Ezekiel 28:4

KJV

With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:

KJV (with Strong's)

With thy wisdom {H2451} and with thine understanding {H8394} thou hast gotten {H6213} thee riches {H2428}, and hast gotten {H6213} gold {H2091} and silver {H3701} into thy treasures {H214}:

Complete Jewish Bible

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

Berean Standard Bible

By your wisdom and understanding you have gained your wealth and amassed gold and silver for your treasuries.

American Standard Version

by thy wisdom and by thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Ezekiel 28:4 delivers a sharp indictment against the King of Tyre, exposing his profound hubris and self-sufficiency. The verse reveals that the king attributed his immense material prosperity—specifically his "riches, gold, and silver"—not to divine favor or external circumstances, but entirely to his own inherent "wisdom" and "understanding." This declaration lays bare the foundational sin of pride and the idolatry of human intellect and material wealth that characterized Tyre's leadership, setting the stage for the severe divine judgment that follows.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Ezekiel 28 is situated within a broader prophetic section (Ezekiel 25-32) that pronounces divine judgment against various foreign nations, following earlier prophecies against Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. This particular chapter contains a lament, or funeral dirge, over the King of Tyre. The prophecy begins by addressing a human ruler, but the language quickly transcends this, transitioning to a symbolic, almost cosmic figure often interpreted as a veiled reference to Satan due to descriptions of perfection, residence in Eden, and a fall from glory found in subsequent verses, particularly [Ezekiel 28:12-19](/ezekiel/28-12-19 "Ezekiel 28:12-19 - The Lament Over the King of Tyre's Fall"). Verse 4 serves as a crucial foundational statement, establishing the king's profound self-exaltation and pinpointing the perceived source of his power—his own intellect and accumulated wealth—before the prophecy escalates to describe his original, exalted state and subsequent catastrophic fall. It starkly contrasts human arrogance with the divine wisdom and power that truly govern the world, thereby preparing the reader for God's ultimate judgment against such pride.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Tyre was a formidable Phoenician city-state, globally renowned in the ancient Near East for its unparalleled maritime trade, exceptional craftsmanship, and vast wealth. Geographically, it was situated on the Mediterranean coast, largely as an island fortress, which contributed to its perception of impregnability. Its merchants were legendary, extending their trade networks far and wide, amassing immense "gold and silver" and a diverse array of exotic goods. This economic dominance fostered a deep-seated sense of security and self-reliance among its inhabitants and rulers. The King of Tyre, therefore, embodied the pinnacle of human achievement and material success in the region. Culturally, Tyre worshipped deities such as Baal and Melqart, who were associated with prosperity, power, and the fertility of the land, further reinforcing a worldview where human ingenuity, economic might, and military strength were seen as supreme, rather than acknowledging the sovereignty of Yahweh. Ezekiel 28:4 precisely captures the essence of this cultural pride, where human "wisdom" and "understanding" were believed to be the sole architects of their prosperity, leading to a profound spiritual blindness and a rejection of divine authority.
* **Key Themes:** The central theme of [Ezekiel 28](/ezekiel/28 "Ezekiel 28 - Prophecy Against Tyre") and particularly verse 4, is the **danger of pride and self-sufficiency**. The King of Tyre's conviction that his "wisdom and understanding" were the sole architects of his "riches" exemplifies a profound spiritual arrogance, a recurring theme throughout the prophetic books. This attitude directly opposes the biblical teaching that all blessings, including the ability to gain wealth, ultimately originate from God, as emphasized in [Deuteronomy 8:17-18](/deuteronomy/8-17-18 "Deuteronomy 8:17-18 - Do Not Forget the Lord"). Another prominent theme is the **idolatry of wealth and materialism**. The explicit mention of "riches, gold, and silver" underscores how material possessions became the ultimate measure of success and security for Tyre, effectively replacing God as the object of trust. This relentless pursuit of earthly treasure, when divorced from righteousness and divine acknowledgment, is consistently warned against in Scripture, for example, in [Matthew 6:19-21](/matthew/6-19-21 "Matthew 6:19-21 - Lay Up Treasures in Heaven"). Finally, the verse highlights the **contrast between human wisdom and divine wisdom**. While the King of Tyre's wisdom was shrewd and effective in worldly affairs, it ultimately led him to spiritual blindness and impending destruction. This stands in stark contrast to the divine wisdom that begins with the "fear of the Lord," as articulated in [Proverbs 9:10](/proverbs/9-10 "Proverbs 9:10 - The Beginning of Wisdom"), which leads to true life and righteousness.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **wisdom (Hebrew, _chokmâh'_):** From the root meaning "to be wise," this term denotes practical skill, discernment, and intellectual prowess. While in many biblical contexts, *chokmâh* is associated with God-given abilities or divine insight, particularly in wisdom literature where it leads to righteous living, here it is presented as the King of Tyre's *own* inherent attribute. It is a capacity used for self-enrichment and worldly gain, highlighting a misapplication or perversion of this gift when divorced from divine guidance. The king's wisdom is purely human, focused on earthly acquisition and self-aggrandizement.
* **understanding (Hebrew, _tâbûwn'_):** Derived from the verb "to discern" or "to understand," *tâbûwn* signifies intelligence, insight, and the ability to comprehend complex situations and make sound judgments. It often appears alongside *chokmâh*, forming a comprehensive picture of intellectual capability. In Ezekiel 28:4, its pairing with "wisdom" profoundly emphasizes the King of Tyre's reliance on his own mental faculties and shrewdness as the perceived sole source of his prosperity, rather than acknowledging any external, divine source. It points to a self-contained, human-centric worldview that sees no need for God.
* **riches (Hebrew, _chayil'_):** This versatile word carries a broad semantic range, encompassing "force," "strength," "valor," "virtue," and significantly, "wealth" or "substance." It can refer to military might, material possessions, or even moral excellence. In this specific context, *chayil* refers to the King of Tyre's accumulated wealth, emphasizing the substantial and powerful nature of his material possessions. The term underscores the king's perception that his "wisdom" and "understanding" generated a formidable and tangible "force" in the form of his vast fortune, giving him a false sense of invincibility.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"With thy wisdom and with thine understanding":** This opening phrase immediately establishes the King of Tyre's internal perspective and the core of his sin. He attributes his immense success and prosperity entirely to his own intellectual and cognitive abilities. This is not a passive receipt of blessings but an active, self-generated acquisition, rooted in his shrewdness, discernment, and cunning. It sets up the fundamental indictment of the passage: a profound pride in human achievement and a complete disregard for divine sovereignty.
* **"thou hast gotten thee riches":** This clause directly states the perceived outcome of the king's self-attributed wisdom and understanding. The verb "gotten" (from Hebrew *ʻâsâh*, "to do" or "to make") powerfully emphasizes the king's active agency and self-perception as the sole architect of his wealth. The "riches" (Hebrew *chayil*) signify not just accumulated wealth but also the inherent power, influence, and substance that accompany it, reflecting Tyre's economic might and perceived invincibility in the ancient world. It highlights the deeply materialistic focus of the king's endeavors and his ultimate trust in his own capabilities.
* **"and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures":** This further specifies the nature of the "riches" as precious metals, which were the ultimate symbols of wealth, value, and security in the ancient world. The phrase "into thy treasures" (Hebrew *ʼôwtsâr*) refers to storehouses, depositories, or treasuries, indicating a deliberate, systematic, and secure accumulation of assets. This detail underscores the king's deep-seated materialism and his unwavering confidence in his own ability to amass and safeguard vast quantities of valuable assets, seeing them as the direct and undeniable fruit of his superior intellect and shrewdness.

#### Literary Devices
Ezekiel 28:4 employs several potent literary devices to convey its powerful message of divine judgment against human pride. **Personification** is evident as the city-state of Tyre, through its king, is endowed with human attributes of wisdom, understanding, and the active, self-directed pursuit of wealth. This allows the prophet to address a collective entity as an individual, making the indictment more personal, direct, and impactful. **Hyperbole** is subtly suggested by the sheer magnitude of the "riches, gold, and silver" accumulated, reflecting not just the literal, immense wealth of Tyre but also the king's inflated sense of his own achievement and the perceived boundless nature of his prosperity. This exaggeration serves to underscore the extent of his pride and the grandiosity of his self-perception. Most significantly, there is a profound **Irony** at play. The very "wisdom" and "understanding" that the king boasts of, and which he believes have secured his prosperity and invulnerability, are precisely what lead him to spiritual blindness, profound arrogance, and ultimately, to divine judgment and ruin. His "wisdom" is worldly and self-serving, a stark contrast to true, God-given wisdom, which leads to humility, righteousness, and eternal life.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 28:4 serves as a timeless theological warning against the insidious dangers of self-exaltation and the idolatry of human achievement and material wealth. The King of Tyre's fatal flaw was his unshakeable belief that his own intellect and efforts were the sole source of his prosperity, completely neglecting divine sovereignty and the ultimate source of all blessings. This perspective is fundamentally at odds with a biblical worldview, which consistently teaches that all true wisdom, ability, and blessing flow from God. When human wisdom is divorced from divine truth and humility, it becomes a dangerous tool for self-aggrandizement and the accumulation of fleeting earthly treasures, rather than for seeking righteousness, eternal value, and God's glory. This verse powerfully illustrates how pride, fueled by material success and intellectual arrogance, can blind individuals to their utter dependence on God, leading inevitably to a spiritual fall and divine judgment.

* [Proverbs 16:18](/proverbs/16-18 "Proverbs 16:18 - Pride Goes Before Destruction")
* [1 Timothy 6:10](/1_timothy/6-10 "1 Timothy 6:10 - The Love of Money is a Root of All Kinds of Evil")
* [James 1:5](/james/1-5 "James 1:5 - God Gives Wisdom Generously")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 28:4 offers a profound and challenging mirror for self-examination in a world that often celebrates self-made success and measures human worth primarily by accumulated wealth and perceived intellectual prowess. It compels us to critically evaluate the true source of our perceived achievements and blessings. Do we, like the King of Tyre, attribute our "wisdom" and "understanding" as the ultimate architects of our prosperity and security, or do we humbly acknowledge God as the ultimate provider of our abilities, opportunities, and all resources? The verse serves as a potent reminder that while diligence, skill, and strategic thinking are valuable and God-given, placing our ultimate trust in them, or in the material fruits they yield, can lead to a dangerous form of spiritual pride and self-sufficiency. True security, lasting fulfillment, and genuine peace are not found in the accumulation of "gold and silver" or in our own cleverness, but in a right relationship with the Giver of all good things. We are called to steward our gifts and resources for God's glory, recognizing that earthly treasures are fleeting and true, eternal riches are found only in Christ.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life do I tend to attribute success solely to my own "wisdom and understanding" rather than acknowledging God's provision and grace?**
* **How might the pursuit or accumulation of material wealth subtly lead me away from dependence on God and towards a dangerous self-reliance?**
* **What does it truly mean to "store up treasures in heaven" in contrast to the King of Tyre's earthly focus and accumulation?**
* **How can I cultivate a heart of profound gratitude and genuine humility, consistently recognizing God as the ultimate source of all good things in my life and for all my abilities?**

### FAQ
**Who is the "King of Tyre" in this passage, and is it a literal or symbolic figure?**

Answer: In [Ezekiel 28](/ezekiel/28 "Ezekiel 28 - Prophecy Against Tyre"), the "King of Tyre" begins as a literal human ruler, representing the historical leader of the powerful Phoenician city-state. However, as the prophecy unfolds (especially from [Ezekiel 28:12](/ezekiel/28-12 "Ezekiel 28:12 - The Lament Over the King of Tyre")), the language used transcends that of a mere human king. Descriptions like "the anointed cherub," being in "Eden, the garden of God," and having "perfect in beauty" suggest a profound shift from a literal human ruler to a symbolic, almost cosmic figure. This figure is often interpreted by theologians as a veiled reference to Satan. This dual reference highlights how human pride and rebellion, exemplified by the King of Tyre, ultimately mirror the original fall of a spiritual being who exalted himself against God.

**Does this verse condemn all wealth or the acquisition of "gold and silver"?**

Answer: No, Ezekiel 28:4 does not inherently condemn wealth or the acquisition of "gold and silver" in themselves. The Bible acknowledges wealth as a potential blessing from God, as seen in [Deuteronomy 8:18](/deuteronomy/8-18 "Deuteronomy 8:18 - God Gives Power to Get Wealth"). The condemnation in this verse, and consistently throughout Scripture, is directed at the *attitude* towards wealth and its perceived source. The King of Tyre's sin was his profound pride and self-reliance, believing that his "wisdom and understanding" alone generated his riches, rather than acknowledging God's sovereignty and provision. The verse warns against the idolatry of wealth, where material possessions become the ultimate object of trust and security, leading to spiritual blindness and a dangerous disregard for God, echoing the warning in [1 Timothy 6:10](/1_timothy/6-10 "1 Timothy 6:10 - The Love of Money is a Root of All Kinds of Evil").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 28:4, with its stark portrayal of the King of Tyre's self-exaltation through human wisdom and accumulated wealth, finds its ultimate contrast and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Where the King of Tyre's pride led to his catastrophic downfall, Christ, though existing "in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant" ([Philippians 2:6-7](/philippians/2-6-7 "Philippians 2:6-7 - Christ's Humility")). While the King of Tyre boasted of his own worldly wisdom, Christ is revealed as the very "wisdom of God" ([1 Corinthians 1:24](/1_corinthians/1-24 "1 Corinthians 1:24 - Christ the Power and Wisdom of God")), through whom all things were created and in whom are "hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" ([Colossians 2:3](/colossians/2-3 "Colossians 2:3 - Christ, in Whom are Hidden all Treasures")). The King of Tyre relentlessly pursued earthly riches, which ultimately proved fleeting and led to his destruction; Christ, however, taught His followers to "not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" ([Matthew 6:19-20](/matthew/6-19-20 "Matthew 6:19-20 - Lay Up Treasures in Heaven")). He Himself, "though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich" ([2 Corinthians 8:9](/2_corinthians/8-9 "2 Corinthians 8:9 - Christ's Example of Generosity")), offering spiritual and eternal riches that infinitely surpass any "gold and silver" the King of Tyre could ever amass. Thus, Christ stands as the divine antithesis to the King of Tyre's self-centered pride, embodying true humility, divine wisdom, and the only source of eternal treasure.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Proverbs 18:11

¶ The rich man's wealth [is] his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

Deuteronomy 8:17

And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of [mine] hand hath gotten me this wealth.

Deuteronomy 8:18

But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for [it is] he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as [it is] this day.

Proverbs 23:4

¶ Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

Proverbs 23:5

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Habakkuk 1:16

Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion [is] fat, and their meat plenteous.

Ezekiel 29:3

Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river [is] mine own, and I have made [it] for myself.