1.
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
the LORD . ' Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .
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:
Son of man . See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .
the prince of Tyrus . The prince (Hebrew. nagid) is to be distinguished as the type (verses: Ezekiel 28:1-10 ) from the king ( melek ) of Tyre, the antitype (verses: Ezekiel 28:11-19 ). See the Structure above. He is a mere man, as shown in Ezekiel 28:9 , where note the emphasis marked by the Figure of speech Pleonasm ( App-6 ). He was Ithobalus II, Ileb. ' Ethbaal . See Josephus (cont. Apion . 21).
Tyrus = Tyre (the city), as in Ezekiel 26:2 .
the Lord GOD. Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .
thine heart. Note the Figure of speech Polyptoton ( App-6 ), by which the word heart is repeated in different inflections for emphasis. "Thine heart., in the heart (midst). thine heart. the heart. "
GOD. Hebrew ' El (singular) App-4 .
of God. Hebrew. Elohim (plural) App-4 .
midst = heart (as in Ezekiel 2 7 throughout),
a man. Hebrew. 'adam . App-14 .
a man, and not. GOD ( 'El ). Note the Figure of speech Pleonasm ( App-6 ), by which the same thing is put in two ways (first positive and then negative) to emphasize the fact that the "prince" here spoken to (verses: Ezekiel 28:2-10 ) is purely human ( 'adam ), and therefore not "the king" spoken to in verses: Ezekiel 28:11-19 .
not GOD = not ' El . App-4 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
3.
Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
Behold. Figure of speech Asteismos ( App-6 ), to attract our attention.
wiser. In thine own eyes.
Daniel. Here an example of wisdom; as of righteousness in Ezekiel 14:14 , Ezekiel 14:20 . Compare Daniel 1:17 .
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.
strangers = aliens, or foreigners: the Babylonians were noted for their barbarity. Compare Ezekiel 30:11 ; Ezekiel 31:12 .Isaiah 1:7 ; Isaiah 25:2 ).
defile = profane.
brightness = splendour: occurs only here, and Ezekiel 28:17 . See note on Genesis 3:1 and App-19 .
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.
pit = corruption. Hebrew. shahath.
slain = wounded.
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.
God . Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
thou shalt be = thou [art].
GOD . Hebrew. 'El . App-4 .
10.
Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
die. uncircumcised : i.e. come to the miserable end of the ungodly. Compare Ezekiel 31:18 ; Ezekiel 32:19 , Ezekiel 32:21 , Ezekiel 32:25 , Ezekiel 32:32 . The word being used in its moral, not physical sense
deaths. Plural = the great, or awful death.
saith the Lord GOD = [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle.
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.
the king of Tyrus. Here we have a supernatural being addressed: He of whom the "prince of Tyre" was only a type; He who was using that "prince" as one of his agents to secure the world = power. He is not a mere "man "as the prince of Tyre" (see Ezekiel 28:9 ). His description, (see the Structure; 12-17, below) is superterrestrial, and superhuman, and can refer to no other than Satan himself.
Thou sealest up the sum = Thou art the finished pattern. Hebrew toknith = pattern. Occurs only here. and Ezekiel 43:10 .
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.
hast been = wast.
in Eden . Here is no evidence of a "legend", but a reality. Satan, the Nachash or shining one, was there. See notes on Genesis 3:1 , and App-19 . Eve was smitten with his beauty as "an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14 ); and deferred to him as one possessing this "wisdom", and believed his power to make good his promise. Reference to Pentateuch. No mention of Eden since Genesis 4:16 . Isaiah 51:3 , till here; and none after till Ezekiel 31:9 , Ezekiel 31:16 , Ezekiel 31:18 ; Ezekiel 36:35 .Isaiah 51:3 .Joel 2:3 . App-92 .
the garden of and . This is added to leave us in no doubt as to what is meant by Eden, and to show that it was no mere "summer residence 'of the "prince" of Tyre, but, the "garden" of Genesis 2:8-15 .
precious stone. Referring to Genesis 2:11 , Genesis 2:12 .
tabrets = drums. See note on "timbrel" (Exodus 15:20 ), and compare note on 1 Samuel 10:5 .
in the day . See App-18 .
thou wart created. Not begotten by man, or born of woman. This can refer only to Satan.
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.
art = west, as in the other verses here.
the anointed cherub that covereth . Cherub can be used only of a supernatural being, overshadowing and protecting "the world that then was" (2 Peter 3:6 ), or the "garden" of Ezekiel 28:13 .
and I have set thee so , &c.: or, when I appointed thee. thou west.
the holy mountain, &c. See note on Ezekiel 28:13 , below; and compare Isaiah 14:12-14 .
hast walked up and down = didst walk to and fro, &c.; referring to facts concerning which nothing further is revealed.
15.
Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
perfect . . . created. Referring to the period before Satan's fall. See App-19 .
iniquity = perversity. Hebrew ' aval, App-44 .
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.
merchandise = traffic, or going about, as in Ezekiel 28:18 . Hence it meant calumniator (slanderer), in a moral sense.
hast sinned = didst sin. sinned. Hebrew. chata '. App-44 .
I will cast, he. = I cast thee as profane. Literally I profaned thee.
the mountain of God. This Hebrew expression ( har ha'elohim) occurs seven times (28, 13.Exodus 3:1 ; Exodus 4:2 ;; Ezekiel 18:5 ; Ezekiel 24:13 . 1 Kings 19:8 . Psalms 68:15 ). The Massorah gives these to distinguish it from has Jehovah, which also occurs seven times (Genesis 22:14 .Numbers 10:33 .Psalms 24:3 .Isaiah 2:3 ; Isaiah 30:29 . Micah 4:2 .Zechariah 8:3; Zechariah 8:3 ).
covering cherub. See note on Ezekiel 28:14 .
from. Contrast this "from" with "in" in Ezekiel 28:14 ; and see the Structure on p. 1145.
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.
hast corrupted = didst corrupt. When this took place we are not told. It was before Genesis 3:11 , Matthew 13:35 .
I will cast thee = I did cast thee.
ground = earth, Hebrew ' eretz, (with Art.)
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.
hast defiled = didst defile.
sanctuaries . Some codices, with six early printed editions, Aram, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "sanctuary" (singular)
multitude = abounding.
iniquities . Some codices, with three early printed editions, with Aramaean and Syriac, read "iniquity" (singular) Hebrew 'avah. App-44 .
it shall devour thee . See Revelation 20:10 . Rev 20:18
people = peoples.
be = become.
any more = for ever.
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,
Son of man. See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .
Zidon . Was not threatened with extinction, as Tyre was. See note on Ezekiel 26:2 .
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.
I will be glorified , &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 14:4 , Exodus 14:17 ). App-92 .
they shall know , &c. See note on Ezekiel 6:10 .
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.
gathered. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 30:3 , Deuteronomy 30:4 ). See also Ezekiel 11:17 ; Ezekiel 20:41 ; Ezekiel 34:13 ; Ezekiel 36:24 ; Ezekiel 37:21 ; Ezekiel 39:27 . Leviticus 26:44 , Leviticus 26:45 .Psalms 106:47 . Isaiah 11:11 , Isaiah 11:12 , Isaiah 11:13 ; Isa 11:27 , Isaiah 11:12 , Isaiah 11:13 .Jeremiah 30:18 ; Jer 30:31 , Jeremiah 30:8-10 ; Jeremiah 32:37 . Hosea 1:11 .Joel 3:7 . Amos 9:14 , Amos 9:15 .Obadiah 1:17-21 .Zephaniah 3:19 , Zephaniah 3:20 . App-92 .
sanctified. Compare Ezekiel 28:22 , Ezekiel 36:23 ; Ezekiel 38:23 .Isaiah 5:16 .
heathen = nations.
then shall, &c. Compare Ezekiel 36:28 ; Ezekiel 37:23 .Jeremiah 23:8 ; Jeremiah 27:11 .
in their land = on their soil.
given, &c. See Genesis 28:13 ; and ep. note on Genesis 50:24 .
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.
a pricking brier. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 33:55 ).
the house of Israel . See note on Exodus 16:1 .
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.
they shall dwell . Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 25:18 , Leviticus 25:19 . Deuteronomy 12:10 ; Deuteronomy 33:25 ). App-92 . See also Ezekiel 34:25-28 ; Ezekiel 38:8 . Joe 23:6-8 ; Joe 33:16 . Hosea 2:15 .Zechariah 2:4 , Zechariah 2:5 .
safely = with confidence. Compare Ezekiel 38:11 . Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 33:28 ). App-92 .
build, &c. Compare Isaiah 65:21 , Isaiah 65:22 .Jeremiah 29:5 , Jeremiah 29:6 , Jeremiah 29:28 ; Jeremiah 31:4 , Jeremiah 31:5 ; Jeremiah 32:15 .Amos 9:13 , Amos 9:14 .
when I, &c. Compare Ezekiel 28:24 ; chs. 25-32; 35. Isa 13-21. Jer 46-51.Zechariah 1:17 .