The Narrative of Election in Ezekiel 16
Keywords:
Ezekiel 16, election, metaphor, narrative of electionAbstract
The concept of Divine Election is often studied through specific lexical terms, namely בחר (bāḥar), ידע (yādaʿ), אהב (ʾāhēb), and לקח (lāqaḥ). However, it can also be illustrated by different metaphors and implied by others. This study maintains that such is the case in Ezekiel 16, where a metaphor illustrates election, and other metaphors officialize and sustain it throughout the chapter. Through these metaphors, Ezekiel 16 narrates election as the governing framework of the entire chapter. Using a synchronic literary-exegetical approach, this study analyzes the narrative development and metaphorical coherence of Ezekiel 16 in its final form, attending to how the text’s form and content articulate the concept of election. The analysis demonstrates that election functions in the chapter as a unilateral divine initiative that precedes and grounds the covenant; that the covenant-lawsuit of vv. 35-52 derives its force from this prior election, since Jerusalem is indicted on terms the election itself created; and that the restoration of vv. 53-63 is possible only because Yahweh’s elective commitment survives Jerusalem’s breach of covenant. In this way, election operates in Ezekiel 16 as the dynamic narrative hinge upon which covenant, judgment, and atonement all turn.
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Academic Editor: Prof. Dr. Constantin Horia Oancea, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania. Article Type: Research Article. Peer Review: Double-Blind Peer Review. Received: 29 May 2026. Accepted: 07 July 2026. Published 08 July 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.67469/EHJ2026.1.1.6
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