When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:
Parallel translations
- WEB “‘“I will turn again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and the captivity of your captives among them;
- BSB But I will restore Sodom and her daughters from captivity, as well as Samaria and her daughters. And I will restore you along with them.
- NKJV “When I bring back their captives, the captives of Sodom and her daughters, and the captives of Samaria and her daughters, then I will also bring back the captives of your captivity among them,
- NASB “Nevertheless, I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters, and along with them your own fortunes,
- NLT “But someday I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and Samaria, and I will restore you, too.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God promises to restore the fortunes not only of Jerusalem but even of Sodom and Samaria, her 'sisters' in sin. Grace can reach the most notorious offenders.
Overview
Closing the extended allegory of unfaithful Jerusalem, God pledges to reverse the captivity of Sodom, Samaria, and Judah together. By pairing Jerusalem with the proverbially wicked, the Lord exposes her self-righteousness while holding out hope of restoration grounded in His mercy, not her merit. This anticipates the gospel reach of grace to the worst of sinners.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Isa 19:24–25In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:
- Jer 12:16And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.
- Ezek 29:14And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom.
- Ezek 39:25Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;
- Job 42:10And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
- Ezek 16:60–61Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.
- Rom 11:23–31And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
- Joel 3:1For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
- Jer 31:23Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.
- Jer 48:47Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
- Jer 20:16And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;
- Jer 49:6And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon, saith the LORD.
- Isa 1:9Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
- Ps 126:1When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
- Ps 85:1Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
- Ps 14:7Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
- Jer 49:39But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith the LORD.
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 16:53 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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