1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
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:
3 Behold, thou [art] wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
4 With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:
5 By thy great wisdom [and] by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:
6 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;
7 Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.
8 They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of [them that are] slain in the midst of the seas.
9 Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I [am] God? but thou [shalt be] a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.
10 Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken [it], saith the Lord GOD.
11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
14 Thou [art] the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee [so]: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never [shalt] thou [be] any more.
20 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
21 Son of man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it,
22 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.
23 For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.
24 And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor [any] grieving thorn of all [that are] round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.
25 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.
26 And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD their God.
Overview of Ezekiel 28
Ezekiel 28 is a chapter that serves as a prophetic lamentation against the King of Tyre, illustrating themes of pride, downfall, and divine judgment. The chapter is notable for its poetic language and vivid imagery, which convey both the historical context of Tyre’s political power and a deeper spiritual message regarding the nature of sin and rebellion against God.
Structure of the Chapter
- Verses 1-10: Judgment Against the King of Tyre
- The proclamation of judgment against the ruler.
- Emphasis on the king’s pride and self-deification.
- Imagery of a fallen being, reflecting the consequences of arrogance.
- Verses 11-19: Lamentation over the King of Tyre
- Descriptive language portraying the king as a beautiful being.
- Comparison to the Garden of Eden and the cherubim.
- The fall from grace due to iniquity and pride.
- Verses 20-26: Prophecy Against the City of Tyre
- Announcement of destruction for Tyre.
- Consequences of the king’s actions on the city.
- Promise of restoration for Israel in the aftermath.
Thematic Analysis
Pride and Its Consequences
The central theme of Ezekiel 28 is the danger of pride. The King of Tyre is depicted as having an inflated view of himself, claiming to be a god. This hubris leads to his downfall, illustrating a biblical principle that pride precedes destruction (Proverbs 16:18).
Imagery and Symbolism
The chapter employs rich imagery to convey its messages:
- Garden of Eden: The reference to the Garden symbolizes beauty, perfection, and the original state of creation before the fall.
- Cherubim: The comparison to a cherub emphasizes the king’s initial exalted status and subsequent fall from grace.
- Fire and Destruction: The imagery of fire consuming the king and the city serves as a metaphor for divine judgment.
Divine Judgment
The chapter underscores the certainty of divine judgment against those who defy God. The king’s demise is portrayed as inevitable, reinforcing the idea that no earthly power can withstand the will of God.
Historical Context
Tyre was a significant city-state in ancient Phoenicia, known for its wealth and trade. The chapter reflects the socio-political realities of the time, where the King of Tyre was seen as a powerful ruler. However, the text shifts focus from the political to the spiritual, illustrating that earthly power is transient and ultimately subject to divine authority.
Conclusion
Ezekiel 28 serves as a profound warning against pride and self-exaltation, using the King of Tyre as a case study. The chapter’s poetic lamentation not only addresses the immediate historical context but also offers timeless lessons about humility, accountability, and the nature of divine justice.
