strangers = aliens, or foreigners: the Babylonians were noted for their barbarity. Compare Ezekiel 30:11 ; Ezekiel 31:12 .Isaiah 1:7 ; Isaiah 25:2 ). defile = profane. brightness = splendour: occurs only here, and Ezekiel 28:17 . See note on Genesis 3:1 and App-19 . read more
7. therefore—apodosis. strangers . . . terrible of the nations—the Chaldean foreigners noted for their ferocity (Ezekiel 30:11; Ezekiel 31:12). against the beauty of thy wisdom—that is, against thy beautiful possessions acquired by thy wisdom on which thou pridest thyself (Ezekiel 31:12- :). defile thy brightness—obscure the brightness of thy kingdom. read more
3. A judgment speech against the ruler of Tyre 28:1-10 read more
B. Judgment on Tyre 26:1-28:19"When Jerusalem finally fell in 586, the only states that were still resisting the Babylonians were Egypt and Tyre. It is not coincidental, therefore, that of the foreign nations addressed by Ezekiel, these two are singled out for the brunt of his oracular volleys." [Note: Block, The Book . . . 48, p. 32.] The length of this oracle reflects the great significance of Tyre at this time in Israel’s history. Tyre (lit. "rock") was the principle city of Phoenicia and... read more
Almighty God announced that because the king had exalted himself in pride the Lord would bring ruthless strangers against him from among other nations. They would fight against his commercial empire, resist his wisdom, and mar the beauty of Tyre’s splendor. Nebuchadnezzar was one of the first of these strangers (cf. 26:7). read more
The King of TyreThe overweening pride of the prince of Tyre, which has led him to claim to be a god, is rebuked, and his destruction by strangers is foretold (Ezekiel 28:1-10). He is compared to an inmate of Eden, the garden of God, who is cast out for his sin (Ezekiel 28:11-19).2. The prince of Tyrus] the king of Tyre at this time was Ithobalus (Ethbaal) II. 3. Daniel] a type of wisdom here, as of righteousness in Ezekiel 14:14, Ezekiel 14:20. Ezekiel’s references to Daniel suggest a sage of... read more
§ 2. Tyre (and Sidon) (Ezekiel 26-28)Tyre was the capital of Phoenicia, the seaboard country on the NW. of Palestine. The Phoenicians were the great mariners of the ancient world, and Tyre was a famous seaport, renowned for its wealth and splendour. It joined in the league against Nebuchadrezzar, and was besieged by him for thirteen years (597-584 b.c.). See Intro. Ezekiel predicts its overthrow in three prophecies, one in general terms (Ezekiel 26:0), one describing Tyre under the figure of a... read more
(7) Against the beauty of thy wisdom.—The figure seems incongruous, but it is to be remembered that the expression is only a form of designating Tyre itself. The description of the Chaldæans as “the terrible of the nations” is repeated in Ezekiel 30:11; Ezekiel 31:12 (comp. also Ezekiel 26:7 and Isaiah 47:6; Habakkuk 1:6). The term, however, is by no means necessarily confined to them. read more
Ezekiel 28:5 Riches in a cultured community are the strongest of things; a power all-moving, yet which only the most powerless and skilless can put in motion; they are the readiest of possibilities; the readiest to become a great blessing or a great curse. 'Beneath gold thrones and mountains,' says Jean Paul, 'who knows how many giant spirits lie entombed?' Carlyle, Essay on Goethe's Works. Reference. XXVIII. 13, 14. J. M. Neale, Sermons for Some Feast Days in the Christian Year, p. 258.... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 28:1-19
Judgment on the king of Tyre (28:1-19)The king of Tyre, as representative of the whole nation, is now condemned on account of the pride for which Tyre was famous. Because of the wealth and strength that the country gained through clever trading, Tyre saw itself as all-powerful, answerable to no one. It considered itself to be a god among the nations of the commercial world (28:1-5).Yahweh, the only true God, will tolerate Tyre’s arrogance no longer. The day of Tyre’s judgment has come (6-7).... read more