The Hebrew verb satar appears in Ezekiel 16:26 and means to break out, to erupt, or to be prominent — possibly related to protrusions or skin eruptions. The exact sense is somewhat disputed but relates to something bursting or pushing through.
Ezekiel 16 is one of the most striking extended metaphors in all of Scripture — Jerusalem portrayed as a young woman lavished with gifts by YHWH, who then prostitutes herself to every neighboring nation. The graphic language serves a pastoral and prophetic purpose: unfaithfulness to the covenant is not merely a legal infraction but a profound betrayal of intimate love. The language of 'breaking out' in this context captures the violent eruption of sinful desire — the way unchecked lust breaks through all proper boundaries. The passage ultimately points not to condemnation but to stunning grace: God promises in Ezekiel 16:62 to 'remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.'