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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.’”

A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre

28 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man(A), say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘In the pride of your heart
    you say, “I am a god;
I sit on the throne(B) of a god
    in the heart of the seas.”(C)
But you are a mere mortal and not a god,
    though you think you are as wise as a god.(D)
Are you wiser than Daniel[a]?(E)
    Is no secret hidden from you?
By your wisdom and understanding
    you have gained wealth for yourself
and amassed gold and silver
    in your treasuries.(F)
By your great skill in trading(G)
    you have increased your wealth,(H)
and because of your wealth
    your heart has grown proud.(I)

“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Because you think you are wise,
    as wise as a god,
I am going to bring foreigners against you,
    the most ruthless of nations;(J)
they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom(K)
    and pierce your shining splendor.(L)
They will bring you down to the pit,(M)
    and you will die a violent death(N)
    in the heart of the seas.(O)
Will you then say, “I am a god,”
    in the presence of those who kill you?
You will be but a mortal, not a god,(P)
    in the hands of those who slay you.(Q)
10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised(R)
    at the hands of foreigners.

I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, take up a lament(S) concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘You were the seal of perfection,
    full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.(T)
13 You were in Eden,(U)
    the garden of God;(V)
every precious stone(W) adorned you:
    carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
    topaz, onyx and jasper,
    lapis lazuli, turquoise(X) and beryl.[b]
Your settings and mountings[c] were made of gold;
    on the day you were created they were prepared.(Y)
14 You were anointed(Z) as a guardian cherub,(AA)
    for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
    you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways
    from the day you were created
    till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade
    you were filled with violence,(AB)
    and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
    and I expelled you, guardian cherub,(AC)
    from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud(AD)
    on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
    because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
    I made a spectacle of you before kings.(AE)
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
    you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire(AF) come out from you,
    and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes(AG) on the ground
    in the sight of all who were watching.(AH)
19 All the nations who knew you
    are appalled(AI) at you;
you have come to a horrible end
    and will be no more.(AJ)’”

A Prophecy Against Sidon

20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, set your face against(AK) Sidon;(AL) prophesy against her 22 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘I am against you, Sidon,
    and among you I will display my glory.(AM)
You will know that I am the Lord,
    when I inflict punishment(AN) on you
    and within you am proved to be holy.(AO)
23 I will send a plague upon you
    and make blood flow in your streets.
The slain will fall within you,
    with the sword against you on every side.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.(AP)

24 “‘No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns.(AQ) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.

25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather(AR) the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered,(AS) I will be proved holy(AT) through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.(AU) 26 They will live there in safety(AV) and will build houses and plant(AW) vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment(AX) on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.(AY)’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 28:3 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature
  2. Ezekiel 28:13 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.
  3. Ezekiel 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.