25 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 When I shall have gathered H6908 the house H1004 of Israel H3478 from the people H5971 among whom they are scattered, H6327 and shall be sanctified H6942 in them in the sight H5869 of the heathen, H1471 then shall they dwell H3427 in their land H127 that I have given H5414 to my servant H5650 Jacob. H3290
And he shall set up H5375 an ensign H5251 for the nations, H1471 and shall assemble H622 the outcasts H1760 of Israel, H3478 and gather together H6908 the dispersed H5310 of Judah H3063 from the four H702 corners H3671 of the earth. H776 The envy H7068 also of Ephraim H669 shall depart, H5493 and the adversaries H6887 of Judah H3063 shall be cut off: H3772 Ephraim H669 shall not envy H7065 Judah, H3063 and Judah H3063 shall not vex H6887 Ephraim. H669
And I will bring again H7725 the captivity H7622 of my people H5971 of Israel, H3478 and they shall build H1129 the waste H8074 cities, H5892 and inhabit H3427 them; and they shall plant H5193 vineyards, H3754 and drink H8354 the wine H3196 thereof; they shall also make H6213 gardens, H1593 and eat H398 the fruit H6529 of them. And I will plant H5193 them upon their land, H127 and they shall no more be pulled up H5428 out of their land H127 which I have given H5414 them, saith H559 the LORD H3068 thy God. H430
Behold, at that time H6256 I will undo H6213 all that afflict H6031 thee: and I will save H3467 her that halteth, H6760 and gather H6908 her that was driven out; H5080 and I will get H7760 them praise H8416 and fame H8034 in every land H776 where they have been put to shame. H1322 At that time H6256 will I bring H935 you again, even in the time H6256 that I gather H6908 you: for I will make H5414 you a name H8034 and a praise H8416 among all people H5971 of the earth, H776 when I turn back H7725 your captivity H7622 before your eyes, H5869 saith H559 the LORD. H3068
In the day H3117 that thy walls H1447 are to be built, H1129 in that day H3117 shall the decree H2706 be far removed. H7368 In that day H3117 also he shall come H935 even to thee from Assyria, H804 and from the fortified H4693 cities, H5892 and from the fortress H4693 even to the river, H5104 and from sea H3220 to sea, H3220 and from mountain H2022 to mountain. H2022 Notwithstanding the land H776 shall be desolate H8077 because of them that dwell H3427 therein, for the fruit H6529 of their doings. H4611 Feed H7462 thy people H5971 with thy rod, H7626 the flock H6629 of thine heritage, H5159 which dwell H7931 solitarily H910 in the wood, H3293 in the midst H8432 of Carmel: H3760 let them feed H7462 in Bashan H1316 and Gilead, H1568 as in the days H3117 of old. H5769
But upon mount H2022 Zion H6726 shall be deliverance, H6413 and there shall be holiness; H6944 and the house H1004 of Jacob H3290 shall possess H3423 their possessions. H4180 And the house H1004 of Jacob H3290 shall be a fire, H784 and the house H1004 of Joseph H3130 a flame, H3852 and the house H1004 of Esau H6215 for stubble, H7179 and they shall kindle H1814 in them, and devour H398 them; and there shall not be any remaining H8300 of the house H1004 of Esau; H6215 for the LORD H3068 hath spoken H1696 it. And they of the south H5045 shall possess H3423 the mount H2022 of Esau; H6215 and they of the plain H8219 the Philistines: H6430 and they shall possess H3423 the fields H7704 of Ephraim, H669 and the fields H7704 of Samaria: H8111 and Benjamin H1144 shall possess Gilead. H1568 And the captivity H1546 of this host H2426 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 shall possess that of the Canaanites, H3669 even unto Zarephath; H6886 and the captivity H1546 of Jerusalem, H3389 which is in Sepharad, H5614 shall possess H3423 the cities H5892 of the south. H5045 And saviours H3467 shall come up H5927 on mount H2022 Zion H6726 to judge H8199 the mount H2022 of Esau; H6215 and the kingdom H4410 shall be the LORD'S. H3068
And, behold, the LORD H3068 stood H5324 above it, and said, H559 I am the LORD H3068 God H430 of Abraham H85 thy father, H1 and the God H430 of Isaac: H3327 the land H776 whereon thou liest, H7901 to thee will I give it, H5414 and to thy seed; H2233 And thy seed H2233 shall be as the dust H6083 of the earth, H776 and thou shalt spread abroad H6555 to the west, H3220 and to the east, H6924 and to the north, H6828 and to the south: H5045 and in thee and in thy seed H2233 shall all the families H4940 of the earth H127 be blessed. H1288
And I will sanctify H6942 my great H1419 name, H8034 which was profaned H2490 among the heathen, H1471 which ye have profaned H2490 in the midst H8432 of them; and the heathen H1471 shall know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 when I shall be sanctified H6942 in you before their eyes. H5869 For I will take H3947 you from among H4480 the heathen, H1471 and gather H6908 you out of all countries, H776 and will bring H935 you into your own land. H127
Behold, I will bring H935 them from the north H6828 country, H776 and gather H6908 them from the coasts H3411 of the earth, H776 and with them the blind H5787 and the lame, H6455 the woman with child H2030 and her that travaileth with child H3205 together: H3162 a great H1419 company H6951 shall return H7725 thither. They shall come H935 with weeping, H1065 and with supplications H8469 will I lead H2986 them: I will cause them to walk H3212 by the rivers H5158 of waters H4325 in a straight H3477 way, H1870 wherein they shall not stumble: H3782 for I am a father H1 to Israel, H3478 and Ephraim H669 is my firstborn. H1060 Hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 O ye nations, H1471 and declare H5046 it in the isles H339 afar off, H4801 and say, H559 He that scattered H2219 Israel H3478 will gather H6908 him, and keep H8104 him, as a shepherd H7462 doth his flock. H5739
And it shall come to pass in that day, H3117 that the LORD H3068 shall beat off H2251 from the channel H7641 of the river H5104 unto the stream H5158 of Egypt, H4714 and ye shall be gathered H3950 one H259 by one, H259 O ye children H1121 of Israel. H3478 And it shall come to pass in that day, H3117 that the great H1419 trumpet H7782 shall be blown, H8628 and they shall come H935 which were ready to perish H6 in the land H776 of Assyria, H804 and the outcasts H5080 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and shall worship H7812 the LORD H3068 in the holy H6944 mount H2022 at Jerusalem. H3389
That then the LORD H3068 thy God H430 will turn H7725 thy captivity, H7622 and have compassion H7355 upon thee, and will return H7725 and gather H6908 thee from all the nations, H5971 whither the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath scattered H6327 thee. If any of thine be driven out H5080 unto the outmost H7097 parts of heaven, H8064 from thence will the LORD H3068 thy God H430 gather H6908 thee, and from thence will he fetch H3947 thee:
And yet H637 for all that, H2063 when they be H1571 in the land H776 of their enemies, H341 I will not cast them away, H3988 neither will I abhor H1602 them, to destroy them utterly, H3615 and to break H6565 my covenant H1285 with them: for I am the LORD H3068 their God. H430 But I will for their sakes remember H2142 the covenant H1285 of their ancestors, H7223 whom I brought forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt H4714 in the sight H5869 of the heathen, H1471 that I might be their God: H430 I am the LORD. H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 28
Commentary on Ezekiel 28 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 28
Eze 28:1-26. Prophetical Dirge on the King of Tyre, as the Culmination and Embodiment of the Spirit of Carnal Pride and Self-sufficiency of the Whole State. The Fall of Zidon, the Mother City. The Restoration of Israel in Contrast with Tyre and Zidon.
2. Because, &c.—repeated resumptively in Eze 28:6. The apodosis begins at Eze 28:7. "The prince of Tyrus" at the time was Ithobal, or Ithbaal II; the name implying his close connection with Baal, the Phœnician supreme god, whose representative he was.
I am a god, I sit in … seat of God … the seas—As God sits enthroned in His heavenly citadel exempt from all injury, so I sit secure in my impregnable stronghold amidst the stormiest elements, able to control them at will, and make them subserve my interests. The language, though primarily here applied to the king of Tyre, as similar language is to the king of Babylon (Isa 14:13, 14), yet has an ulterior and fuller accomplishment in Satan and his embodiment in Antichrist (Da 7:25; 11:36, 37; 2Th 2:4; Re 13:6). This feeling of superhuman elevation in the king of Tyre was fostered by the fact that the island on which Tyre stood was called "the holy island" [Sanconiathon], being sacred to Hercules, so much so that the colonies looked up to Tyre as the mother city of their religion, as well as of their political existence. The Hebrew for "God" is El, that is, "the Mighty One."
yet, &c.—keen irony.
set thine heart as … heart of God—Thou thinkest of thyself as if thou wert God.
3. Ezekiel ironically alludes to Ithbaal's overweening opinion of the wisdom of himself and the Tyrians, as though superior to that of Daniel, whose fame had reached even Tyre as eclipsing the Chaldean sages. "Thou art wiser," namely, in thine own opinion (Zec 9:2).
no secret—namely, forgetting riches (Eze 28:4).
that they can hide—that is, that can be hidden.
5. (Ps 62:10).
6. Because, &c.—resumptive of Eze 28:2.
7. therefore—apodosis.
strangers … terrible of the nations—the Chaldean foreigners noted for their ferocity (Eze 30:11; 31:12).
against the beauty of thy wisdom—that is, against thy beautiful possessions acquired by thy wisdom on which thou pridest thyself (Eze 28:3-5).
defile thy brightness—obscure the brightness of thy kingdom.
8. the pit—that is, the bottom of the sea; the image being that of one conquered in a sea-fight.
the deaths—plural, as various kinds of deaths are meant (Jer 16:4).
of them … slain—literally, "pierced through." Such deaths as those pierced with many wounds die.
9. yet say—that is, still say; referring to Eze 28:2.
but, &c.—But thy blasphemous boastings shall be falsified, and thou shalt be shown to be but man, and not God, in the hand (at the mercy) of Him.
10. deaths of … uncircumcised—that is, such a death as the uncircumcised or godless heathen deserve; and perhaps, also, such as the uncircumcised inflict, a great ignominy in the eyes of a Jew (1Sa 31:4); a fit retribution on him who had scoffed at the circumcised Jews.
12. sealest up the sum—literally, "Thou art the one sealing the sum of perfection." A thing is sealed when completed (Da 9:24). "The sum" implies the full measure of beauty, from a Hebrew root, "to measure." The normal man—one formed after accurate rule.
13. in Eden—The king of Tyre is represented in his former high state (contrasted with his subsequent downfall), under images drawn from the primeval man in Eden, the type of humanity in its most Godlike form.
garden of God—the model of ideal loveliness (Eze 31:8, 9; 36:35). In the person of the king of Tyre a new trial was made of humanity with the greatest earthly advantages. But as in the case of Adam, the good gifts of God were only turned into ministers to pride and self.
every precious stone—so in Eden (Ge 2:12), "gold, bdellium, and the onyx stone." So the king of Tyre was arrayed in jewel-bespangled robes after the fashion of Oriental monarchs. The nine precious stones here mentioned answer to nine of the twelve (representing the twelve tribes) in the high priest's breastplate (Ex 39:10-13; Re 21:14, 19-21). Of the four rows of three in each, the third is omitted in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the Septuagint. In this, too, there is an ulterior reference to Antichrist, who is blasphemously to arrogate the office of our divine High Priest (Zec 6:13).
tabrets—tambourines.
pipes—literally, "holes" in musical pipes or flutes.
created—that is, in the day of thine accession to the throne. Tambourines and all the marks of joy were ready prepared for thee ("in thee," that is, "with and for thee"). Thou hadst not, like others, to work thy way to the throne through arduous struggles. No sooner created than, like Adam, thou wast surrounded with the gratifications of Eden. Fairbairn, for "pipes," translates, "females" (having reference to Ge 1:27), that is, musician-women. Maurer explains the Hebrew not as to music, but as to the setting and mounting of the gems previously mentioned.
14. anointed cherub—Gesenius translates from an Aramaic root, "extended cherub." English Version, from a Hebrew root, is better. "The cherub consecrated to the Lord by the anointing oil" [Fairbairn].
covereth—The imagery employed by Ezekiel as a priest is from the Jewish temple, wherein the cherubim overshadowed the mercy seat, as the king of Tyre, a demi-god in his own esteem, extended his protection over the interests of Tyre. The cherub—an ideal compound of the highest kinds of animal existence and the type of redeemed man in his ultimate state of perfection—is made the image of the king of Tyre, as if the beau ideal of humanity. The pretensions of Antichrist are the ulterior reference, of whom the king of Tyre is a type. Compare "As God … in the temple of God" (2Th 2:4).
I have set thee—not thou set thyself (Pr 8:16; Ro 13:1).
upon the holy mountain of God—Zion, following up the image.
in … midst of … stones of fire—In ambitious imagination he stood in the place of God, "under whose feet was, as it were, a pavement of sapphire," while His glory was like "devouring fire" (Ex 24:10, 17).
15. perfect—prosperous [Grotius], and having no defect. So Hiram was a sample of the Tyrian monarch in his early days of wisdom and prosperity (1Ki 5:7, &c.).
till iniquity … in thee—Like the primeval man thou hast fallen by abusing God's gifts, and so hast provoked God's wrath.
16. filled the midst of thee—that is, they have filled the midst of the city; he as the head of the state being involved in the guilt of the state, which he did not check, but fostered.
cast thee as profane—no longer treated as sacred, but driven out of the place of sanctity (see Eze 28:14) which thou hast occupied (compare Ps 89:39).
17. brightness—thy splendor.
lay thee before kings—as an example of God's wrath against presumptuous pride.
18. thy sanctuaries—that is, the holy places, attributed to the king of Tyre in Eze 28:14, as his ideal position. As he "profaned" it, so God will "profane" him (Eze 28:16).
fire … devour—As he abused his supposed elevation amidst "the stones of fire" (Eze 28:16), so God will make His "fire" to "devour" him.
21. Zidon—famous for its fishery (from a root, Zud, "to fish"); and afterwards for its wide extended commerce; its artistic elegance was proverbial. Founded by Canaan's first-born (Ge 10:15). Tyre was an offshoot from it, so that it was involved in the same overthrow by the Chaldeans as Tyre. It is mentioned separately, because its idolatry (Ashtaroth, Tammuz, or Adonis) infected Israel more than that of Tyre did (Eze 8:14; Jud 10:6; 1Ki 11:33). The notorious Jezebel was a daughter of the Zidonian king.
22. shall be sanctified in her—when all nations shall see that I am the Holy Judge in the vengeance that I will inflict on her for sin.
24. no more … brier … unto … Israel—as the idolatrous nations left in Canaan (among which Zidon is expressly specified in the limits of Asher, Jud 1:31) had been (Nu 33:55; Jos 23:13). "A brier," first ensnaring the Israelites in sin, and then being made the instrument of punishing them.
pricking—literally, "causing bitterness." The same Hebrew is translated "fretting" (Le 13:51, 52). The wicked are often called "thorns" (2Sa 23:6).
25, 26. Fulfilled in part at the restoration from Babylon, when Judaism, so far from being merged in heathenism, made inroads by conversions on the idolatry of surrounding nations. The full accomplishment is yet future, when Israel, under Christ, shall be the center of Christendom; of which an earnest was given in the woman from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon who sought the Saviour (Mt 15:21, 24, 26-28; compare Isa 11:12).
dwell safely—(Jer 23:6).