And your renown went forth among the nations because of your beauty: The girl became famous throughout the world because she was very beautiful. Your renown went forth among the nations is literally “your name went out among the nations.” New Revised Standard Version and New International Version say “Your fame spread among the nations” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible), Good News Translation has “You became famous in every nation,” and Contemporary English Version translates “everyone on earth knew it [the girl’s beauty].” Because of your beauty may be rendered “because you were so beautiful” (New Century Version).

For it was perfect through the splendor which I had bestowed upon you: The girl’s beauty was perfect (compare Lam 2.15, where Jerusalem’s beauty is described in the same way) because God had given it to her. The splendor which I had bestowed on you is literally “my splendor that I had put on you” (similarly New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, Osty), which refers to God’s own honor and glory that he gave to the girl. New Century Version renders this clause well, saying “Your beauty was perfect, because of the glory I gave you.” Another possible model is “Your beauty was perfect because of the way I gave you my greatness.”

Says the Lord GOD: This subsection ends with the formal, solemn declaration of God (see Ezek 16.8).

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .