Ezekiel 28

Ezekiel 28 contains a divine indictment of the prideful ruler of Tyre, a prophetic lament regarding his fall from a state of perfection, and a concluding prophecy of judgment on Zidon paired with the future restoration of Israel.

• Judgment is pronounced against the prince of Tyre for his hubristic self-deification (vv. 1-10).
• A lamentation is raised for the king of Tyre, detailing his origins in Eden and his subsequent corruption through violence and pride (vv. 11-19).
• A separate prophecy is issued against the city of Zidon (vv. 20-23).
• The chapter concludes with the promise of Israel's regathering, security, and restoration in their land (vv. 24-26).

• Prince (nāgîd) vs. King (melek) of Tyre.
• The setting of Eden and the 'anointed cherub' imagery (vv. 13-14).
• The 'pricking brier' and 'grieving thorn' metaphors for surrounding nations (v. 24).
• The repeated phrase 'know that I am the Lord' (vv. 22, 26).

This passage provides a stark theological case study on the nature of pride (the heart set as God's heart) and connects the fall of earthly powers with the ultimate redemptive-historical purpose of God's sovereignty over the nations and the restoration of His people.

God humbles the pride of all human institutions and rulers, demonstrating that true authority and wisdom belong to Him alone.

The text moves from a specific political rebuke of a contemporary ruler to an expansive, mythopoeic description of his corruption, ending with a shift toward divine judgment on neighboring nations and covenant faithfulness to Israel.

• I will be glorified in the midst of thee (Ezekiel 28:22).
• I will gather the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered (Ezekiel 28:25).
• They shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards (Ezekiel 28:26).

• Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers (Ezekiel 28:10).
• I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God (Ezekiel 28:16).
• I will bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee (Ezekiel 28:18).

• Tyre and Zidon were major Phoenician city-states known for maritime trade.
• The historical prince of Tyre at this time was likely Ethbaal III, who resisted Nebuchadnezzar II.
• The text addresses the regional political climate where these powers were hostile neighbors to Israel.

• The 'anointed cherub' imagery utilizes Ancient Near Eastern royal motifs of perfection and divine placement, typical of how prophets used the language of their day to depict the status and subsequent fall of kings.
• Commerce and trade (rǝkullâh) were the lifeblood of Phoenician culture, making the critique of this wealth a direct challenge to their national identity.

• This chapter is part of the 'Oracles against the Nations' (chapters 25-32), which establishes God's rule over the entire known world, not just Israel.
• The transition from the 'Prince' (political ruler) to the 'King' (who is described with language suggesting supernatural or archetypal status) is a literary movement from the concrete historical person to the representative power.

• The 'garden of God' imagery points back to Genesis 2-3, contrasting the historical king's expulsion with the original expulsion of Adam.
• This passage establishes the theme of the 'gathering' of Israel, a major focus of the restoration theology found in the latter chapters of Ezekiel.

• References to the 'mountain of God' echo Psalm 48 and Zion theology, though here it is applied to the ruler's fall from grace.
• The fall of the 'anointed cherub' is often cross-referenced by interpreters with Isaiah 14 (the King of Babylon), though the texts focus on different historical entities.

• nāgîd [H5057]: Often translated 'prince' or 'leader' (occupying the front), signifying a political commander.
• gābâh [H1361]: To 'soar' or be lofty; used here for the haughty heart.
• rǝkullâh [H7404]: Trade as 'peddling' or commercial activity.
• yōpî [H3308]: 'Beauty,' emphasizing the vanity of the king's self-constructed perfection.

• The distinction between the 'Prince' (nagid) and the 'King' (melek). Matthew Henry observes that while the prince is judged for his political pride, the lament for the king employs the language of Eden to show that all spiritual pride—regardless of how 'wise' or 'perfect' the individual appears—is ultimately of the devil.
• The shift in the end of the chapter from judgment on the nations to the restoration of Israel, which functions as the 'answer' to the violence mentioned in the first half of the chapter.

• The identity of the 'anointed cherub': There is significant scholarly debate between those who see this as a highly symbolic, hyperbolic description of the human king of Tyre (a common ANE literary device) versus those who see a reference to a supernatural, demonic being (Satan) behind the human ruler. Historic Christian positions vary, with some leaning toward the demonic interpretation based on the Eden imagery and others emphasizing the historical-political application to the literal king.