Ezekiel 28, Lament for the King of Tyre

Like Isaiah 14, much debate has been made over whether the person being addressed here is Satan, or not. It is the exalted language of verses 11-19 that has given rise to the idea that Yahweh has stopped addressing the “ruler of Tyre” and started addressing Satan as true “king of Tyre,” the real power behind the throne. I think the burden of proof is on this view, as the language can be explained with reference to the human ruler.

1 The word of Yahweh came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Yahweh says:

“‘In the pride of your heart you say, “I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.” But you are a mere mortal and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god. 3 Are you wiser than Daniel? Is no secret hidden from you? 4 By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself and amassed gold and silver in your treasuries. 5 By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud.

6 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Yahweh says:

“‘Because you think you are wise, as wise as a god, 7 I am going to bring foreigners against you, the most ruthless of nations; they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom and pierce your shining splendor. 8 They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die a violent death in the heart of the seas. 9 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, in the hands of those who slay you. 10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners. I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Yahweh.’”

The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary says,

Apparently the king of Tyre had a role in the ritual of Awakening of Melkart, the chief god of Tyre (mlk qrt, “king of the city”), in which the king was attributed divine status. Second-century a.d. Roman author Aelian reports that the Tyrian Phoenician royal dynasty claimed descent from the gods (Varia Historia 14.30).

The king of Tyre thought of himself as a god. But Yahweh was going to show him that he was entirely human. Yes, he had attained great wealth, yes he had great wisdom (Yahweh admits this), but he had great pride, seeing himself as the source of all his power. Yahweh would bring Babylon against his kingdom and destroy him. And though the Tyrians practiced circumcision, they would die the death of the uncircumcised, a barbarian’s death. His “shining splendor” would be pierced. Again, the Zondervan IBBC says,

A king’s shining splendor or radiance points to a concept well documented in ancient Near Eastern literature. The sanctity of a king is often said to be manifest by an awe-inspiring radiance or an aura characteristic of deities and divine beings.

It would now follow that a lament would be made for what is coming upon this ruler, as in Ezekiel’s other prophecies. But does Yahweh instead lament Satan’s fall? What would be the logic of this?

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

“‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

Some have argued that Yahweh would not say this of a human king. But He has already admitted to this king’s wisdom (verse 4). It is likely that this king started out good and then became wicked, started as a seal of perfection and beauty.

13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.

How could a human king have been in Eden? Zondervan suggests,

The ninth-century b.c. Tell Fekherye bilingual Assyrian-Aramaic inscription sheds new light on the term ՝ēden. The Aramaic participle m՝dn in line 4 has as its Assyrian counterpart the term mutaḫḫidu, meaning “make abounding, luxuriant, prosperous.” The name of the biblical garden can therefore mean “abundance, luxuriance.”

Yahweh would be speaking of the abundance Tyre’s king had accumulated, like, we might say, the garden of Eden. 

14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.

Surely this cannot be said of a human king? But Zondervan again notes,

The growing collection of Phoenician ivories attests to the prominence of the cherub motif in Phoenician art and iconography. Especially noteworthy is the carving of a king-cherub, whose face appears to be the portrait of the king and under whose feet are seen alternating patterns of stylized tulip flower gardens and mountains. And to walk on fire unharmed seems to have been part of common West Semitic stock of qualifications for immortality, hence of divinity.

Yahweh had ordained Tyre’s king, as He does all governing authorities. But this king departed from the stewardship of God’s authority.

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, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.

It is not appropriate to speak of Satan doing “widespread trade,” whereas it is entirely appropriate of the merchants of Tyre. God removed the king of Tyre from the “mount of God” because of the violence and wickedness of his behavior, and because of his pride.

17 Your heart became proud 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. 18 By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. 19 All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”

Satan has not actually yet been thrown to the earth, that is, confined to earth. That does not happen until the time of the Great Tribulation (Revelation 12). He still has access to heaven (see Job). But this king was thrown to earth from his previous heights and made a spectacle before the other nations’ kings. He is no more, whereas Satan is certainly still around.

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

“‘I am against you, Sidon, and among you I will display my glory. You will know that I am Yahweh, when I inflict punishment on you and within you am proved to be holy. 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 Yahweh.

Somewhat unexpectedly, Ezekiel is also called to pronounce judgment on Sidon now, probably because Sidon was so closely associated with Tyre. Babylon did conquer both Tyre and Sidon. Now Ezekiel’s prophecies against all the nations surrounding Israel are done.

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

25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Yahweh says: When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am Yahweh their God.’” (Ezekiel 28)

Yahweh has judged Israel and her neighbors. Now Israel will know that Yahweh is God and removed her malicious neighbors and the day is coming when He will restore them to their land that He promised to Jacob and they will live in safety once again. This was partially fulfilled with their return from exile, chronicled in Ezra and Nehemiah, but will be finally fulfilled in the kingdom, when Jesus returns.