Ezekiel 28:1-10

1 The word of the Lord came to me:

2 Mortal, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God: Because your heart is proud and you have said, "I am a god; I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas," yet you are but a mortal, and no god, though you compare your mind with the mind of a god.

3 You are indeed wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you;

4 by your wisdom and your understanding you have amassed wealth for yourself, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries.

5 By your great wisdom in trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth.

6 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you compare your mind with the mind of a god,

7 therefore, I will bring strangers against you, the most terrible of the nations; they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor.

8 They shall thrust you down to the Pit, and you shall die a violent death in the heart of the seas.

9 Will you still say, "I am a god," in the presence of those who kill you, though you are but a mortal, and no god, in the hands of those who wound you?

10 You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners; for I have spoken, says the Lord God.

Ezekiel 28:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 28

This chapter contains a prophecy of the destruction of the prince of Tyre; a lamentation for the king of Tyre; a denunciation of judgments on Zidon, and a promise of peace and safety to Israel. The order given the prophet to prophesy of the ruin of the prince of Tyre, Eze 28:1,2, the cause of his ruin, his pride on account of his wisdom and riches, which rose to such a pitch, as to make himself God, Eze 28:2-6, the manner in which his destruction shall be accomplished, Eze 28:7-10, the lamentation for the king of Tyre begins Eze 28:11,12, setting forth his former grandeur and dignity, Eze 28:13-15, his fall, and the cause of it, injustice and violence in merchandise, pride because of beauty and wisdom, and profanation of sanctuaries, Eze 28:16-19, next follow the judgments on Zidon, Eze 28:20-23, and the chapter is concluded with a promise of the restoration of the Jews to their own land, and of great tranquillity and safety in it, Eze 28:24-26.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or, as otherwise read, [Danel]