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Commentary on Ezekiel 28 verses 11–19
As after the prediction of the ruin of Tyre (ch. 26) followed a pathetic lamentation for it (ch. 27), so after the ruin of the king of Tyre is foretold it is bewailed.
I. This is commonly understood of the prince who then reigned over Tyre, spoken to, Eze 28:2. His name was Ethbaal, or Ithobalus, as Diodorus Siculus calls him that was king of Tyre when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it. He was, it seems, upon all external accounts an accomplished man, very great and famous; but his iniquity was his ruin. Many expositors have suggested that besides the literal sense of this lamentation there is an allegory in it, and that it is an allusion to the fall of the angels that sinned, who undid themselves by their pride. And (as is usual in texts that have a mystical meaning) some passages here refer primarily to the king of Tyre, as that of his merchandises, others to the angels, as that of being in the holy mountain of God. But, if there be any thing mystical in it (as perhaps there may), I shall rather refer it to the fall of Adam, which seems to be glanced at, Eze 28:13. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God, and that in the day thou wast created.
II. Some think that by the king of Tyre is meant the whole royal family, this including also the foregoing kings, and looking as far back as Hiram, king of Tyre. The then governor is called prince (Eze 28:2); but he that is here lamented is called king. The court of Tyre with its kings had for many ages been famous; but sin ruins it. Now we may observe two things here: -
1.What was the renown of the king of Tyre. He is here spoken of as having lived in great splendour, Eze 28:12-15. He as a man, but it is here owned that he was a very considerable man and one that made a mighty figure in his day. (1.) He far exceeded other men. Hiram and other kings of Tyre had done so in their time; and the reigning king perhaps had not come short of any of them: Thou sealest up the sum full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. But the powers of human nature and the prosperity of human life seemed in him to be at the highest pitch. He was looked upon to be as wise as the reason of men could make him, and as happy as the wealth of this world and the enjoyment of it could make him; in him you might see the utmost that both could do; and therefore seal up the sum, for nothing can be added; he is a complete man, perfect in suo genere - in his kind. (2.) He seemed to be as wise and happy as Adam in innocency (Eze 28:13): "Thou hast been in Eden, even in the garden of God; thou hast lived as it were in paradise all thy days, hast had a full enjoyment of every thing that is good for food or pleasant to the eyes, and an uncontroverted dominion over all about thee, as Adam had." One instance of the magnificence of the king of Tyre is, that he outdid all others princes in jewels, which those have the greatest plenty of that trade most abroad, as he did: Every precious stone was his covering. There is a great variety of precious stones; but he had of every sort and in such plenty that besides what were treasured up in his cabinet, and were the ornaments of his crown, he had his clothes trimmed with them; they were his covering. Nay (Eze 28:14), he walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire, that is, these precious stones, which glittered and sparkled like fire. His rooms were in a manner set round with jewels, so that he walked in the midst of them, and then fancied himself as glorious as if, like God, he had been surrounded by so many angels, who are compared to a flame of fire. And, if he be such an admirer of precious stones as to think them as bright as angels, no wonder that he is such an admirer of himself as to think himself as great as God. Nine several sorts of previous stones are here named, which were all in the high priest's ephod. Perhaps they are particularly named because he, in his pride, used to speak particularly of them, and tell those about him, with a great deal of foolish pleasure, "This is such a precious stone, of such a value, and so and so are its virtues." Thus is he upbraided with his vanity. Gold is mentioned last, as far inferior in value to those precious stones; and he used to speak of it accordingly. Another thing that made him think his palace a paradise was the curious music he had, the tabrets and pipes, hand-instruments and wind-instruments. The workmanship of these was extraordinary, and they were prepared for him on purpose; prepared in thee, the pronoun is feminine - in thee, O Tyre! or it denotes that the king was effeminate in doting on such things. They were prepared in the day he was created, that is, either born, or created king; they were made on purpose to celebrate the joys either of his birthday or of his coronation-day. These he prided himself much in, and would have all that came to see his palace take notice of them. (3.) He looked like an incarnate angel (Eze 28:14): Thou art the anointed cherub that covers or protects; that is, he looked upon himself as a guardian angel to his people, so bright, so strong, so faithful, appointed to this office and qualified for it. Anointed kings should be to their subjects as anointed cherubim, that cover them with the wings of their power; and, when they are such, God will own them. Their advancement was from him: I have set thee so. Some think, because mention was made of Eden, that it refers to the cherub set on the east of Eden to cover it, Gen 3:24. He thought himself as able to guard his city from all invaders as that angel was for his charge. Or it may refer to the cherubim in the most holy place, whose wings covered the ark; he thought himself as bright as one of them. (4.) He appeared in as much splendour as the high priest when he was clothed with his garments for glory and beauty: "Thou wast upon the holy mountain of God, as president of the temple built on that holy mountain; thou didst look as great, and with as much majesty and authority, as ever the high priest did when he walked in the temple, which was garnished with precious stones (Ch2 3:6), and had his habit on, which had precious stones both in the breast and on the shoulders; in that he seemed to walk in the midst of the stones of fire." Thus glorious is the king of Tyre; at least he thinks himself so.
2.Let us now see what was the ruin of the king of Tyre, what it was that stained his glory and laid all this honour in the dust (Eze 28:15): "Thou wast perfect in thy ways; thou didst prosper in all thy affairs and every thing went well with thee; thou hadst not only a clear, but a bright reputation, from the day thou wast created, the day of thy accession to the throne, till iniquity was found in thee; and that spoiled all." This may perhaps allude to the deplorable case of the angels that fell, and of our first parents, both of whom were perfect in their ways till iniquity was found in them. And when iniquity was once found in him it increased; he grew worse and worse, as appears (Eze 28:18): "Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries; thou hast lost the benefit of all that which thou thoughtest sacred, and in which, as in a sanctuary, thou thoughtest to take refuge; these thou hast defiled, and so exposed thyself by the multitude of thy iniquities." Now observe,
(1.)What the iniquity was that was the ruin of the king of Tyre. [1.] The iniquity of his traffic (so it is called, Eze 28:18), both his and his people's, for their sin is charged upon him, because he connived at it and set them a bad example (Eze 28:16):By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thus thou hast sinned. The king had so much to do with his merchandise, and was so wholly intent upon the gains of that, that he took no care to do justice, to give redress to those that suffered wrong and to protect them from violence; nay, in the multiplicity of business, wrong was done to many by oversight; and in his dealings he made use of his power to invade the rights of those he dealt with. Note, Those that have much to do in the world are in great danger of doing much amiss; and it is hard to deal with many without violence to some. Trades are called mysteries; but too many make them mysteries of iniquity. [2.] His pride and vain-glory (Eze 28:17): "Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; thou wast in love with thyself, and thy own shadow. And thus thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of the brightness, the pomp and splendour, wherein thou livedst." He gazed so much upon this that it dazzled his eyes and prevented him from seeing his way. He appeared so puffed up with his greatness that it bereaved him both of his wisdom and of the reputation of it. He really became a fool in glorying. Those make a bad bargain for themselves that part with their wisdom for the gratifying of their gaiety, and, to please a vain humour, lose a real excellency.
(2.)What the ruin was that this iniquity brought him to. [1.] He was thrown out of his dignity and dislodged from his palace, which he took to be his paradise and temple (Eze 28:16): I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God. His kingly power was high as a mountain, setting him above others; it was a mountain of God, for the powers that be are ordained of God, and have something in them that is sacred; but, having abused his power, he is reckoned profane, and is therefore deposed and expelled. He disgraces the crown he wears, and so has forfeited it, and shall be destroyed from the midst of the stones of fire, the precious stones with which his palace was garnished, as the temple was; and they shall be no protection to him. [2.] He was exposed to contempt and disgrace, and trampled upon by his neighbours: "I will cast thee to the ground (Eze 28:17), will cast thee among the pavement-stones, from the midst of the precious stones, and will lay thee a rueful spectacle before kings, that they may behold thee and take warning by thee not to be proud and oppressive." [3.] He was quite consumed, his city and he in it: I will bring forth a fire from the midst of thee. The conquerors, when they have plundered the city, will kindle a fire in the heart of it, which shall lay it, and the palace particularly, in ashes. Or it may be taken more generally for the fire of God's judgments, which shall devour both prince and people, and bring all the glory of both to ashes upon the earth; and this fire shall be brought forth from the midst of thee. All God's judgments upon sinners take rise from themselves; they are devoured by a fire of their own kindling. [4.] He was hereby made a terrible example of divine vengeance. Thus he is reduced in the sight of all those that behold him (Eze 28:18): Those that know him shall be astonished at him, and shall wonder how one that stood so high could be brought so low. The king of Tyre's palace, like the temple at Jerusalem, when it is destroyed shall be an astonishment and a hissing, Ch2 7:20, Ch2 7:21. So fell the king of Tyre.
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
(Vers. 11 seqq.) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him: Thus says the Lord God: You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: carnelian, topaz, and jasper, chrysolite, onyx, and beryl, sapphire, carbuncle, and emerald. Gold was the workmanship of your settings and your engravings; on the day that you were created they were prepared. You, Cherub, stretched out and protecting, I placed you on the holy mountain of God. You walked among the fiery stones; you were perfect in your ways from the day of your creation until iniquity was found in you. Your heart was filled with iniquity in the multitude of your trading, and you sinned. Therefore, I cast you out from the mountain of God and destroyed you, O Cherub protecting amidst the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. Therefore, I cast you down to the ground. I set you before kings, that they might gaze at you. In the multitude of your iniquities and the injustice of your trading, you have defiled your sanctification. Therefore, I will bring forth fire from your midst that will consume you, and I will turn you into ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who see you. All who see you among the nations will be astonished at you. You have become nothing and will be no more forever. LXX: And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, take up a lamentation over the prince of Tyre and say to him: Thus says the Lord God: You were the seal of likeness, full of wisdom and adorned with the crown of beauty; you were in the delights of the paradise of God. You are surrounded by every good gemstone: sardius and topaz, and emerald, and carbuncle, and sapphire, and jasper, and silver, and gold, and ligure, and agate, and amethyst, and chrysolite, and beryl, and onyx, and you have filled your treasuries with gold and your storehouses with silver. From the day you were created, you were prepared with the anointed Cherub from God, and dwelling in the tabernacle, I have given you on the holy mountain of God. You have become in the midst of fiery stones. You were blameless in your days, from the day you were created; until iniquities were found in you, you filled your storehouses with iniquity from the abundance of your trade, and you sinned and were wounded by the mountain of God, and the cherub who overshadowed you led you out of the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; your wisdom was corrupted by your splendor. Because of your many sins, I cast you to the ground; I made you a spectacle before kings, that you might be dishonored. Because of the multitude of your sins and the iniquities of your trade, you have defiled your holy places. And I will bring forth fire in your midst; it will devour you. And I will make you like ashes on the earth in the sight of all who see you, and all who know you among the nations will be dismayed over you. You have become a ruin, and you will never be again. For we have declared what the prince of Tyre is and how he has fallen because of his pride, let us know his lamentations over his former glory. First, let it be agreed what it was, so that he may regret having lost what he had. 'You,' he says, 'are the seal of likeness;' according to that, which John the Evangelist rightly says about the Savior: 'For this God has sealed, the Father' (John 6:27). And about men: 'He has sealed, because God is true' (John 3:33). And in the Psalms: 'The light of your face, O Lord, has been sealed upon us' (Psalm 4:7). And in another place: 'Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet appeared what we shall be.' We know that when he appears, we shall be like him. (1 John 3:2) That is why it is said to God: Who will be like you? (Psalm 35:10) For similarity is one thing, equality is another. Therefore, the most savage heresy is the one that confesses only the Father's similarity in Christ and takes away his nature. But we not only say similarity in the Son, but also equality. That is why the Jews persecuted him: because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also made himself equal to God. (John 5) But where there is equality, there is the same nature and one substance. This is what the Apostle speaks of regarding similarity: My little children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you (Galatians 4:19), so that you may receive, namely, his likeness, which you have lost through your own fault. And because in Latin codices the word for sign or seal is read as "resignaculum", expressing word for word the Greek word κακοζήλως, which is interpreted according to the Septuagint translation as ἀποσφράγισμα, that is, seal or sign. Some people understand it in this way, that the seal of God and the image which was as if expressed in the softest wax, the king of Tyre erased and lost, so that he made a reseal, not having the image and likeness of God, according to which the first man was created, as God says: Let us make man in our image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). And it should be noted that the image was only made then, and the likeness is fulfilled in Christ's baptism. And accordingly, to her to whom it has been said: You are a likeness of the seal, is joined, full of wisdom, perfect in beauty, or, a crown of glory. For where the likeness of God is, there is also the fullness of wisdom, and perfect beauty, or as a crown adorned with different flowers, and composed of virtues, which the diligent increases by his own efforts, while the industry nourishes the good of nature, and the negligent diminishes it, according to what is said in Proverbs under the figure of a beautiful and ill-mannered woman: As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman without discretion (Prov. XI, 22). It follows: In the delights of the paradise of God, you were: for which reason it is called Eden in Hebrew, which also the history of Genesis narrates. Eden, however, is translated into delights. And beautifully it is named paradise of God to distinguish it, so as to show that there is a contrary paradise not of God, among those who change the truth into lying (Rom. 1), and boast of having a paradise. By this speech he demonstrates, that the one of whom it is written is by no means a human being, but a contrary fortitude, which formerly dwelt in God's paradise: although the Jews estimate prophetically, by that metaphor which is called hyperbole, that it refers to King Hiram of Tyre. But to whom is it said: You were in the delights of the paradise of God, or you have become, it shows what he had, or what he lost. Moreover, what is joined to the habitation of paradise, every precious stone is your covering, or your binding, and encirclement, jasper, topaz, and jasper, chrysolite, and onyx, and beryl, sapphire, and carbuncle, and emerald, or, as in the LXX, in a different order and with other names, twelve stones are contained, this must be observed, not every precious stone surrounded the king of Tyre, or covered, and as Symmachus translated, bound and confined: but every stone that the prince of Tyre had was precious. Moreover, there are many precious stones that Scripture does not mention in this place, such as chalcedony, sardonyx, chrysoprase, hyacinth, crystal, and the most precious pearl. Even Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion differ greatly from each other in this place, not only in order, but also in number and names. In the Book of Revelation, where the city of Jerusalem is described as built with living stones, there is a slight change in order towards the end, and the same stones are set in its foundations, so that its gates are inscribed with the light of crystal (Rev. 21). But also in the breastplate of the high priest, through the four rows in the Rational (Exod. 28), the same stones are described, and on his shoulders two onyx stones, on which are written the names of the twelve patriarchs, which the true high priest, of whom it is written: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4), carries on his breast, carries on his shoulders, in order to represent the number of the twelve stones of the apostles; and in the two sacraments of both Testaments, one of which John the Evangelist leaned on his breast, in order to drink from the streams of wisdom, and could say: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God (John 1:1-2). These are living stones, from which the Church is built, and about which the Apostle Peter writes: If you have believed, because the Lord is sweet: approaching him, the living stone, indeed rejected by men, but chosen and honored by God, and you yourselves, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God through Jesus Christ. For the Scripture says (Isa. XXVIII, 16): Behold, I am laying in Zion a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame (I Pet. II, 3 et seqq.). Moreover, the vessel of election is united by equal votes, saying: Upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, the corner stone being Christ Jesus Our Lord: in whom all the building, being framed together, groweth up into an holy temple in the Lord (Eph. II, 10). These are the stones of which we read in another place: And the holy stones are rolled over the earth, like wheels (Zach. IX, 16), touching but little the ground, and hastening with their rolling to the heavenly places. Of which the Scripture also speaks: Behold, I will prepare thy carbuncle stone, and thy foundations sapphire, and I will make thy bulwarks jasper, and thy gates crystal, and thy walls precious stones: and all thy children shall be taught of God, and in much peace thy children shall be, and thou shalt be built in justice (Isa. 54:11-13). Concerning which, we have explained in the interpretations of the same prophet. The twentieth Psalm sings of stones of this kind: The king shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation he shall greatly rejoice. Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden from him the will of his lips. For thou hast prevented him with blessings of sweetness: thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones (Psalm XX. 1 seq.). These are the pearls of the prophets and apostles, which, in comparison with Christ, are all sold in the Gospel (Matthew XIV), that the most precious pearl may be bought, and the stone of which Zacharias writes, which has seven eyes, that is, the seven graces of the Holy Spirit (Zach. III and IV). Read Isaiah. And it is placed by the apostle Paul as the foundation of the Church, upon which gold, silver, and precious stones are built (I Cor. III): the colors, natures, and efficacies of each of which are not to be discussed in this time; but they desire a separate volume: so that in Ezekiel, and in Exodus, and in Revelation, and in Isaiah, all the stones and orders of stones compared to each other make a great question for both the reader and the discussant. Super quibus et vir sanctus Epiphanius episcopus proprium volumen mihi praesens tradidit. Et XXXVII liber Plinii Secundi, Naturalis Historiae, post multiplicem omnium rerum scientiam, de gemmis et lapidibus disputat. Ad quorum notitiam diligens à nobis mittendus est lector. Porro Symmachi interpretatio, istum principem Tyri, quasi pretiosissimum monile lapidibus scribit esse distinctum. Denique auri tympanum vocat, in quo infixi sint lapides. And according to the Hebrew, it follows: Gold is the work of your adornment, and your holes are prepared on the day you were buried. For this reason, the Septuagint says: You filled your treasuries and storehouses with gold, reflecting the understanding and intention that his thoughts have revealed in divine sacraments, and he has gathered for himself spiritual riches, about which the Lord commanded: Store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither rust nor moth destroys, nor thieves dig and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. This is the hidden treasure, of which he also speaks in the Gospel: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. But the apothecae, or storehouses, are those of which it is written elsewhere: Blessed shall be thy barns and rich thy tables. After this, it is said, according to the Hebrew: 'You are the stretched out and protecting Cherub, with the ark of God and the propitiatory beneath it,' or, according to the Septuagint, that he himself, anointed and created, was with the Cherub. From this it is shown that this does not pertain to a human prince of the city of Tyre, but rather to the once holy and eminent strength that was placed as prince of the city of Tyre. And I have set you, he says, on the holy mountain of God; without a doubt, this signifies paradise, to which Paul the Apostle says he was caught up after the third heaven (1 Corinthians 12). But the cherub, of the male gender, is called in the singular number: and in the plural number they are called cherubim, which are interpreted as a multitude of knowledge. God rests and sits upon them, and uses this chariot, as the prophet says: You who sits upon the cherubim, manifest yourself (Ps. 79:2). And in another place: He ascended upon the cherubim, and flew; he flew upon the wings of the wind (Ps. 18:11). This cherub, or creature with cherub, extended and protecting the sacraments, is placed on the holy mountain of God, as we have often said. And the Apostle Paul speaks, if anyone receives the Epistle to the Hebrews: You have come to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels (Heb. XII, 22). Or certainly the holy mountain of God, as we have said, is to be understood as a paradise. He also walked among fiery stones, of which it is written: He makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a burning fire (Ps. CIII, 4). And not only God, who is called consuming fire, consumes hay, wood, and straw (Deut. IV): but also the angels, who are called fiery stones, and fervent in spirit. Hence the Lord says: I came to cast fire upon the earth, and what do I desire but that it be kindled (Luke XII). And what follows: You are perfect in your ways from the day of your creation (in the Septuagint: You were blameless in your days, from the day you were created), until iniquity was found in you, shows that every creature, created good by God, had perfect virtue, and that even the prince of Tyre was blameless, so that sin is not a part of nature, but of will. Until iniquity was found in you. Iniquity invented by God, which was kept enclosed in the treasure chests of your heart through pride and the abuse of power that you had received. Also, the inner chambers, or storehouses, of his wickedness were filled with a multitude of his dealings. For while he sought after many things and was not satisfied with the knowledge he had gained, nor with the power he had been given, he filled the storehouses and inner chambers of his heart so that, being satiated and made fat, he kicked against his Creator. For Jacob ate, and was satisfied, and the beloved one rebelled, becoming fat and sleek, and enlarged, and forsaking the God who made him (Deut. XXXII, 15). And from the heart come evil thoughts (Matth. XV, 19): because of which God says: You have sinned, and I have cast you out from the mountain of God, or you have been wounded by the mountain of God, which we who read are compelled to fear. For if the Cherub extended and protecting, placed on the holy mountain of God, and in the midst of fiery stones, perfect and immaculate, filled his interior with iniquity because of the abundance of trade, and sinned, and was cast out from the mountain of God, that is, from the dwelling of paradise, or wounded by the mountain of God, which clearly refers to Christ, or certainly wounded by the mountain of God, established and dwelling in himself, he is pricked in conscience by evil, while he realizes himself unworthy of the habitation of the mountain: what, then, is to be said of us? Therefore he says to him: 'And I have destroyed you, Cherub, protecting you from the midst of burning stones, so that you would not remain among the burning stones, but perish. O Cherub himself, or Cherubim, who protected you, I have brought you out from the midst of burning stones, according to what is also written about Adam: He drove out Adam, and stationed him (or Cherubim) opposite the paradise of delights (Gen. III, 24). And he gives the reasons why he was brought out, or cast out, from the midst of burning stones.' For your heart has been lifted up in your beauty, thinking that what is God's is yours. Therefore, the apostle says that he received a thorn in the flesh and an angel of Satan to buffet him, so that he would not be exalted by the greatness of his revelations and fall into the judgment of the devil (2 Corinthians 12). And so, your doctrine is corrupted, he says, along with your beauty, or you have lost your wisdom in your beauty. While you desire to be more than what you were created to be and to know more than what you have received from God, you have even lost what you had, and deformity and foolishness have possessed you instead of beauty and knowledge. Therefore, you have been cast down to the earth, you who once dwelled on the mountain of God. About which Isaiah writes: How has Lucifer fallen, who used to rise in the morning (Isa. XIV, 12)? And the Savior in the Gospel says: I saw, he said, Satan falling like lightning from heaven (Luke X). This is also what Jeremiah speaks to Jerusalem. How has the Lord darkened the daughter of Zion in His anger: He has cast down from heaven to earth the glory of Israel (Lamentations II, 1)? But you have been cast down in the sight of all kings, to terrify them by your example, either of good kings, whose heart is in the hand of God (Prov. XXI), or of evil ones, whose kingdoms the devil showed to the Savior (Matt. IV): who encountered the Babylonian king, saying: And you have been captured like us, and considered among us. Therefore, he defiled his sanctification which he had when he dwelt on the mountain and conversed among the burning stones. It follows: I will bring fire in the midst of you which shall devour you. This fire was kindled in the heart of the king of Tyre by him whose arrows are kindled, as it is written: All those who commit adultery are like an oven, their hearts (Hosea). About this fire, Isaiah also speaks: Walk in the light of your fire, and in the flame you have kindled (Isaiah 50), so that when you go out, it may devour the possessor, according to what is written in the same Isaiah: It consumed like the grass the fuel (Isaiah 5). On that day the mountains and hills and forests will be extinguished, and it will devour from soul to flesh. This fire, which is called alien, Nadab and Abihu offered to the altar of the Lord, and for this reason they were consumed by divine fire (Leviticus 10). Hence Moses says: This is the word that the Lord spoke: In those who approach me, I will sanctify myself. But the sanctification of God is the punishment of sinners. After this it is said: And I will turn you into ashes, so that all that you have built will be consumed by the fire of your guilty conscience. When you should have rested on the Sabbath, and should not have done any servile work, you gathered wood on the Sabbath so that you would have something to fuel the fire in your heart. He will also destroy all evil works, reducing them to ashes, so that the harmful fire may be completely extinguished, so that all may see and marvel at the destruction of the king of Tyre, and that it has become nothing, not for many centuries, but in one instant, or certainly forever, so that what is written may be fulfilled: I will not spare you, and I will not have pity. The Hebrews, among their other fables and genealogies and endless questions, are accustomed to understand these words against Hiram, king of Tyre, when they say that from Solomon to Ezekiel there are many years, which it is obvious that men did not live at that time: and thus they pronounce, as if the prophet spoke to him ironically: Are you the seal of the likeness of God, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty? You are adorned with all precious stones, you are a cherub, or created with a cherub: whereas in reality you have sinned, and you will be dissolved into ashes. And they add to their story a miracle, that contrary to Scripture, indeed without the authority of Scripture, they say that Hiram lived for a thousand years. But how violent this interpretation is, a prudent reader understands without our judgment.
(Verse 27, 29 onwards) Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them: Thus says the Lord God: Moreover, your fathers have blasphemed against me and have treated me with contempt, even as they spurned me. And I brought them into the land that I had lifted my hand to give them ((Vulgate adds: that land)): they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices and presented there the irritation of their offerings, and they placed there the fragrance of their sweetness, and they poured out their ((Vulgate is silent on this)) libations there. And I said to them, 'What is the high place to which you are going?' And its name was called the High Place until this day. Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: As for your fathers, they have provoked Me to anger by their iniquities, by the fact that they have fallen away from Me. So I brought them into the land that I had lifted My hand in an oath to give them.' They saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices. They also presented there the provocation of their gifts, and they set there their pleasing aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings. And I said to them: What is abbana, because you enter there? And they called its name abbana until this day. I wanted, he said, to scatter them in the wilderness, and to give them not good precepts, so that they would sacrifice to idols what they should have offered to me, and consecrate all their first-fruits to them by fire, so that I might kill them and destroy them. But when he says, I wanted, he shows that he did not do what he wanted. And that which follows: 'And they shall know that I am the Lord,' is not found in the Septuagint. For it did not seem fitting to them to know after their destruction that he himself is the Lord. But you, son of man, speak again to them, that is, to the elders of the house of Israel, who have come to inquire of you: Your fathers, from whom you have descended, have also blasphemed against me and held me in contempt; after I brought them into the land which I had given them to possess, they turned against me to provoke me. For when they saw every high hill and leafy tree, they would sacrifice on the mountains and in the groves and thickets, and offer victims to the idols, and pour out libations. And when I saw this, I said to them: What is this, Bama? for it is called high: or why do you enter into such a place which you have chosen for yourselves in all the hills, so that even today these places are called Bamoth, and the ancient error retains its original name? Regarding Bama, which we translate as excelsum, there is an error in the Septuagint edition, where it is written as ἀββανὰ, which does not resonate in the Hebrew language. Bama can mean 'in which' if the two syllables are divided into two words, but in the present context, that sense does not fit. However, wherever it is written in the Books of Kings and Chronicles: 'The people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places,' Bama in the singular and Bamoth in the plural mean 'high places.'
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 28:17, an integral part of a prophetic oracle against the "king of Tyrus," profoundly describes the catastrophic downfall of a once-exalted being. This entity's heart became arrogantly inflated by its inherent beauty and splendor, leading to the perversion of its wisdom. The verse, while ostensibly addressing an earthly ruler, employs transcendent language that points to a spiritual entity whose self-exaltation resulted in a dramatic, humiliating expulsion from its privileged position, serving as an enduring warning against the destructive nature of pride and rebellion against divine sovereignty.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 28:17 is profoundly rich in Symbolism and Metaphor, particularly in its depiction of the "king of Tyrus." While ostensibly addressing a human ruler, the language, especially concerning "beauty," "brightness," and being "cast to the ground," transcends typical human attributes, metaphorically alluding to a pre-Adamic spiritual being, widely interpreted as Satan. The verse employs Personification by attributing human-like emotions and actions (a "heart lifted up," "corrupted wisdom") to this powerful, non-human entity. There is a strong sense of Juxtaposition between the being's former exalted state of "beauty" and "brightness" and its ultimate humiliation of being "cast to the ground" and exposed "before kings." This dramatic contrast powerfully highlights the severity and finality of the fall. The entire passage functions as a Divine Oracle or Prophecy, delivering God's authoritative and immutable judgment through the prophet Ezekiel, emphasizing the certainty and irreversibility of the pronounced doom.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 28:17 serves as a profound theological statement on the insidious nature of pride and its catastrophic consequences, illustrating how even the most glorious, gifted, and privileged beings can fall from grace through self-exaltation. It underscores the biblical truth that true wisdom, beauty, and splendor are ultimately gifts from God, intended for His glory and purposes. When these divine endowments become objects of self-worship and instruments of personal aggrandizement, they inevitably lead to spiritual corruption and divine judgment. The passage's dual application, to both the earthly king of Tyre and the spiritual power behind him, reinforces the universal principle that pride is the fundamental root of all rebellion against God, invariably leading to a fall from any position of privilege, authority, or favor. It stands as a timeless warning against the insidious nature of arrogance, reminding us that humility before God is the only pathway to true and lasting exaltation.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 28:17 offers a sobering mirror for self-examination, urging us to deeply consider the true source of our gifts, talents, and accomplishments. In a world that frequently celebrates self-made success, personal achievement, and individual brilliance, this verse profoundly reminds us that true beauty, genuine wisdom, and radiant brightness are ultimately divine endowments, graciously bestowed by God. When we allow these blessings to inflate our ego, leading to self-admiration, self-sufficiency, or even self-worship, rather than humble gratitude and stewardship, we risk corrupting the very essence of who we are and inviting a spiritual downfall. The warning extends beyond individual pride to collective arrogance in communities, organizations, or nations that become self-sufficient, forget their dependence on God, and boast in their own strength. It calls us to cultivate a profound spirit of humility, recognizing that every good and perfect gift comes from above, and to steward our gifts for God's glory, not our own. Our wisdom should lead us to greater reverence for God, and our beauty, talents, or achievements should consistently point others to the magnificent Creator, not to ourselves.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is the "king of Tyrus" in Ezekiel 28:17, and why is the language so unusual?
Answer: The "king of Tyrus" in Ezekiel 28:11-19 is understood by many biblical scholars to have a dual reference. While it initially addresses the human ruler of the Phoenician city of Tyre, the language used transcends typical human attributes, describing a being of unparalleled perfection, dwelling in Eden, adorned with precious stones, and identified as a "guardian cherub." This highly symbolic and elevated language leads many to interpret the "king of Tyrus" as a veiled reference to Satan, the spiritual power behind the earthly ruler, whose original rebellion and fall from glory are being described. This interpretive approach finds parallels in other prophetic passages that use earthly kings as types for spiritual entities, such as Isaiah 14's oracle against the king of Babylon.
How does Ezekiel 28:17 relate to the biblical understanding of the fall of Satan?
Answer: Ezekiel 28:17 is one of the most significant Old Testament passages, alongside Isaiah 14:12-15, that provides profound insight into the origin of evil and the fall of Satan. The verse describes a being whose "heart was lifted up because of thy beauty" and who "corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness." This perfectly aligns with the traditional understanding that Satan, originally a magnificent angelic being (a "cherub" in Ezekiel 28:14), fell due to overwhelming pride and self-exaltation, desiring to be like God. His inherent glory, wisdom, and splendor, instead of being used for God's purposes and worship, became the very instruments of his rebellion and spiritual corruption, leading to his expulsion from God's presence and ultimate humiliation.
What is the significance of "beauty" and "brightness" in this context?
Answer: In Ezekiel 28:17, "beauty" (Hebrew: yŏphîy) and "brightness" (Hebrew: yiphʻâh, meaning splendor or radiance) signify the inherent, divinely bestowed perfections and glorious attributes of the being described. These terms emphasize the magnificent state from which the entity fell, highlighting its original glory, exalted position, and perhaps even its proximity to the divine light. The tragedy is that these very gifts, intended to reflect the glory of the Creator and inspire worship of Him, became the source of self-admiration and pride. The being became so enamored with its own splendor that it turned inward, leading to the corruption of its wisdom and ultimately its catastrophic downfall. This underscores the theological point that even the greatest gifts can become a dangerous snare if not held in humble stewardship and gratitude before God.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 28:17, with its vivid portrayal of a glorious being's fall due to pride and self-exaltation, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment not in a similar downfall, but in the radical and redemptive antithesis embodied by Jesus Christ. While the "king of Tyrus" (and by extension, Satan) was "lifted up because of thy beauty" and "corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness," leading to a humiliating descent from glory, Christ, though eternally glorious and divine, chose the path of radical humility and self-emptying. The one described in Ezekiel fell from a position of splendor due to pride, but Jesus, who was "in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness" (Philippians 2:6-7). He did not cling to His divine "brightness" or inherent glory but willingly "cast himself to the ground" in the incarnation, taking on vulnerable human flesh and suffering the ultimate humiliation of the cross. This unparalleled act of profound humility, rather than leading to destruction, resulted in His ultimate exaltation by God, who "highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name" (Philippians 2:9). Furthermore, where the "king of Tyrus" corrupted wisdom for self-serving ends, Christ is the very embodiment of divine wisdom and the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:24), and through His victory on the cross, He decisively disarmed and triumphed over the very spiritual powers that fell through pride (Colossians 2:15). Thus, Ezekiel 28:17 serves as a dark backdrop against which the radiant humility, perfect wisdom, and redemptive work of Christ shine all the more brightly, demonstrating that true glory is found not in self-exaltation but in sacrificial love, obedience, and humble service to God.