Ezekiel 28:5

By thy great wisdom [and] by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:

By thy great {H7230} wisdom {H2451} and by thy traffick {H7404} hast thou increased {H7235} thy riches {H2428}, and thine heart {H3824} is lifted up {H1361} because of thy riches {H2428}:

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

By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, but your heart has grown proud because of it.

by thy great wisdom and by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches, and thy heart is lifted up because of thy riches;โ€”

Commentary

Context

Ezekiel 28 contains a powerful prophetic lamentation against the King of Tyre, a prominent city of ancient Phoenicia known for its immense wealth, maritime trade, and strategic importance. This chapter shifts from a general prophecy against Tyre in Ezekiel 26-27 to a specific focus on its ruler, who is depicted as highly arrogant and self-exalting. Verse 5 zeroes in on the source of Tyre's perceived greatness and the subsequent spiritual downfall. The preceding verses (Ezekiel 28:1-4) establish the king's delusion of being a god, possessing divine wisdom, and sitting "in the seat of God." This verse directly connects that pride to the material prosperity he accumulated through his own efforts and cunning.

Key Themes

  • The Peril of Prosperity: This verse highlights how material success, gained through "great wisdom" and "traffick" (trade), can become a snare. For the King of Tyre, his riches led to an inflated sense of self-importance and a departure from acknowledging God.
  • Pride Born of Riches: The core message is the direct link between wealth and arrogance. "Thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches" reveals a common human tendency to attribute success solely to personal effort, leading to a dangerous pride. This theme resonates with other biblical warnings about the deceitfulness of wealth, such as seen in Proverbs 16:18, which states, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."
  • Human Wisdom vs. Divine Wisdom: The "great wisdom" mentioned here refers to shrewdness, cunning, and skill in commerce, not spiritual discernment. The king's reliance on his own worldly wisdom to amass wealth ultimately led to his spiritual blindness and rebellion against God, underscoring a contrast often found in scripture, for example, in 1 Corinthians 1:20.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Wisdom" (ื—ึธื›ึฐืžึธื” - chokmah): While this Hebrew word can denote true spiritual wisdom, in the context of the King of Tyre, it primarily refers to his extraordinary practical skill, cunning, and shrewdness in business and statecraftโ€”the worldly wisdom that enabled his commercial success.
  • "Traffick" (ืจึฐื›ึปืœึผึธื” - rekullah): This term specifically means "trade," "commerce," or "merchandise." It emphasizes the active, extensive mercantile activities that were the lifeblood of Tyre's economy and the source of its vast riches.
  • "Thine heart is lifted up" (ื•ึทื™ึผึดื’ึฐื‘ึผึทื”ึผ ืœึดื‘ึผึถืšึธ - vayigbah libbekha): This is a common biblical idiom expressing arrogance, haughtiness, or pride. It signifies a swelling of self-importance and a disregard for God or others, often leading to a fall, as warned in 1 Timothy 6:10 regarding the love of money.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 28:5 serves as a timeless warning for individuals and nations. It challenges us to examine the source of our security and identity. When wealth, success, or personal achievements become the primary focus, it can lead to spiritual arrogance and a distorted view of reality. The verse reminds us that true prosperity is not merely material but also spiritual, rooted in humility and dependence on God. It encourages believers to guard against the subtle dangers of materialism and to remember that all blessings come from above, fostering a spirit of gratitude rather than self-exaltation. This principle remains vital for navigating the temptations of a consumer-driven world, urging us to seek first God's kingdom and righteousness, as taught by Jesus in Matthew 6:33.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 62:10

    Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart [upon them].

  • Psalms 52:7

    Lo, [this is] the man [that] made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, [and] strengthened himself in his wickedness.

  • Ezekiel 28:2

    Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart [is] lifted up, and thou hast said, I [am] a God, I sit [in] the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou [art] a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:

  • Hosea 13:6

    According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.

  • James 4:13

    Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

  • James 4:14

    Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

  • Hosea 12:7

    ยถ [He is] a merchant, the balances of deceit [are] in his hand: he loveth to oppress.
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