Ezekiel 16:8

“And I passed by you and saw you, and look, your time was the time of love; and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; and I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares Adonai YHWH, and you became mine.”
Ezekiel 16:8 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

And I passedוָאֶעֱבֹרby youעָלַיִךְand saw you,וָאֶרְאֵךְand look,וְהִנֵּהyour time wasעִתֵּךְthe timeעֵתof love;דֹּדִיםand I spreadוָאֶפְרֹשׂthe corner of my garmentכְּנָפִיover youעָלַיִךְand coveredוָאֲכַסֶּהyour nakedness;עֶרְוָתֵךְand I sworeוָאֶשָּׁבַעto youלָךְand enteredוָאָבוֹאinto a covenantבִבְרִיתwith you,אֹתָךְdeclaresנְאֻםAdonaiאֲדֹנָיYHWH,יְהוִהand you becameוַתִּהְיִיmine.לִי

Theme · Ruth 3:9

Go to Ruth 3:9

Both texts use the expression “spread the edge of the cloak (kanaf) over” someone. In Ezekiel 16:8 the gesture goes with the oath and the covenant: “and you became mine”.

The same term appears in both passages.

אֶפְרֹשׂefrosH6566פָרַשְׂתָּfarastaH6566“spread out”
כְּנָפִkenafiH3671כְנָפֶjenafeH3671“wing, edge of the cloak”

Ezekiel 16:8, word by word

And I passedאֶעֱבֹרeevor

pass

To get over a river, or go through a land.

Where else “eevor” appears

and saw youאֶרְאֵere

see

To see with one's eyes.

Where else “ere” appears

your time wasעִתֵּite

time

The moment at which something happens; also "at that time".

Where else “ite” appears

of loveדֹּדִיםdodim

love

The caresses of lovers.

Where else “dodim” appears

and I spreadאֶפְרֹשׂefros

spread out

To open out hands, wings or cloth.

Where else “efros” appears

the corner of my garmentכְּנָפִkenafi

edge

Literally "wing": the flap of a cloak, or the far reaches of the earth.

Where else “kenafi” appears

and coveredאֲכַסֶּהachase

cover

To put something over a thing so that it can no longer be seen.

Where else “achase” appears

your nakednessעֶרְוָתֵervate

nakedness

Nakedness; the private parts of the body; figuratively, shame. Seeing another's nakedness was a grave lack of respect.

Where else “ervate” appears

and I sworeאֶשָּׁבַעeshava

swear

To promise with God as witness.

Where else “eshava” appears

and enteredאָבוֹאavo

enter

To go into a place.

Where else “avo” appears

into a covenantבְרִיתverit

covenant

The commitment God makes with his people, with promises and commands.

Where else “verit” appears

declaresנְאֻםneum

declaration

Solemn words God himself speaks: "oracle of YHWH".

Where else “neum” appears

Adonaiאֲדֹנָadona

Adonai, Lord

"Adonai": "my Lord", said only to God. It is a title of respect that acknowledges his authority. It is not another god besides YHWH: often it goes with his name, "Adonai YHWH", Lord YHWH.

Where else “adona” appears

YHWHיְהוִהyehvi

YHWH (with Adonai)

The four letters of God's name, YHWH (see "YHWH"). They almost always go with "Adonai"; then Jews, when reading, said "Elohim" so as not to repeat "Adonai".

Where else “yehvi” appears

and you becameתִּהְיִיtihyi

become

To turn into something new, or fall upon someone.

Where else “tihyi” appears

The context

7A myriad, like the growth of the field, I made you, and you grew and became tall and came to the ornament of ornaments; your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare.

8 · This verse (above)

9And I washed you with water and rinsed off your blood from you, and anointed you with oil.

Read all of Ezekiel 16

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