OLD TESTAMENT

Ezekiel 28

The Holy Bible · English
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1

The LORD’s word came again to me, saying,

2

“Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the middle of the seas;’ yet you are man, and no god, though you set your heart as the heart of a god—

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 2. Prince. The Jews say Hiram, (Saint Jerome) supposing that he lived a thousand years; though this is not requisite, as he died only four hundred and thirty years before. The idea is childish. The king who was taken and slain, at this siege, was probably ( Calmet.) Ithobalos. Jos. Ant. x. 11.—Origen applies this to the angel guardian of Tyre. Saint Augustine thinks an allusion is made to the fall of Lucifer. But it may all refer to the king, ( Calmet.) though others explain part of him and the rest of the devil. Saint Jerome E.

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3

behold, you are wiser than Daniel. There is no secret that is hidden from you.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 3. Than Daniel; that is in thy own conceit. The wisdom of Daniel was so much celebrated in his days, that it became a proverb among the Chaldees, when any one would express an extraordinary wisdom, to say he was as wise as Daniel. Challoner. Worthington.—He was now at court, and had explained the dream of Nabuchodonosor. Daniel 2:27.

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4

By your wisdom and by your understanding you have gotten yourself riches, and have gotten gold and silver into your treasuries.

5

By your great wisdom and by your trading you have increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches—”

6

“‘therefore the Lord GOD says: “Because you have set your heart as the heart of God,

7

therefore, behold, I will bring strangers on you, the terrible of the nations. They will draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom. They will defile your brightness.

8

They will bring you down to the pit. You will die the death of those who are slain in the heart of the seas.

9

Will you yet say before him who kills you, ‘I am God’? But you are man, and not God, in the hand of him who wounds you.

10

You will die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers; for I have spoken it,” says the Lord GOD.’”

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 10. Uncircumcised. The Jews deemed this a disgrace. 1 Kennicott. 31:4. The king would be exposed to eternal death, being devoid of faith, and so forth Calmet.

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11

Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

12

“Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and tell him, ‘The Lord GOD says: “You were the seal of full measure, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 12. Resemblance. The king of Tyre, by his dignity and his natural perfections, bore in himself a certain resemblance to God, by reason of which he might be called the seal of resemblance, and so forth But what is here said to him is commonly understood of Lucifer, the king over all the children of pride. Challoner.—A seal is perfect when it represents things exactly. The prophet speaks ironically, to repress the king’s vanity.

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13

You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, emerald, chrysolite, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and beryl. Gold work of tambourines and of pipes was in you. They were prepared in the day that you were created.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 13. Paradise. Thou hadst every thing delightful at Tyre. Calmet.—Covering. Hebrew “bandage;” diadem, ( Bible.) or belt. Septuagint specify twelve stones. See Exodus 28:17.—Pipes; music used at the coronation, which was celebrated as a birth-day. Calmet.—God give and withdraws power from all kings. As long as they act well, they are a sort of sanctuary. Bible.

EXPLANATION

or, lapis lazuli

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14

You were the anointed cherub who covers. Then I set you up on the holy mountain of God. You have walked up and down in the middle of the stones of fire.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 14. Stretched out. That is, thy wings extended. This alludes to the figure of the cherubims in the sanctuary, which with stretched out wings covered the ark, ( Challoner.) on the holy mountain. Saint Jerome and so forth—Fire. That is, bright and precious stones, which sparkle like fire. Challoner.—With these the king’s robes glittered, or he walked upon them. Esther 1:6. Calmet.—Calcacabatur onyx. Lucan x.

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15

You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 15. Iniquity. Tyre was before wicked; but when the king pretended to be a god, (verse 2) it could no longer be endured. Worthington.

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16

By the abundance of your commerce, your insides were filled with violence, and you have sinned. Therefore I have cast you as profane out of God’s mountain. I have destroyed you, covering cherub, from the middle of the stones of fire.

17

Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. You have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I have cast you to the ground. I have laid you before kings, that they may see you.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 17. Beauty. Riches have corrupted thy heart.

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18

By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your commerce, you have profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought out a fire from the middle of you. It has devoured you. I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all those who see you.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 18. Sanctuaries, or temples, which was a crime ( Calmet.) in an idolater, as he took them to be the temples of a real deity. Bible.

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19

All those who know you among the peoples will be astonished at you. You have become a terror, and you will exist no more.”’”

20

The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

21

“Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against it,

22

and say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against you, Sidon. I will be glorified among you. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have executed judgments in her, and am sanctified in her.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 22. Sidon. It gave rise to Tyre, yet was now inferior, though independent of it, (Isaiah 23:4) or subject to Egypt. Diod. ii. 2.—It was now pillaged.

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23

For I will send pestilence into her, and blood into her streets. The wounded will fall within her, with the sword on her on every side. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

24

“‘“There will no longer be a pricking brier to the house of Israel, nor a hurting thorn of any that are around them that scorned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.”

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 24. Bitterness. Jezabel came hence; (3 Kennicott. 16:31) and the Phœnicians hemmed in the Israelites as much as possible, and fought against them. Calmet.—Sidon was near Tyre, and imitating her crimes was also punished.

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25

“‘The Lord GOD says: “When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am shown as holy among them in the sight of the nations, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to my servant Jacob.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 25. When. All shall praise God, seeing that he receives his people again after he has justly chastised them. Worthington.

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26

They will dwell in it securely. Yes, they will build houses, plant vineyards, and will dwell securely when I have executed judgments on all those around them who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.”’”