Ezekiel 16:19
My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD.
Original Language Analysis
וְלַחְמִי֩
My meat
H3899
וְלַחְמִי֩
My meat
Strong's:
H3899
Word #:
1 of 16
food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
אֲשֶׁר
H834
אֲשֶׁר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
2 of 16
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
וּנְתַתִּ֧יהוּ
also which I gave
H5414
וּנְתַתִּ֧יהוּ
also which I gave
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
3 of 16
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
וָשֶׁ֤מֶן
and oil
H8081
וָשֶׁ֤מֶן
and oil
Strong's:
H8081
Word #:
6 of 16
grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richness
וּנְתַתִּ֧יהוּ
also which I gave
H5414
וּנְתַתִּ֧יהוּ
also which I gave
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
9 of 16
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
לִפְנֵיהֶ֛ם
it before
H6440
לִפְנֵיהֶ֛ם
it before
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
10 of 16
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
נִיחֹ֖חַ
them for a sweet
H5207
נִיחֹ֖חַ
them for a sweet
Strong's:
H5207
Word #:
12 of 16
properly, restful, i.e., pleasant; abstractly, delight
וַיֶּ֑הִי
H1961
וַיֶּ֑הִי
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
13 of 16
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
Historical Context
The grain, oil, and honey offerings to Baal and fertility goddesses were documented in Hosea 2:8 and condemned throughout the prophets. Excavations at Canaanite high places reveal burnt offering remains of agricultural products mixed with incense, confirming these syncretistic practices permeated Judean worship.
Questions for Reflection
- In what ways might modern believers use God's material blessings to serve idols (consumerism, status, pleasure)?
- How does Paul's teaching on food offered to idols apply to using God's gifts in morally compromised situations?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey—The threefold provision (solet סֹלֶת, finest flour; shemen שֶׁמֶן, oil; debash דְּבַשׁ, honey) recalls the Promised Land's abundance (Deuteronomy 32:13-14). God supplied covenant blessings, yet thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour (רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ, reach nichoach)—the technical term for sacrifices pleasing to YHWH (Leviticus 1:9).
The horror: Israel offered God's provision to Baal and Asherah as reach nichoach, deliberately using covenant language for idolatrous worship. This parallels the Corinthian error of eating idol-meat (1 Corinthians 10:18-21)—you cannot drink the Lord's cup and demons' cup. Thus it was, saith the Lord GOD—divine testimony confirms Jerusalem's judicial guilt.