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Prince of Tyre

28 The Lord’s word came to me: Human one, say to the prince of Tyre, The Lord God proclaims: In your arrogance, you say, “I am God, and as God I rule the seas!” Though you claim to have the mind of a god, you are mortal, not divine. You are certainly wiser than Daniel; no secrets are hidden from you. By your wisdom and discernment, you made yourself rich, and you filled your storehouses with silver and gold. Through your shrewd trading you multiplied your riches. But then you became proud of your riches.

So now the Lord God proclaims: Because you claim to have the mind of a god, I’ll bring foreigners, the most ruthless nations, against you. They will let loose their swords against your fine wisdom, and they will degrade your splendor. They will hurl you to destruction, and you will die, murdered, on the high seas. When you face your murderers, will you still say, “I’m God”? In your killers’ hands, you are mortal, not divine. 10 You will die as the uncircumcised do, at the hands of foreigners. I have spoken. This is what the Lord God has said.

11 The Lord’s word came to me: 12 Human one, sing a lament for the king of Tyre. Say to him, The Lord God proclaims: You were full of wisdom and beauty, the image of perfection. 13 You were in Eden, God’s garden. You were covered with gold and every precious stone: carnelian, topaz, and moonstone; beryl, onyx, and jasper; lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald. On the day that you were created, finely crafted pendants and engravings were prepared. 14 You, a winged creature, were installed as a guardian. I placed you in God’s holy mountain where you walked among the stones of fire. 15 From the day you were created until injustice was found in you, your ways were assured. 16 But because of your trade, your oppressive business practices piled up, and you became impure. So I expelled you from God’s mountain. I removed you, winged creature, guardian, from among the stones of fire. 17 You exalted yourself because of your beauty and corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I will cast you down to the earth in the sight of kings, and I will make a spectacle of you. 18 Because of your corrupt trade, which surpassed your many other sins, you made your sanctuaries impure. Therefore, I will bring fire from your midst. When it has consumed you, I will turn you into dust on the earth in the sight of all who see you. 19 Everyone among the peoples who knows you will be appalled because of you. You will become a terror. From that time on, you will be nothing.

Against Sidon

20 The Lord’s word came to me: 21 Human one, face Sidon, prophesy against it, 22 and say, The Lord God proclaims: I’m against you, Sidon, and I will manifest my glory in you. When I’ve executed judgment against it and through it have manifested my holiness, they will know that I am the Lord. 23 I will hurl plague against it, and blood will run in its streets. When the sword comes against it from all sides, the slain will fall within it. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 24 The house of Israel will no longer suffer from the pricking thorn or painful briar of any of its neighbors who hold it in contempt. And they will know that I am the Lord God.

25 The Lord God proclaims: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they’ve scattered, and I demonstrate my holiness through them in the sight of the nations, they will live on their fertile land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live on it in safety. They will build houses, plant vineyards, and live in safety. When I execute judgments against all who hold them in contempt on every side, they will know that I, the Lord, am their God.

Prophecy Against the King of Tyre

28 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying: “Human, say to the ruler of Tyre: ‘This is what the Lord God says:

Because you are proud,
    you say, “I am a god.
I sit on the throne of a god
    in the middle of the seas.”
You think you are as wise as a god,
    but you are a human, not a god.
You think you are wiser than Daniel.
    You think you can find out all secrets.
Through your wisdom and understanding
    you have made yourself rich.
You have gained gold and silver
    and have saved it in your storerooms.
Through your great skill in trading,
    you have made your riches grow.
You are too proud
    because of your riches.

“‘So this is what the Lord God says:

You think you are wise
    like a god,
but I will bring foreign people against you,
    the cruelest nation.
They will pull out their swords
    and destroy all that your wisdom has built,
    and they will dishonor your greatness.
They will kill you;
    you will die a terrible death
    like those who are killed at sea.
While they are killing you,
    you will not be able to say anymore, “I am a god.”
You will be only a human, not a god,
    when your murderers kill you.
10 You will die like an unclean person;
    foreigners will kill you.

I have spoken, says the Lord God.’”

11 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying: 12 “Human, sing a funeral song for the king of Tyre. Say to him: ‘This is what the Lord God says:

You were an example of what was perfect,
    full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You had a wonderful life,
    as if you were in Eden, the garden of God.
Every valuable gem was on you:
    ruby, topaz, and emerald,
    yellow quartz, onyx, and jasper,
    sapphire, turquoise, and chrysolite.
Your jewelry was made of gold.
    It was prepared on the day you were created.
14 I appointed a living creature to guard you.
    I put you on the holy mountain of God.
    You walked among the gems that shined like fire.
15 Your life was right and good
    from the day you were created,
    until evil was found in you.
16 Because you traded with countries far away,
    you learned to be cruel, and you sinned.
So I threw you down in disgrace from the mountain of God.
    And the living creature who guarded you
    forced you out from among the gems that shined like fire.
17 You became too proud
    because of your beauty.
You ruined your wisdom
    because of your greatness.
I threw you down to the ground.
    Your example taught a lesson to other kings.
18 You dishonored your places of worship
    through your many sins and dishonest trade.
So I set on fire the place where you lived,
    and the fire burned you up.
I turned you into ashes on the ground
    for all those watching to see.
19 All the nations who knew you
    are shocked about you.
Your punishment was so terrible,
    and you are gone forever.’”

Prophecy Against Sidon

20 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying: 21 “Human, look toward the city of Sidon and prophesy against her. 22 Say: ‘This is what the Lord God says:

I am against you, Sidon,
    and I will show my glory among you.
People will know that I am the Lord
    when I have punished Sidon;
    I will show my holiness by defeating her.
23 I will send diseases to Sidon,
    and blood will flow in her streets.
Those who are wounded in Sidon will fall dead,
    attacked from all sides.

Then they will know that I am the Lord.

God Will Help Israel

24 “‘No more will neighboring nations be like thorny branches or sharp stickers to hurt Israel. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.

25 “‘This is what the Lord God says: I will gather the people of Israel from the nations where they are scattered. I will show my holiness when the nations see what I do for my people. Then they will live in their own land—the land I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live safely in the land and will build houses and plant vineyards. They will live in safety after I have punished all the nations around who hate them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.’”

28 The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,

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:

Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:

With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:

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

Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;

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.

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.

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.

28 Yahweh’s word came again to me, saying, “Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, ‘The Lord Yahweh 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 not God,
    though you set your heart as the heart of God—
behold, you are wiser than Daniel;
    there is no secret that is hidden from you;
by your wisdom and by your understanding you have gotten yourself riches,
    and have gotten gold and silver into your treasuries;
by your great wisdom
    and by your trading you have increased your riches,
    and your heart is lifted up because of your riches—”

“‘therefore the Lord Yahweh says:

“Because you have set your heart as the heart of God,
    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.
They will bring you down to the pit.
    You will die the death of those who are slain
    in the heart of the seas.
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 Yahweh.’”

11 Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and tell him, ‘The Lord Yahweh says:

“You were the seal of full measure,
    full of wisdom,
    and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden,
    the garden of God.
Every precious stone adorned you:
    ruby, topaz, emerald,
    chrysolite, onyx, jasper,
    sapphire,[a] turquoise, and beryl.
Gold work of tambourines
    and of pipes was in you.
    They were prepared in the day that you were created.
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.
15 You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created,
    until unrighteousness was found in you.
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.
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.
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 Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 21 “Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against it, 22 and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says:

“Behold, I am against you, Sidon.
    I will be glorified among you.
Then they will know that I am Yahweh,
    when I have executed judgments in her,
    and am sanctified in her.
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 Yahweh.

24 “‘“There will be no more 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 Yahweh.”

25 “‘The Lord Yahweh says: “When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am sanctified in them in the sight of the nations, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to my servant Jacob. 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 who scorn them all around. Then they will know that I am Yahweh their God.”’”

Footnotes

  1. 28:13 or, lapis lazuli

Judgment on the King of Tyre

28 The Lord God said:

Ezekiel, son of man, tell the king of Tyre[a] that I am saying:

You are so arrogant that you think you're a god and that the city of Tyre is your throne. You may claim to be a god, though you're nothing but a mere human. You think you're wiser than Daniel[b] and know everything.[c]

Your wisdom has certainly made you rich, because you have storehouses filled with gold and silver. You're a clever businessman and are extremely wealthy, but your wealth has led to arrogance!

You compared yourself to a god, so now I, the Lord God, will make you the victim of cruel enemies. They will destroy all the possessions you've worked so hard to get. Your enemies will brutally kill you, and the sea will be your only grave.

When you face your enemies, will you still claim to be a god? They will attack, and you will suffer like any other human. 10 Foreigners will kill you, and you will die the death of those who don't worship me. I, the Lord, have spoken.

A Funeral Song for the King of Tyre

11 The Lord said:

12 Ezekiel, son of man, sing a funeral song for the king of Tyre[d] and tell him I am saying:

At one time, you were perfect,[e] intelligent, and good-looking. 13 You lived in the garden of Eden and wore jewelry made of brightly colored gems and precious stones. They were all set in gold[f] and were ready for you on the day you were born. 14 I appointed a winged creature to guard your home[g] on my holy mountain, where you walked among gems that dazzled like fire.

15 You were truly good from the time of your birth, but later you started doing wicked things. 16 You traded with other nations and became more and more cruel and evil. So I forced you to leave my mountain, and the creature that had been your protector now chased you away from the jewels.

17 It was your good looks that made you arrogant, and you were so famous that you started acting like a fool. That's why I threw you to the ground and let other kings sneer at you. 18 You have cheated so many other merchants that your places of worship are corrupt. So I set your city on fire and burned it down. Now everyone sees only ashes where your city once stood, 19 and the people of other nations are shocked. Your punishment was horrible, and you are gone forever.

Judgment on Sidon and Peace for Israel

20 (A) The Lord said:

21 Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the city of Sidon[h] 22 and tell its people:

I, the Lord God, am your enemy! People will praise me when I punish you, and they will see that I am holy. 23 I will send deadly diseases to wipe you out, and I will send enemies to invade and surround you. Your people will be killed, and you will know that I am the Lord.

24 When that happens, the people of Israel will no longer have cruel neighbors that abuse them and make them feel as though they are in a field of thorns and briers. And the Israelites will know that I, the Lord God, have done these things.

A Blessing for Israel

25 The Lord God said:

Someday I will gather the people of Israel from the nations where they are now scattered, and every nation will see that I am holy. The Israelites will once again live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will be safe and will build houses and plant vineyards. They will no longer be in danger, because I will punish their hateful neighbors. Israel will know that I am the Lord their God.

Footnotes

  1. 28.2 Tyre: See the note at 26.2.
  2. 28.3 Daniel: See the note at 14.14.
  3. 28.3 and know everything: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  4. 28.12 Tyre: See the note at 26.2.
  5. 28.12 you were perfect: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  6. 28.13 They were all set in gold: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  7. 28.14 I appointed a winged creature to guard your home: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  8. 28.21 Sidon: See the note at 26.2.