Ezekiel28

Ezekiel 28 delivers divine judgment against Tyrus, first condemning its prince for his arrogant claim to godhood, despite being merely a man. A lamentation then describes the king of Tyrus as a once-perfect, cherubic being in Eden, who fell due to pride, beauty, and the violence of his merchandise. The chapter concludes with a prophecy against Zidon, promising the Lord's glorification through judgment, and a future promise of Israel's secure restoration, free from their surrounding adversaries.

Judgment Against the Prince of Tyre

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being, tell the prince of Tzor that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you are so proud and have said, "I am a god; I sit on the throne of God, surrounded by the sea"; yet you are a man, not God, even though you think that you think like God.

Sure, you are wiser than Dani'el! No secret can be hidden from you!

By your wisdom and discernment you have acquired wealth, you have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries.

By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and it is because of your wealth that you have become so proud.

"Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Because you think that you think like God,

I will bring foreigners against you, the most barbarous of the nations, to draw their swords against your fine wisdom and defile your splendor.

They will lower you into the pit to die a violent death surrounded by the sea.

Will you still say, "I am God," to them who are about to kill you? You are a man, you are not God, in the hands of those who defile you.

You will die the deaths of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners. For I have spoken,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

Lamentation Over the King of Tyre

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being, raise a lament for the king of Tzor, and tell him that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'You put the seal on perfection; you were full of wisdom and perfect in beauty;

you were in 'Eden, the garden of God; covered with all kinds of precious stones - carnelians, topaz, diamonds, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphires, green feldspar, emeralds; your pendants and jewels were made of gold, prepared the day you were created.

You were a keruv, protecting a large region; I placed you on God's holy mountain. You walked back and forth among stones of fire.

You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you.

"'When your commerce grew, you became filled with violence; and in this way you sinned. Therefore I have thrown you out, defiled, from the mountain of God; I have destroyed you, protecting keruv, from among the stones of fire.

Your heart grew proud because of your beauty, you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. But I have thrown you on the ground; before kings I have made you a spectacle.

By your many crimes in dishonest trading, you have profaned your sanctuaries; therefore I brought forth fire from within you, and it has devoured you; I reduced you into ashes on the ground in the sight of all who can see you.

All who know you among the peoples will be aghast at you. You are an object of terror, and you will cease to exist.'"

Prophecy Against Zidon

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being, turn your face toward Tzidon, and prophesy against it.

Say that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am against you, Tzidon; but I will be glorified in you. They will know that I am ADONAI, once I execute judgments in her and show my holiness in her.

For I will send plagues into her, and blood will flow in her streets; attacked from all sides by the sword, the wounded will fall within her. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.

The Restoration and Security of Israel

"'The house of Isra'el will no longer have a briar pricking away at them, no longer will any of its contemptuous neighbors be a thorn to stab them. Then they will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.'

"Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Once I have gathered the house of Isra'el from the peoples among whom they are scattered, once I have shown my holiness in them as the Goyim watch, then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Ya'akov.

They will have security when they live there, building houses and planting vineyards; yes, they will live in safety, once I have executed judgments against all their contemptuous neighbors. Then they will know that I am ADONAI their God.'"

Study Notes for Ezekiel 28

Verse 2

The 'prince' (Heb. *nagid*) is the human ruler of Tyre, identified historically with King Ithobaal III. His central sin is hubris, claiming divine status, likely due to Tyre’s great wealth and perceived impregnability as an island fortress.

Verse 3

This is likely a sarcastic challenge. Daniel was a contemporary figure renowned for his wisdom (Ezek. 14:14, 20), emphasizing the Prince’s foolish arrogance in believing his worldly intelligence surpassed all others.

Verse 5

The text links the Prince’s wisdom directly to his commercial success, emphasizing that his pride is rooted in material wealth gained through extensive, highly profitable maritime trade (*traffick*).

Verse 7

The 'terrible of the nations' refers to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar, whom God uses as the instrument of judgment against Tyre’s arrogance and perceived beauty.

Verse 8

'The pit' (Heb. *shahat*) refers to the grave or Sheol. The judgment emphasizes that despite his claims of divinity, the prince will suffer a definite, humiliating human death.

Verse 10

To die 'the deaths of the uncircumcised' meant dying an ignoble, non-covenantal death—the fate of pagans—a profound insult to a powerful ruler who claimed divine status.

Verse 12

Ezekiel shifts from the human 'prince' (v. 2) to the mythic, idealized 'king' (Heb. *melek*), a figure representing the perfect embodiment of Tyre’s glory, wisdom, and original beauty before its fall. The passage is a funeral dirge or lamentation.

Verse 13

The reference to 'Eden the garden of God' connects this figure to primeval perfection. The nine precious stones listed may allude to the stones on the High Priest’s breastplate (Ex. 28), symbolizing a sacred, priestly status corrupted by sin.

Verse 14

The 'anointed cherub that covereth' is a guardian angelic figure set upon the 'holy mountain of God.' This description is foundational to the traditional Christian and Jewish interpretation linking this passage to the fall of Satan, a high-ranking angelic being.

Verse 15

This confirms the figure’s original perfection and emphasizes that the corruption originated internally ('till iniquity was found in thee'), not externally.

Verse 16

The immediate cause of the fall is defined as the 'multitude of thy merchandise,' indicating that the excessive wealth and global trade led directly to moral compromise, corruption, and violence.

Verse 17

Pride, stemming from beauty and brightness (glory), is identified as the root sin, mirroring the sin of the human Prince (v. 2). The king's fall is public, serving as a warning to earthly rulers.

Verse 18

The 'sanctuaries' may refer to the city’s temples or, metaphorically, the sacred status of Tyre itself. The judgment is a self-inflicted destruction: the fire comes 'from the midst of thee,' meaning the destruction arises from internal corruption.

Verse 20

Zidon (Sidon) was a powerful Phoenician city, Tyre’s older sister, often grouped with Tyre in prophetic judgments due to their similar maritime trade and idolatry.

Verse 22

God promises to be 'glorified' and 'sanctified' through judgment. The destruction of Zidon will demonstrate God’s holiness and sovereignty to the surrounding nations.

Verse 24

This verse concludes the major section of oracles against the surrounding nations (Ezek. 25–28). The destruction of hostile neighbors like Tyre and Sidon removes the 'pricking brier' that constantly irritated and threatened Israel.

Verse 25

The ultimate goal of all these judgments is the restoration and sanctification of Israel. God will gather the scattered exiles, and in their restoration, His holiness will be displayed to the heathen.

Verse 26

The promise includes physical blessings (building houses, planting vineyards) and spiritual security ('dwell safely... with confidence'), establishing the covenant relationship between the LORD and His people.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate

Ezekiel28

Judgment Against the Prince of Tyre

Lamentation Over the King of Tyre

Prophecy Against Zidon

The Restoration and Security of Israel

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Reading Width 45 chars

Options