“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,
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;
- KJV 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:
- 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.
- 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, Israel will be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing within the earth;
- Jer 12:16It shall happen, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘As Yahweh lives;’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the middle of my people.
- Ezek 29:14and I will bring back the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their birth; and they shall be there a base kingdom.
- Ezek 39:25Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Now will I bring back the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for my holy name.
- Job 42:10Yahweh turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends. Yahweh gave Job twice as much as he had before.
- Ezek 16:60–61Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish to you an everlasting covenant.
- Rom 11:23–31They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
- Joel 3:1“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
- Jer 31:23Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Yet again shall they use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I shall bring again their captivity: ‘Yahweh bless you, habitation of righteousness, mountain of holiness.’
- Jer 48:47“Yet I will bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter days,” says Yahweh. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
- Jer 20:16Let that man be as the cities which Yahweh overthrew, and didn’t repent. Let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime;
- Jer 49:6“But afterward I will bring back the captivity of the children of Ammon,” says Yahweh.
- Isa 1:9Unless Yahweh of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom; we would have been like Gomorrah.
- Ps 126:1A Song of Ascents. When Yahweh brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream.
- Ps 85:1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. Yahweh, you have been favorable to your land. You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.
- Ps 14:7Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When Yahweh restores the fortunes of his people, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
- Jer 49:39‘But it shall happen in the latter days, that I will bring back the captivity of Elam,’ says Yahweh.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.