forsaken their righteousness and forfeited your connection to them, entirely abandoning that noble heritage. In this way, addressing them about their Canaanite origins, He elaborates on both their transgressions and His mercies.