The Meaning of Ezekiel 16:32 Explained

Ezekiel 16:32

KJV: But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband!

YLT: The wife who committeth adultery -- Under her husband -- doth receive strangers.

Darby: O adulterous wife, that taketh strangers instead of her husband.

ASV: A wife that committeth adultery! that taketh strangers instead of her husband!

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[But as] a wife  that committeth adultery,  [which] taketh  strangers  instead of her husband! 

What does Ezekiel 16:32 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 16

1  Under the parable of a wretched infant is shown the natural state of Jerusalem
6  God's extraordinary love toward her,
15  Her grievous judgment
35  Her sin, equal to her mother,
46  and exceeding her sisters, Sodom and Samaria,
59  calls for judgments
60  Mercy is promised her in the end

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 16:32 mean?

wife [You are] an adulterous instead of her husband [who] takes - strangers
הָאִשָּׁ֖ה הַמְּנָאָ֑פֶת תַּ֣חַת ! אִישָׁ֔הּ תִּקַּ֖ח אֶת־ זָרִֽים

הָאִשָּׁ֖ה  wife 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
הַמְּנָאָ֑פֶת  [You  are]  an  adulterous 
Parse: Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, feminine singular
Root: נָאַף  
Sense: to commit adultery.
תַּ֣חַת  instead 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
! אִישָׁ֔הּ  of  her  husband 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
תִּקַּ֖ח  [who]  takes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
זָרִֽים  strangers 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: זוּר 
Sense: to be strange, be a stranger.